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Child

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 · G5043

τέκνον

teknon — child

τέκνον, -ου, τό (τίκτω), [in LXX chiefly for בֵּן, also for יֶלֶד, etc. ;] that which is begotten, born (cf. Scottish bairn), a child of either sex: Mrk.13:12, Luk.1:7, Act.7:5; pl., Mat.7:11, Mrk.7:27, Luk.1:17, Eph.6:1, al.; τέκνα ἐπαγγελίας, Rom.9:8; τ. τῆς σαρκός, ib.; in a wider sense (as Heb. בָּנִים), of posterity, Mat.2:18, Luk.3:8, al.; specif., of a male child, Mat.21:28, Act.21:21, a,l.; in voc. as a form of kindly address from an elder to a junior or from a teacher to a disciple, Mat.9:2 21:28, Mrk.2:5, Luk.2:48; τ. μου (= cl. τ. μοι; see Bl., §37, 5), Gal.4:19 (τεκνία, WH, txt.), 2Ti.2:1. Metaphorical, (a) of disciples (apart from direct address, see supr.): Phm 10, 1Ti.1:2, Tit.1:4, 3Jo.4; (b) with reference to the Fatherhood of God (see: πατήρ, γεννάω), τέκνα τ. θεοῦ (cf. Isa.30:1, Wis.16:21): Rom.8:16, Eph.5:1, Php.2:15; and esp. in Johannine bks. (cf. Westc, Epp. Jo., 94, 120), Jhn.1:12, 1Jn.3:1 al.; (with) of those who imitate others and are therefore regarded as the spiritual offspring of their exemplars: Mat.3:9, Luk.3:8, Jhn.8:39, Rom.9:7, 1Pe.3:6; τ. διαβόλου, 1Jn.3:10; (d) as in Heb. (LXX, Jol.2:23, Psa.149:2, 1Ma.1:38), of the inhabitants of a city: Mat.23:37, Luk.13:34 19:44, Gal.4:25; (e) with an adjectival genitive, frequently rendering a Heb. expression, adopted from LXX or formed on the analogy of its language, but sometimes with parallels in Gk. writers (see Deiss., BS, 161ff.): τέκνα φωτός, Eph.5:8; τ. ὑπακοῆς, 1Pe.1:14; κατάρας, 2Pe.2:14; ὀργῆς, Eph.2:3. SYN.: see: παῖς. (AS)

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GREEK · G3813

παιδίον

paidion — child

παιδίον, -ου, τό dimin, of παῖς, [in LXX chiefly for יֶלֶד, also for נַעַר, בֵּן, etc., frequently in To in ref. to full-grown youth ;] a young child, a little one: Mat.2:8-9, 11, ff., Luk.1:59, 66 1:76, 80 2:17, 27 2:40, Jhn.16:21, Heb.11:23; of older children, Mat.18:2, 4-5, Mrk.5:39-41 7:30 9:24, 36, Luk.9:47-48 18:17, Jhn.4:49; in pl., Mat.11:16 14:21 15:38 18:3 19:13-14, Mrk.7:28 10:13 ff., Luk.7:32 11:7 18:16, Heb.2:13-14 Metaphorical, 1Co.14:20. Colloq. in familiar address (as Eng. colloq., "lads "-see M, Pr., 170n and Irish use of "boys"): Jhn.21:5, 1Jn.2:13 Jn 2:18 Jn 3:7 † SYN.: see: παῖς (AS)

