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Building

Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term

How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.

GREEK · G3619

οἰκοδομή

oikodomē — building

οἰκοδομή, -ῆς, ἡ (οἶκος, + δέμω, to build), [in LXX: 1Ch.29:1 A (בִּירָה), Eze.17:17 40:2 (בָּנָה, מִבְנֶה), Sir.22:16 40:19, al. ;] = cl. οἰκοδομία (which see), -δόμησις (Thuc., Plat.), 1. the act of building; in NT always metaphorically, building up, edifying: Rom.14:19 15:2, 1Co.14:26, 2Co.10:8 13:10, Eph.4:29; with genitive obj., 1Co.14:12, 2Co.12:19, Eph.4:12, 16; λαλεῖν, λαβεῖν, οἰ., 1Co.14:3. 2. = οἰκοδόμημα, a building: Mat.24:1, Mrk.13:1-2; metaphorically, 1Co.3:9, 2Co.5:1, Eph.2:21.† (AS)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H127

אֲדָמָה

a.da.mah — land: soil

: soil 1) ground, land 1a) ground (as general, tilled, yielding sustenance) 1b) piece of ground, a specific plot of land 1c) earth substance (for building or constructing) 1d) ground as earth's visible surface 1e) land, territory, country 1f) whole inhabited earth 1g) city in Naphtali

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GREEK · G1453

ἐγείρω

egeirō — to arise

ἐγείρω, [in LXX for קוּם, etc. ;] trans. (imperat. ἔγειρε used intransitively, Mat.9:5, Mrk.2:11, al.); 1. to awaken, arouse from sleep: Mrk.4:38, Act.12:7; metaphorically, of spiritual awakening, Rom.13:11 (pass.), Eph.5:14; pass., to be aroused, wake up: Mat.25:7, Mrk.4:27; ἀπὸ τ. ὕπνου, Mat.1:24. 2. Freq. in NT, to raise from the dead: νεκρούς, Jhn.5:21, Act.26:8, 2Co.1:9; ἐκ νεκρῶν, Jhn.12:1, Act.3:15, Rom.8:11, al.; pass., rise from death: Mat.11:5, Luk.7:22, Jhn.2:22, Rom.6:9, al.; ἀπὸ τ. νεκρῶν, Mat.14:2, al. 3. In late Gk., (a) to raise, from sitting, lying, sickness; mid. and pass., to rise: Mat.9:5, 7 Mrk.1:31 9:27 10:49, al.; redundant, like Heb. קוּם, Mat.2:15 9:19, Rev.11:1 (see Dalman, 23f.); (b) to raise up, cause to appear: Act.13:22 (cf. Jdg.2:18); τέκνα, Mat.3:9; pass., to appear: Mat.11:11, Mrk.13:22, al. 4. to rouse, stir up; pass., to rise against: Mat.24:7, Mrk.13:8. 5. Of buildings, to raise: τ. ναόν, Jhn.2:19, 20 (cf . Deu.16:22, Sir.49:13); (cf. δι-, ἐξ-, συν-εγείρω, and V. Cremer, 224). (AS)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H730

אֶ֫רֶז

e.rez — cedar

1) cedar 1a) cedar tree 1b) cedar timber, cedar wood (in building) 1c) cedar wood (in purifications)

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GREEK · G4864

συναγωγή

sunagōgē — synagogue

συν-αγωγή, -ῆς, ἡ [in LXX chiefly for עֵדָה, also for קָהָל, etc. ;] prop., a bringing together; 1. of things, (a) a gathering in of harvest; (b) a collection of money. 2. Of persons, (a) a collecting, assembling (Polyb.); (b) an assembly (MM, xxiv; Deiss., LAE, 101 ff.): Rev.2:9 3:9; esp. of a Jewish religious assembly, a synagogue: Luk.12:11, Act.9:2, al.; of a Christian assembly, Jas.2:2. By meton., of the building in which the assembly is held, a synagogue: Mat.10:17, Mrk.1:21, al. (cf. Cremer, see word ἐκκλησία) SYN.: ἐκκλησία (which see) (AS)

