Brief Overview of ἔτος (Strong’s G2094: etos)

Introduction

Understanding Greek words is essential in Biblical studies, as it offers deeper insights into the context and meaning of scriptural passages. The Greek word ἔτος (etos), meaning “year,” is particularly significant because it frequently appears in the New Testament to denote time periods, durations, and cycles. This word is also important for understanding the cultural and religious practices of ancient Greek society, where the concept of the “year” held various civil, agricultural, and religious implications.

Key Information

• The Greek Word: ἔτος (etos) [EH-tos]
• Etymology: The word ἔτος (etos) has its origins in the Proto-Indo-European root *wet-, meaning “year.”
• Part of Speech: Noun (neuter), third declension.
• The F.O.G Word Choice: Coming Soon.

Primary Meanings

• Year: A period of twelve months, commonly used in dating events and marking the passage of time.
• Annual Cycle: Refers to a complete cycle of seasons or agricultural activities.

Similar Words: ἐνιαυτός (eniautos) [en-ee-ah-TOHS], which also means “year” but often implies a more specific reference to an “anniversary year” or a significant cycle. While both ἔτος (etos) and ἐνιαυτός (eniautos) can be translated as “year,” ἔτος is more commonly used in general references to the calendar year.

Further Insights: ἔτος is a neuter noun of the third declension, which affects its grammatical case endings. Below is the declension of ἔτος in singular and plural forms:

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Lexicon Insights

BDAG: Describes ἔτος as a “year” with a focus on the division of time, used in both secular and religious contexts. It can refer to a specific year or a span of years, particularly when discussing timelines in Biblical narratives.

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Thayer’s: Defines ἔτος as “a year,” highlighting its use in various contexts in the New Testament, such as describing the age of a person, the duration of events, or the timeline of prophecies.

Vine’s Expository Dictionary: Notes that ἔτος denotes “a year” and is often used in conjunction with numbers to express age or time periods (e.g., “three years”). It emphasizes the word’s straightforward meaning related to the measurement of time.

LSJ (Liddell-Scott-Jones): Provides broader classical uses of ἔτος, from denoting the solar year in astronomy to indicating agricultural cycles. In some contexts, it also refers to an “era” or “epoch.”

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: Lists ἔτος as “year,” providing references to its occurrence in various New Testament passages to indicate both literal and symbolic years.

Related Scripture References

• Luke 2:36: “And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years (ἔτη) and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage.”
• Galatians 4:10: “You observe days and months and seasons and years (ἔτη).”
• Hebrews 11:11: “By faith, even Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age (ἔτος), since she considered Him faithful who had promised.”

Classical Usage

Septuagint Examples:

Summary of ἔτος (G2094)

ἔτος (etos) is a Greek noun meaning “year.” This word appears frequently in both the New Testament and classical Greek literature, providing a sense of time, duration, and annual cycles. It is crucial in Biblical studies for understanding timelines, ages, and periods in the context of historical, prophetic, and doctrinal teachings. The declension and use of ἔτος in various contexts offer rich insights into the language and thought processes of both Biblical and classical Greek authors.

Did You Know?

Did you know that the concept of the year (ἔτος) was so central to Greek and Roman societies that they developed detailed calendars and astronomical observations to track time? The word ἔτος is not just a measure of time but a reminder of the importance of seasons, agriculture, and religious observances in ancient cultures.