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GREEK · G3816

παῖς

pais — child

παῖς, genitive, παιδός, ὁ, ἡ [in LXX chiefly for עֶבֶד, also for נַעַר, נַעֲרָה, etc. ;] 1. a child, boy, youth, maiden: ὁ π., Mat.17:18, Luk.2:43 9:42, Act.20:12; ἡ π. Luk.8:51, 54 (on the artic. fern, of address, see M, Pr., 70 f., 235; B1., § 33, 4); pl., Mat.2:16 21:15; of parentage, with genitive, Jhn.4:51 2. Like Heb. עֶבֶד, Lat. Auer, Fr. garcon, Eng. boy (Æsch., Aristoph., Xen., al.), servant, slave, attendant: Mat.8:6, 8 8:13 Luk.7:7 12:45 15:26; in late writers (Diod., LXX: Gen.41:37, al.), of a king's attendant or minister : Mat.14:2; so (= Heb. יְהוָֹה עֶבֶד) π. τ. θεοῦ (Psa.69:18, Isa.41:8, Wis.2:13, al.), of Israel, Luk.1:54; of David, Luk.1:69, Act.4:25; of Jesus (but see Dalman, Words, 277 f.), Mat.12:18 (LXX), Act.3:13, 26 4:27, 30.† SYN.: 1. τέκνον, child, with emphasis on parentage and the consequent community of nature; υἱός, son, with emphasis on the privileged position of heirship; π. refers both to age and parentage, but with emphasis on the former. Cf. also (παιδάριον), (παιδίον), (παιδίσκη), and see Westc. on 1Jn.3:1. 2. see: θεράπων, and cf. Thackeray, Gr., 7 f (AS)

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GREEK · G3516

νήπιος

nēpios — child

νήπιος, -α, -ον [in LXX chiefly for עוֹלֵל, also for פְּתִי, etc. ;] infant; of children and minors: Mat.21:16 (LXX), 1Co.13:11, Gal.4:1 (see Lft., in l). Metaphorical, childish, unskilled, simple (Psa.19:8, Pro.1:32 al.): Mat.11:25, Luk.10:21, Rom.2:20, Gal.4:3, Eph.4:14, 1Th.2:7 (WH, fox ἤπιοι); opposite to τέλειος, Heb.5:13; ν. ἐν Χριστῷ, 1Co.3:1.† (AS)

