A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

BIBLE DICTIONARY + WORD STUDY

Chain

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 · G1199

δεσμός

desmos — chain

δεσμός, -οῦ, ὁ (δέω), [in LXX chiefly for אסר ;] a band, bond: metaphorically, Luk.13:16; ὁ δεσμὸς τ. γλώσσης, Mrk.7:35 (for this expression in π., see Deiss., LAE, 306 ff.; of actual bonds, see Ruth., Gr., 9). Pl., δεσμοί, Php.1:13; δεσμά (as also in cl.), Luk.8:29, Act.16:26 20:23; genitive, dative, Act.23:29 26:29, 31, Php.1:7, 14, 17, Col.4:18, 2Ti.2:9, Phm 10, Heb.11:36, Ju 6; ἐν τοῖς δ. τοῦ εὐαγγελίου Phm 13.† (AS)

18 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G254

ἅλυσις

halusis — chain

ἅλυσις, -εως, ἡ [in LXX: Wis.17:17 * ;] a chain, bond: Mrk.5:3-4, Luk.8:29, Act.12:6-7 21:33 28:20, Eph.6:20, 2Ti.1:16, Rev.20:1.† (AS)

10 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G4577

σειρά

seira — chain

σειρά, -ᾶς, ἡ [in LXX: Jdg.16:13-14, 19 (מַחְלָפָה), Pro.5:22 (חֶבֶל) * ;] 1. (a) a cord; (b) a chain (cf. Pr., l.with): σειραὶ ζόφου, 2Pe.2:4, Rec., R, mg. (see: σειρός). 2. a lock of hair (Jg, ll. with).† (AS)

1 tagged verse occurrence · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G1210

δέω

deō — to bind

δέω (I), [in LXX chiefly for אסר ;] to tie, bind, fasten; (1) with accusative of thing(s), before εἰς δεσμάς, Mat.13:30; of an ass, Mat.21:2, Mrk.11:2, 4 Luk.19:30. (2) with accusative of person(s), of swathing a dead body, ὀθονίοις, Jhn.19:40; δεδομένος τ. πόδας . . . κειρίαις (Bl., §34, 6; Kühner 3, iii, 125), Jhn.11:44; of binding with chains, ἀγγέλους, Rev.9:14; a demoniac, πέδαις κ. ἁλύσεσι, Mrk.5:3, 4; captives, Mat.12:29 14:3 22:13 27:2, Mrk.3:27 6:17 15:1, 7, Jhn.18:12, 24, Act.9:2, 14, 21, 21:11, 13 22:5, 29 24:27, Col.4:3, Rev.20:2; ἁλύσεσι, Act.12:6 21:33. Metaphorical, ὁ λόγος τ. Θεοῦ, 2Ti.2:9; of Satan binding by disease (MM, see word), Luk.13:16; of constraint or obligation, Act.20:22; of the marriage bond, 1Co.7:39; id. with dative of person(s), ἀνδρί, Rom.7:2; γυναικί, 1Co.7:27; in Rabbinic lang. (Dalman, Words, 213f.), to forbid, declare forbidden, Mat.16:19 18:18 (cf. κατα-, περι-, συν-, ὐπο-δέω; Cremer, 82). † (AS)

40 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H7967

שַׁלּוּם

shal.lum — Shallum

A king of the Kingdom of Israel, living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.15.10; son of: Jabesh (H3003H) § Shallum = "retribution" 1) son of Jabesh, conspirator and slayer of king Zachariah of the northern kingdom of Israel ending the dynasty of Jehu; assumed the throne and became the 15th king of the northern kingdom; reigned for one month and was killed by Menahem 2) the 3rd son of king Josiah of Judah and subsequent king of Judah; reigned for 3 months before he was taken captive to Egypt where he was placed in chains and later died 2a) also 'Jehoahaz' 3) husband of Huldah the prophetess in the reign of king Josiah of Judah. Maybe the same as 4 4) uncle of Jeremiah the prophet. Maybe the same as 3 5) a Simeonite, son of Shaul and grandson of Simeon 6) a Judaite, son of Sisamai and father of Jekamiah in the family of Jerahmeel 7) an Ephraimite, father of Jehizkiah 8) a son of Naphtali 9) a Korahite Levite, chief of a family of gatekeepers for the east gate of the temple 9a) maybe same as 13 10) son of Halohesh and ruler of a district of Jerusalem; also repairer of the wall of Jerusalem in the time of Nehemiah 11) a priest, of the family of Eleazar, son of Zadok and father of Hilkiah in the family line of Ezra 12) a Korahite Levite, son of Kore, father of Maaseiah, and in charge of the work of the service. Maybe same as 9 13) a Levite gatekeeper who had a foreign wife in the time of Ezra 14) a Levite and descendant of Bani who had a foreign wife in the time of Ezra

26 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H5688

עֲבֹת

a.vot — cord

1) cord, rope, cordage, foliage, interwoven foliage 1a) cord, rope, cordage, chain 1b) interwoven foliage

17 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H5915

עַכְסָה

akh.sah — Achsah

A woman living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at Jos.15.16; daughter of: Caleb (H3612); sister of: Iru (H5900), Elah (H0425J) and Naam (H5277); married to Othniel (H6274) § Achsah = "ankle chain" or "anklet" the daughter of Caleb and wife of Caleb's brother Othniel to whom she was given as a reward for capturing Debir