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GREEK · G3037

λίθος

lithos — stone

λίθος, -ου, ὁ (and, in Att.., of precious stones, ἡ.) [in LXX for אֶבֶן, Gen.11:3, al.; λ. τίμιος, for פָּז, Psa.19:10 21:3, Pro.8:19, al. ;] a stone: Mat.4:6, al.; pl., Mat.3:9, al.; at the entrance of a tomb, Mat.27:60, 66 28:2, Mrk.15:46 16:3-4, Luk.24:2, Jhn.11:38, 32 11:41 20:1; λ. μυλικός, Luk.17:2, cf. Rev.18:21; of building stones, Mat.21:42, [44], Mat.24:2, Mrk.12:10 13:1-2, Luk.19:44 20:17-18 21:5-6 Act.4:11, 1Pe.2:7; metaphorically, of Christ, λ. ἀκρογωναῖος, ἐκλεκτός, ἔντιμος, 1Pe.2:6 (LXX); λ. ζῶν, 1Pe.2:4; προσκόμματος, 1Pe.2:8, Rom.9:33; of Christians, λ. ζῶντες, 1Pe.2:5; of precious stones, λ. τίμιος, Rev.17:4 18:12, 16 21:11, 19; ἴασπις, Rev.4:3; ἐνδεδυμένοι λ. καθαρόν, Rev.15:6 (λίνον, Rec., R, mg., see Swete, in l); metaphorically, λ. τίμιοι, 1Co.3:12; of the tables of the law, 2Co.3:7; of idols, Act.17:29 (AS)

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GREEK · G3485

ναός

naos — temple

ναός, -οῦ, ὁ (Att.. νεώς; ναίω, to inhabit), [in LXX (νεώς, 2Ma.6:2, al.) chiefly for הֵיכָל ;] 1. a temple (Hom., Find., al.). 2. The inmost part of a temple, the shrine (Hat., Xen., al.); in NT, (a) generally: pl., Act.17:24; of silver models of a heathen shrine, Act.19:24; (b) of the temple building proper, or sanctuary, at Jerusalem, as distinct from τ. ἱερόν (which see), the whole temple enclosure: Mat.23:16-17, 35 27:5, 40, Mrk.14:58 15:29 Jhn.2:19-20, Rev.11:2; (τοῦ) θεοῦ, Mat.26:61 27:51, Mrk.15:38, Luk.1:9, 21-22 23:45, 1Co.3:17, 2Co.6:16, 2Th.2:4, Rev.11:1; of the temple in the Apocal. visions, Rev.3:12 7:15 11:19 14:15, 17 15:5-6, 8 16:1, 17 21:22 a. Metaphorical, of Christians, 1Co.3:16 6:19, 2Co.6:16, Eph.2:21; of Christ's body, Jhn.2:21 (cf. Jhn.2:19); ὁ θεὸς ν. αὐτῆς ἐστιν, Rev.21:22 b.† SYN.: ἱερόν (AS)

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GREEK · G3618

οἰκοδομέω

oikodomeō — to build

οἰκοδομέω, -ῶ (οἰκοδόμος), [in LXX chiefly for בָּנָה ;] to build a house, to build: absol., Luk.11:48 14:30 17:28; οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες, the builders (as Psa.118:22, בָּנָה), Mat.21:42, Mrk.12:10, Luk.20:17, 1Pe.2:7" (LXX) ; ἐ π ̓ ἀλλότριον θεμέλιον οἰ., proverb., Rom.15:20; with accusative of thing(s), Gal.2:18; πύργον), Mat.21:33, Mrk.12:1, Luk.14:28; ἀποθήκας, Luk.12:18; ναόν, Mrk.14:58; pass., Jhn.2:20; οἰκία, Luk.6:48; with accusative of thing(s) before dative of person(s) (cf. Gen.8:20, Eze.16:24), Luk.7:5, Act.7:47, 49; accusative before ἐπί, Mat.7:24, 26 Luk.6:49; πόλιν ἐπ ̓ ὄρους, Luk.4:29; of rebuilding, or restoring, Mat.23:29 26:61 27:40, Mrk.15:29, Luk.11:47, Metaphorical, τ. ἐκκλησίαν, Mat.16:18; of the growth of Christian character (cf. בָּנָה, in Psa.28:5, Jer.24:6, al.), to build up (AV, edify): absol., Act.20:32, 1Co.8:1 10:23; with accusative of person(s), 1Co.14:4, 1Th.5:11; pass., Act.9:31, 1Co.14:17, 1Pe.2:5; of blameworthy action (AV, embolden), 1Co.8:10 (cf. ἀν-, ἐπ-, συν-οικοδομέω).† οἰκο-δόμος, -ου, ὁ (οἶκος + δέμω, to build), [in LXX for בָּנָה, etc. ;] a builder: Act.4:11.† (AS)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H6883