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GREEK · G2192

ἔχω

echō — to have/be

ἔχω, [in LXX for אָצֵל (ἐχόμενος), יֵשׁ,בַּעַל, etc., 59 words in all ;] (on the Aktionsart of the various tenses, see M, Pr., 110, 145, 150, 183), to have, as in cl., in various senses and constructions. I. Trans.; 1. 1. to have, hold, hold fast, etc.; (a) to hold, as, in the hand: Rev.5:8 14:6, al.; ἐν τ. χειρί, Rev.1:16 10:2, al.; (b) of arms and clothing, = φέρω, φορέω, to bear, wear: Mat.3:4 22:12, al.; so frequently present ptcp. (LS, see word, A, I, 6; Bl., 74, 2), Mrk.11:13, Jhn.18:10, Rev.9:17, al.; (with) of a woman, ἐν γαστρὶ ἔ, to be with child: Mrk.13:17, Rom.9:10; (d) to hold fast, keep: Luk.19:20; metaphorically, of the mind and conduct, Mrk.16:8 (cf. Job.21:6, Isa.13:8; Deiss., BS, 293; Field, Notes, 44f.), Jhn.14:21, Rom.1:28, 1Ti.3:9, 2Ti.1:13, Rev.6:9, al.; (e) to involve: Heb.10:35 (LXX), Jas.1:4, 1Jn.4:18; (f) = Lat. habere (Bl., §34, 5; 73, 5), to hold, consider: with accusative and predic. ptcp., Luk.14:18; with accusative, before ὡς, Mat.14:5; εἰς (Hebraism), Mat.21:46; on (Bl., §70, 2), Mrk.11:32. 2. to have, possess; (a) in general, with accusative of thing(s): Mat.19:22, Mrk.10:22, Luk.12:19, Jhn.10:16, 1Co.11:22, al.; of wealth or poverty, absol., ἔχειν (neg. οὐκ, μή), Mat.13:12 25:29, 2Co.8:12; ἐκ τ. ἔχειν, according to your means, 2Co.8:11; (b) of relationship, association, and: πατέρα, Jhn.8:41; γυναῖκα (MM, xiv), 1Co.7:2; φίλον, Luk.11:5; βασιλέα, Jhn.19:15; ποιμένα, Mat.9:36; with dupl. accusative, Mat.3:9, al.; (with) of parts or members: ὦτα, Mat.19:15; μέλη, Rom.12:4; θεμελίους, (d) with accusative, as periphrasis of verb: μνεῖαν ἔ. (= μεμνῆσθαι), 1Th.3:6; ἀγάπην, Jhn.13:35; γνῶσιν, 1Co.8:1; πεποίθησιν, 2Co.3:4; θλίψιν, Jhn.16:33, etc. (Thayer, see word, I, 2, f., g.); (e) of duty, necessity, etc.: ἀνάγκην, 1Co.7:37; νόμον, Jhn.19:7; ἐπιταγήν, 1Co.7:25; ἀγῶνα, Php.1:30; κρίμα, 1Ti.5:12; (f) of complaints and disputes; κατά, with genitive of person(s), Mat.5:23, Mrk.11:25; id. before ὅτι, Rev.2:4, 20; with accusative before πρός, Act.24:19, al.; (g) with inf., (α) (cl.) to be able (Field, Notes, 14): Mat.18:25, Mrk.14:8 (sc. ποιῆσαι), Luk.12:4, Act.4:14, al; (β) of necessity (BL, §69, 4): Luk.12:50, Act.23:17-19 28:19. II. Intrans. (BL, §53, 1), to be in a certain condition: ἑτοίμως ἔ., with inf., Act.21:13, 2Co.12:14; ἐσχάτως (which see), Mrk.5:23; κακῶς, to be ill, Mat.4:24, al.; καλῶς, Mk 16:[18]; κομψότερον, Jhn.4:52; πῶς, Act.15:36; impers., ἄλλως εἴχει, it is otherwise, 1Ti.5:25; οὕτως, Act.7:1, al.; τὸ νῦν ἔχον, as things now are (Tob.7:11), Act.24:25. III. Mid., -ομαι, to hold oneself fast, hold on or cling to, be next to: with genitive, τ. ἐχόμενα σωτηρίας, Heb.6:9 (Rendall, in l.); ptcp., ὁ ἐχόμενος, near, next: of place, Mrk.1:38; of time, τ. ἐχομένη (ἡμέρα, expressed or understood), Luk.13:33, Act.20:15 21:26; (σαββάτῳ), Act.13:44. (Cf. ἀν-, προσ-αν-, ἀντ-, ἀπ-, ἐν-, ἐπ-, κατ-, μετ-, παρ-, περι-, προ-, προσ-, συν-, ὑπερ-, ὑπ-έχω.) (AS)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1323

בַּת

bat — daughter

: daughter 1) daughter 1a) daughter, girl, adopted daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, granddaughters, female child, cousin 1a1) as polite address 1a2) as designation of women of a particular place 2) young women, women 1a3) as personification 1a4) daughter-villages 1a5) description of character Also means: bat (בַּת ": village" H1323H)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3205

יָלַד

ya.lad — to beget

1) to bear, bringforth, beget, gender, travail 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to bear, bring forth 1a1a) of child birth 1a1b) of distress (simile) 1a1c) of wicked (behaviour) 1a2) to beget 1b) (Niphal) to be born 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to cause or help to bring forth 1c2) to assist or tend as a midwife 1c3) midwife (participle) 1d) (Pual) to be born 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to beget (a child) 1e2) to bear (fig. -of wicked bringing forth iniquity) 1f) (Hophal) day of birth, birthday (infinitive) 1g) (Hithpael) to declare one's birth (pedigree)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1129

בָּנָה

ba.nah — to build

1) to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to build, rebuild 1a2) to build a house (ie, establish a family) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be built 1b2) to be rebuilt 1b3) established (of restored exiles) (fig.) 1b4) established (made permanent) 1b5) to be built up (of childless wife becoming the mother of a family through the children of a concubine) Aramaic equivalent: be.nah (בְּנָה "to build" H1124)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H2233

זֶ֫רַע

ze.ra — seed

: seed/sowing 1) seed, sowing, offspring 1a) a sowing 1b) seed 1c) semen virile 1d) offspring, descendants, posterity, children 1e) of moral quality 1e1) a practitioner of righteousness (fig.) 1f) sowing time (by meton)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3091