5 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G1195

δεσμεύω

desmeuō — to bind

δεσμεύω (δεσμός), [in LXX for אָסַר (Jdg.16:11, al.), אָלַם pi. (Gen.37:7, al.), etc. ;] 1. to put in chains: Luk.8:29, Act.22:4. 2. to bind, tie together: φορτία, Mat.23:4.† (AS)

3 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H7406

רֶ֫כֶס

re.khes — roughness

1) roughness or bound up, impeded, the impassable or mountain chain, rough place 1a) meaning uncertain

1 tagged verse occurrence · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G1196

δεσμέω

desmeō — to shackle

δεσμέω, -ῶ Rec. for δεσμεύω, which see: Luk.8:29.† δεσμεύω (δεσμός), [in LXX for אָסַר (Jdg.16:11, al.), אָלַם pi. (Gen.37:7, al.), etc. ;] 1. to put in chains: Luk.8:29, Act.22:4. 2. to bind, tie together: φορτία, Mat.23:4.† (AS)

0 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G8550

ὅρμος

hormos — a mooring

1. a cord, chain , especially a necklace, collar , (Homer), attic 2. generally, anything strung like a necklace, a wreath, chaplet , (Pindar); στεφάνων ὅρμος a string of crowns, i. e. of praises, (Pindar) 3. a dance performed in a ring , (Lucian) 4. a roadstead, anchorage, moorings , (Iliad by Homer), attic 5. metaphorically a haven, place of shelter or refuge , [Refs 5th c.BC, variant datesAnthology Palantina 6. = ἕρμα 1, [variant datesAnthology Palantina (ML)

0 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G9407

τείνω

teinō — to stretch out

1. to stretch by main force, to stretch to the uttermost , τόξον ἔτεινεν stretched it to its full , (Iliad by Homer); ἐξ ἄντυγος ἡνία τείνας having tied the reins tight to the chariot-rail, (Iliad by Homer):—;Pass., [ ἱμὰς] τέτατο the strap was made tight , (Iliad by Homer); ἱστία τέτατο the sails were stretched , (Odyssey by Homer):—;absolute, μὴ τείνειν ἄγαν not to strain the cord too tight, (Sophocles Tragicus) 2. metaphorically, ἶσον τείνειν πολέμου τέλος to strain the even tug of war, (Iliad by Homer):—;Pass., ἐπὶ ἶσα μάχη τέτατο (Iliad by Homer); ἵπποισι τάθη δρόμος their pace was strained to the utmost , (Iliad by Homer): also, to exert oneself, be anxious , (Pindar) 3. to stretch out, spread , Ζεὺς λαίλαπα τείνει (Iliad by Homer); νὺξ τέταται βροτοῖσιν night is spread over mankind, (Odyssey by Homer); so, of light, τέτατο φάος (Sophocles Tragicus); of sound, ἀμφὶ νῶτ᾽ ἐτάθη πάταγος (Sophocles Tragicus) 4. to aim at, direct towards a point, properly from the bow, τείνειν βέλη (Sophocles Tragicus): then, metaphorically, τ. φόνον εἴς τινα to aim death to one, design it for him, (Euripides); τ. λόγον εἴς τινα (Plato Philosophus) 5. to stretch out in length , (Herdotus Historicus):—;Pass. to lie out at length, lie stretched , ταθεὶς ἐπὶ γαίηι (Iliad by Homer); ταθεὶς ἐνὶ δεσμῶι lying stretched in chains, (Odyssey by Homer) 6. to stretch or hold out, present , τινὰ ἐπὶ σφαγάν (Euripides):—;Mid., τείνεσθαι χέρε to stretch out one's hands, etc., (Theocritus Poeta Bucolicus) 7. to extend, lengthen , of Time, (Aeschulus Tragicus); τείνειν λόγον (Aeschulus Tragicus) 8. intransitive, of geographical position, to stretch out or extend , (Herdotus Historicus):—;of Time, τείνοντα χρόνον lengthening time, (Aeschulus Tragicus) 9. to exert oneself, struggle , ἐναντία τινί (Plato Philosophus): to hurry on, hasten , (Euripides) 10. to extend to, reach , Lat. pertinere, ἐπὶ τὴν ψυχήν (Plato Philosophus) 11. to tend, refer, belong to , Lat. spectare ad, τείνει ἐς σέ it refers to, concerns you, (Herdotus Historicus), etc.; ποῖ τείνε; to what tends it? (Plato Philosophus); ἐγγύς τι τείνειν τοῦ θανάτου (Plato Philosophus) (ML)

0 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

Historical dictionary entry

(1.) A part of the insignia of office. A chain of gold was placed about Joseph’s neck (Gen. 41:42); and one was promised to Daniel (5:7). It is used as a symbol of sovereignty (Ezek. 16:11). The breast-plate of the high-priest was fastened to the ephod by golden chains (Ex. 39:17, 21). (2.) It was used as an ornament (Prov. 1:9; Cant. 1:10). The Midianites adorned the necks of their camels with chains (Judg. 8:21, 26). (3.) Chains were also used as fetters wherewith prisoners were bound (Judg. 16:21; 2 Sam. 3:34; 2 Kings 25:7; Jer. 39:7). Paul was in this manner bound to a Roman soldier (Acts 28:20; Eph. 6:20; 2 Tim. 1:16). Sometimes, for the sake of greater security, the prisoner was attached by two chains to two soldiers, as in the case of Peter (Acts 12:6).

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 Chain in Smith’s Bible Dictionary and ISBE →