βολίς
bolís
G1002
SILEX Entry
Definition
A missile; an object thrown or shot, specifically a javelin, dart, or other weapon intended to be projected at a target. The primary lexical meaning centers on a shafted weapon for hurling or shooting (as opposed to striking or thrusting directly). In extended or figurative contexts, it may refer metaphorically to something that strikes swiftly, such as a beam of light or sudden attack.
Semantic Range
missile, dart, javelin, thrown weapon, projectile, metaphorical shaft (as of light or attack)
Root / Etymology
From the verb βάλλω (to throw, cast) with the noun-forming suffix -ις; denotes something which is thrown or projected.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Classical Greek, βολίς most often indicates a light javelin or dart designed to be thrown, and is contrasted with heavier spears or hand-held weapons (e.g., δόρυ). The term can occasionally be applied more broadly to any missile weapon. In the Hellenistic period and in the Septuagint, βολίς appears mainly in poetic or descriptive passages, sometimes describing arrows, lightning bolts, or metaphorical shafts. In the New Testament, the word is rare, preserved in Ephesians 6:16 (τὰ βέλη τοῦ πονηροῦ, 'the flaming missiles of the evil one'), where the underlying imagery remains that of a projectile weapon, but the application is metaphorical. Later translation traditions frequently render the term as "dart" or "missile," but in ancient contexts, a βολίς, as distinct from a βέλος (arrow), is specifically a thrown rather than shot weapon. The word is not common in everyday Koine but retains literary and poetic resonance in surviving texts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from βάλλω; a missile, i.e. javelin:--dart.
Word Forms
0 distinct forms
No word forms found for this Strong's number.
Occurrences in Scripture
0 occurrences
No occurrences found.