צָרַ֫עַת

tsa.ra.at — leprosy

1) leprosy 1a) in people, malignant skin disease (Le 13:1-14:57) 1b) in clothing, a mildew or mould (Le 13:47-52) 1c) in buildings, a mildew or mould (Le 14:34-53)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H4918

מְשֻׁלָּם

me.shul.lam — Meshullam

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 2Ki.22.3; father of: Azaliah (H0683) § Meshullam = "friend" 1) grandfather of Shaphan, the scribe 2) son of Zerubbabel 3) a Benjamite of the sons of Elpaal 4) a Benjamite, father of Sallu 5) a Benjamite who lived at Jerusalem after the captivity 6) a Benjamite 6a) perhaps the same as 3 or 4 7) a Gadite in the reign of king Jotham of Judah 8) son of Berechiah who assisted in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem 9) son of Besodeiah who assisted Jehoiada the son of Paseah in restoring the old gate of Jerusalem 10) a chief of the people who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah 11) father of Hilkiah and high priest probably in the reign of king Amon of Judah 11a) perhaps the same as 'Shallum' 12) a priest, son of Meshillemith or Meshillemoth, son of Immer, and ancestor of Maasiai or Amashai 13) a priest or family of priests who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah 14) a priest, head of the family of Ginnethon and representative of the house of Ezra in the days of Joiakim, the son of Jeshua 15) a priest, one of the princes of Judah at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem 16) a Kohathite or family of Kohathite Levites in the reign of Josiah 17) a Levite, one of the heads sent to Iddo to gather the Levites to join the caravan about to return to Jerusalem; a chief man who assisted Ezra in abolishing the marriages which some of the people had made with foreign wives 18) ancestor of a family of porters or Levites in days of Nehemiah 19) a descendant of Bani who had a foreign wife and put her away 20) one of the men who stood at the left hand of Ezra when he read the law to the people 20a) maybe the same as 17

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1263

בָּרוּךְ

ba.rukh — Baruch

A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Neh.3.20; son of: Zabbai (H2079H) § Baruch = "blessed" 1) friend, amanuensis, and faithful attendant of Jeremiah 2) a priest, the son of Zabbai who assisted Nehemiah in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem 3) a priest, or family of priests, who signed the covenant with Nehemiah 4) son of Col-hozeh, a descendant of Perez or Pharez, the son of Judah

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H2900

טוֹבִיָּ֫הוּ

to.viy.yah — Tobijah

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 2Ch.17.8 § Tobiah = "Jehovah is good" 1) head of a family who returned from exile with Zerubbabel but who were unable to prove their connection with Israel 2) the Ammonite who with Sanballat opposed the rebuilding of Jerusalem 3) a Levite in the reign of Jehoshaphat 4) a chief of the returning exiles

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1296

בֶּרֶכְיָה

be.rekh.yah — Berechiah

A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.3.20; son of: Zerubbabel (H2216); brother of: Meshullam (H4918H), Hananiah (H2608L), Shelomith (H8019I), Hashubah (H2807), Ohel (H0169), Hasadiah (H2619), Jushab-hesed (H3142), Abiud (G0010) § Berachiah or Berechiah = "Jehovah blesses" 1) a son of Zerubbabel 2) a Levite who returned for the exile 3) father of Meshullam, one of Nehemiah's chiefs who assisted in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem 4) father of Zechariah 5) a Gershonite Levite, the father of Asaph, the singer, doorkeeper of the ark 6) an Ephraimite chief in the time of Ahaz