יְהוֹשׁוּעַ

ye.ho.shu.a — Joshua

A man of the tribe of Ephraim living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness and Israel before the Monarchy, first mentioned at Exo.17.9; son of: Nun (H5126); also called Hoshea (KJV: Oshea) at Num.13.8; Jeshua at Neh.8.17; § Joshua or Jehoshua = "Jehovah is salvation" 1) son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan 2) a resident of Beth-shemesh on whose land the Ark of the Covenant came to a stop after the Philistines returned it 3) son of Jehozadak and high priest after the restoration 4) governor of Jerusalem under king Josiah who gave his name to a gate of the city of Jerusalem

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H7311

רוּם

rum — to exalt

1) to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be high, be set on high 1a2) to be raised, be uplifted, be exalted 1a3) to be lifted, rise 1b) (Polel) 1b1) to raise or rear (children), cause to grow up 1b2) to lift up, raise, exalt 1b3) to exalt, extol 1c) (Polal) to be lifted up 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to raise, lift, lift up, take up, set up, erect, exalt, set on high 1d2) to lift up (and take away), remove 1d3) to lift off and present, contribute, offer, contribute 1e) (Hophal) to be taken off, be abolished 1f) (Hithpolel) to exalt oneself, magnify oneself Aramaic equivalent: rum (רוּם "to rise" H7313)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H6529

פְּרִי

pe.ri — fruit

1) fruit 1a) fruit, produce (of the ground) 1b) fruit, offspring, children, progeny (of the womb) 1c) fruit (of actions) (fig.)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1350

גָּאַל

ga.al — to redeem: redeem

: redeem 1) to redeem, act as kinsman-redeemer, avenge, revenge, ransom, do the part of a kinsman 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to act as kinsman, do the part of next of kin, act as kinsman-redeemer 1a1a) by marrying brother's widow to beget a child for him, to redeem from slavery, to redeem land, to exact vengeance 1a2) to redeem (by payment) 1a3) to redeem (with God as subject) 1a3a) individuals from death 1a3b) Israel from Egyptian bondage 1a3c) Israel from exile 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to redeem oneself 1b2) to be redeemed

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3206

יֶ֫לֶד

ye.led — youth

1) child, son, boy, offspring, youth 1a) child, son, boy 1b) child, children 1c) descendants 1d) youth 1e) apostate Israelites (fig.)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H4782

מׇרְדֳּכַי

mor.de.khay — Mordecai

A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.2.2 § Mordecai = "little man" or "worshipper of Mars" 1) cousin and adoptive father of queen Esther; son of Jair of the tribe of Benjamin; deliverer under Divine providence of the children of Israel from the destruction plotted by Haman the chief minister of Ahasuerus; institutor of the feast of Purim 2) a Jew who returned from exile with Zerubbabel

