Brief Overview of ἐφημερία (Strong’s G2183: ephēmeria)

Introduction

Understanding Greek words like ἐφημερία (ephēmeria, Strong’s G2183) is crucial in Biblical studies as they provide insight into the cultural, religious, and social practices of the time. The word ἐφημερία, which relates to a “daily service” or “course of duty,” is particularly significant in the New Testament, especially concerning the priestly divisions in the Temple of Jerusalem. Understanding ἐφημερία allows readers to grasp the organizational structure and the roles within ancient Jewish religious practices, offering a deeper context for interpreting the New Testament.

Key Information

The Greek Word: ἐφημερία (ephēmeria) [ef-ay-mer-EE-ah]
Etymology: Derived from the Greek root word ἡμέρα (hēmera), meaning “day.” The prefix ἐπί (epi-), meaning “upon” or “concerning,” emphasizes the daily aspect.
Part of Speech: Noun, feminine; follows the first declension pattern.
The F.O.G Word Choice: Coming Soon.

Primary Meanings

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Daily Service: Refers to a daily service or course of duty, particularly in a religious context.
Priestly Division: In the New Testament, it specifically denotes the division or course of priests who served in the Temple of Jerusalem according to a set schedule.

Similar Words: ἡμέρα (hēmera) [hay-MER-ah], meaning “day,” is the root word from which ἐφημερία is derived. While ἡμέρα simply denotes a day in the general sense, ἐφημερία is more specific, focusing on the “daily duty” or the organized service performed within that day.

Further Insights: The word ἐφημερία follows the first declension pattern for feminine nouns. Its declension is presented in the table below:

Case / Number	Feminine Singular	Feminine Plural
Nominative	ἐφημερία	ἐφημερίαι
Genitive	ἐφημερίας	ἐφημεριῶν
Dative	ἐφημερίᾳ	ἐφημερίαις
Accusative	ἐφημερίαν	ἐφημερίας
Vocative	ἐφημερία	ἐφημερίαι

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Lexicon Insights

BDAG: Defines ἐφημερία as “a division of priests who served in the Temple.” It emphasizes its use in Luke 1:5, where it refers to the division of Abijah, one of the 24 divisions of priests established for Temple service.
Thayer’s: Notes that ἐφημερία specifically means “a daily service or a division of the Levites,” particularly in a religious or liturgical context. Thayer’s highlights its application in the context of the Jewish Temple system, where priests were organized into shifts or “courses” for their duties.
Vine’s: Discusses ἐφημερία in relation to the Jewish priestly system, where the priests were divided into 24 courses, each serving for one week. Vine’s particularly points to its use in the New Testament to highlight the structured religious practices of the time.
LSJ: Provides a more general definition of ἐφημερία as “a daily course of duty or service.” While it does not exclusively tie it to the priestly divisions, it notes its use in religious and civic contexts.
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: Defines ἐφημερία as “a priestly service” or “division.” Strong’s concordance specifically mentions its application in the New Testament, where it refers to the organized priestly duties.

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Related Scripture References

Luke 1:5 – “In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division [ἐφημερίας] of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.”

Classical Usage

Author	Name of Work	English Text
Polybius	“Histories”	“The soldiers, divided into watches, kept their daily service (ἐφημερία) throughout the night.”
Plutarch	“Lives”	“The priests were assigned their duties by the ephēmeria (ἐφημερία) according to the laws.”
Philo	“On the Special Laws”	“Each family took its turn in the Temple by ephēmeria (ἐφημερία), fulfilling their divine obligations.”
Septuagint	“1 Chronicles 24:3”	“David, with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, organized them into divisions (ἐφημερίας) for their appointed duties.”
Septuagint	“2 Chronicles 23:8”	“The Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded; each brought his men who were to come on duty on the Sabbath (ἐφημερίας), with those who were to go off duty.”
Septuagint	“Nehemiah 12:24”	“And the chiefs of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel, with their kinsfolk opposite them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, division (ἐφημερίας) by division.”

Summary of ἐφημερία (G2183: ephēmeria)

The Greek word ἐφημερία (ephēmeria, Strong’s G2183) refers to a “daily service” or “division,” particularly in a religious context. Rooted in the Greek word for “day” (ἡμέρα), it specifically denotes the organized course of duties, especially in the Jewish Temple, where priests were divided into 24 divisions, each serving for a week. Understanding ἐφημερία helps readers to grasp the structured nature of ancient religious practices, as illustrated in the New Testament and other Greek literature, highlighting the meticulous organization of spiritual and civic duties.

Did You Know?

Did you know that the word ἐφημερία not only referred to religious duties in the Jewish Temple but was also used in classical Greek literature to describe organized civic and military duties? This highlights the ancient world’s emphasis on order and discipline, whether in spiritual practices or governance!