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H2139

זַכּוּר

zak.kur — Zaccur

A man living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, only mentioned at Num.13.4; father of: Shammua (H8051) § Zaccur or Zacchur = "mindful" 1) father of Shammua, the Reubenite spy 2) a Simeonite of the family of Mishma 3) a Merarite Levite, son of Jaaziah 4) son of Asaph the singer 5) the son of Imri who assisted Nehemiah in rebuilding the wall 6) a Levite, or family of Levites, who signed the covenant with Nehemiah 7) a Levite whose son or descendant Hanan was one of the treasurers over the treasuries appointed by Nehemiah

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H5571

סַנְבַלַּט

san.val.lat — Sanballat

A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Neh.2.10 § Sanballat = "strength" a Moabite of Horonaim and the opponent of Nehemiah and the returned exiles in their goal of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H7348

רְחוּם

re.chum — Rehum

A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.2.2; also called Harim at Neh.10.5; 12.15; Nehum at Neh.7.7; § Rehum = "compassion" 1) an man who returned from exile with Zerubbabel 1a) also 'Nehum' 2) a Levite of the family of Bani who assisted in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem 3) one of the chiefs of the people who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah 4) a priest who returned from exile with Zerubbabel

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GREEK · G2026

ἐποικοδομέω

epoikodomeō — to build up/upon

ἐπ-οικοδομέω, -ῶ in NT, always metaphorically, of the spiritual life regarded as a building (Cremer, 449); 1. to build upon: 1Co.3:10 3:12 3:14; pass., Eph.2:20. 2. to build up: Col.2:7, 1Pe.2:5 (T, οἰκοδ- WH, Rec.), Ju 20.† (AS)

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GREEK · G4430

πτῶμα

ptōma — corpse

πτῶμα -τος, τό (πίπτω), [in LXX: Jdg.14:8 (מַפֶּלֶת), Job.16:15 (14) (פֶּרֶץ), Isa.51:19 (שֹׁד), Jdth.8:19, Wis.4:18, al. ;] 1. a fall, metaphorically, a misfortune, calamity (Trag., Plat., Polyb., al.; LXX). 2. That which has fallen; (a) of buildings, a ruin (Polyb.); (b) of living creatures, in cl. (poët. only) usually with genitive, νεκρῶν, etc., but also absol., as in late writers and NT, a fallen body, a carcase, corpse: Mat.14:12 24:28, Mrk.15:45; π. αὐτοῦ, Mrk.6:29; αὐτῶν, Rev.11:8-9 (cf. Rutherford, NPhr., 472 f.).† (AS)

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Historical dictionary entry

Among the Jews was suited to the climate and conditions of the country. They probably adopted the kind of architecture for their dwellings which they found already existing when they entered Canaan (Deut. 6:10; Num. 13:19). Phoenician artists (2 Sam. 5:11; 1 Kings 5:6, 18) assisted at the erection of the royal palace and the temple at Jerusalem. Foreigners also assisted at the restoration of the temple after the Exile (Ezra 3:7). In Gen. 11:3, 9, we have the first recorded instance of the erection of buildings. The cities of the plain of Shinar were founded by the descendants of Shem (10:11, 12, 22). The Israelites were by occupation shepherds and dwellers in tents (Gen. 47:3); but from the time of their entering Canaan they became dwellers in towns, and in houses built of the native limestone of Palestine. Much building was carried on in Solomon’s time. Besides the buildings he completed at Jerusalem, he also built Baalath and Tadmor (1 Kings 9:15, 24). Many of the kings of Israel and Judah were engaged in erecting various buildings. Herod and his sons and successors restored the temple, and built fortifications and other structures of great magnificence in Jerusalem (Luke 21:5). The instruments used in building are mentioned as the plumb-line (Amos 7:7), the measuring-reed (Ezek. 40:3), and the saw (1 Kings 7:9). Believers are “God’s building” (1 Cor. 3:9); and heaven is called “a building of God” (2 Cor. 5:1). Christ is the only foundation of his church (1 Cor. 3:10-12), of which he also is the builder (Matt. 16:18).

Scripture references

Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.

Compare other reference traditions

Look up Building in Smith’s Bible Dictionary and ISBE →