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H2148

זְכַרְיָהוּ

ze.khar.yah — Zechariah

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at 1Ch.9.21; son of: Meshelemiah (H4920); brother of: Jediael (H3043J), Zebadiah (H2069J), Jathniel (H3496), Elam (H5867H), Jehohanan (H3076I) and Eliehoenai (H0454A) § Zechariah = "Jehovah remembers" 1) king of Israel, son of Jeroboam II 2) son of Meshelemiah of Shelemiah, a Korhite, and keeper of the north gate of the tabernacle of the congregation 3) one of the sons of Jehiel 4) a Levite of the second order in the temple band in the time of David 5) one of the princes of Judah in the reign of Jehoshaphat 6) son of the high priest Jehoiada, in the reign of Joash king of Judah, who was stoned in the court of the temple 7) a Kohathite Levite in the reign of Josiah 8) the leader of the sons of Pharosh who returned with Ezra 9) son of Bebai 10) one of the chiefs of the people whom Ezra summoned in council at the river Ahava; stood at Ezra's left hand when Ezra expounded the law to the people 11) one of the family of Elam who had married a foreign wife after the captivity 12) ancestor of Athaiah or Uthai 13) a Shilonite, descendant of Perez, grandfather of Athaiah 14) a priest, son of Pashur 15) the representative of the priestly family of Iddo in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua; possibly the same as 1 above 16) one of the priests, son of Jonathan, who blew with the trumpets at the dedication of the city wall by Ezra and Nehemiah 17) a chief of the Reubenites at the time of the captivity by Tiglath-pileser 18) one of the priests who accompanied the ark from the house of Obed-edom 19) son of Isshiah of Jesiah, a Kohathite Levite descended from Uzziel 20) 4th son of Hosah, of the children of Merari 21) a Manassite, father of Iddo 22) father of Jahaziel. He prophesied in the spirit 23) one of the sons of Jehoshaphat 24) a prophet in the reign of Uzziah, who appears to have acted as the king's counsellor, but of whom nothing is known 25) father of Abijah or Abi, Hezekiah's mother 26) one of the family of Asaph in the reign of Hezekiah 27) one of the rulers of the temple in the reign of Josiah 28) son of Jeberechiah who was taken by the prophet Isaiah as one of the 'faithful witnesses to record' when he wrote concerning Maher-shalal-hash-baz

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H2029

הָרָה

ha.rah — to conceive

1) to conceive, become pregnant, bear, be with child, be conceived, progenitor 1a)(Qal) to conceive, become pregnant 1b) (Pual) to be conceived 1c) (Poel) to conceive, contrive, devise

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1580

גָּמַל

ga.mal — to wean

1) to deal fully with, recompense 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to deal out to, do to 1a2) to deal bountifully with 1a3) to recompense, repay, requite 2) (Qal) to wean a child (Niphal) to be weaned 3) (Qal) to ripen, bear ripe (almonds)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H5941

עֵלִי

e.li — Eli

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.1.3; father of: Hophni (H2652), Phinehas (H6372H) § Eli = "ascension" descendant of Aaron through Ithamar and high priest and judge of Israel when Samuel entered service as a child

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3442

יֵשׁוּעַ

ye.shu.a — Jeshua

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.11; son of: Jozadak (H3136) § Jeshua = "he is saved" 1) son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan 2) son of Jehozadak and high priest after the restoration 3) a priest in the time of David who had charge of the 9th course 4) a Levite in the reign of Hezekiah 5) head of a Levitical house which returned from captivity in Babylon 6) father of a builder of the wall of Jerusalem in the time of Nehemiah 7) a town in southern Judah reinhabited by the people of Judah after the return from captivity

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Historical dictionary entry

This word has considerable latitude of meaning in Scripture. Thus Joseph is called a child at the time when he was probably about sixteen years of age (Gen. 37:3); and Benjamin is so called when he was above thirty years (44:20). Solomon called himself a little child when he came to the kingdom (1 Kings 3:7). The descendants of a man, however remote, are called his children; as, “the children of Edom,” “the children of Moab,” “the children of Israel.” In the earliest times mothers did not wean their children till they were from thirty months to three years old; and the day on which they were weaned was kept as a festival day (Gen. 21:8; Ex. 2:7, 9; 1 Sam. 1:22-24; Matt. 21:16). At the age of five, children began to learn the arts and duties of life under the care of their fathers (Deut. 6:20-25; 11:19). To have a numerous family was regarded as a mark of divine favour (Gen. 11:30; 30:1; 1 Sam. 2:5; 2 Sam. 6:23; Ps. 127:3; 128:3). Figuratively the name is used for those who are ignorant or narrow-minded (Matt. 11:16; Luke 7:32; 1 Cor. 13:11). “When I was a child, I spake as a child.” “Brethren, be not children in understanding” (1 Cor. 14:20). “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro” (Eph. 4:14). Children are also spoken of as representing simplicity and humility (Matt. 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15-17). Believers are “children of light” (Luke 16:8; 1 Thess. 5:5) and “children of obedience” (1 Pet. 1:14).

Scripture references

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

Compare other reference traditions

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