γάζα
gáza
G1047 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A royal treasury; a collection of valuable goods or valuables, especially as state property. In broader usage, also denotes a treasury or storehouse (for state or royal assets).
Semantic Range
royal treasury, state depository, collection of valuables, treasure vault, treasure-house
Root / Etymology
Borrowed from Old Persian 'ganza' (treasure, treasury), via Aramaic 'גַּנְזָא' (ganzā). The Greek γάζα directly reflects this foreign origin and specifically denotes a physical or institutional repository of treasures, particularly in Near Eastern and Persian administrative contexts.
Historical & Contextual Notes
γάζα is a loanword adopted from Persian into Greek, often associated with the wealth of eastern empires, especially in accounts of royal treasuries (e.g., in Herodotus referring to Persian royal treasure houses). In the Septuagint and Koine period, it usually refers to treasuries or treasure vaults tied to major empires (Persian, Babylonian), and only rarely to personal wealth. In the New Testament (notably Acts 8:27), it refers to the 'Gaza' region (a word association by way of sound), but the base meaning as 'treasury' is not directly present there. English translations vary, sometimes rendering it as 'treasury' and other times as 'treasure-house' or 'treasure.' The word illustrates the interconnection between administrative structure and state wealth in the ancient Near East.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of foreign origin; a treasure:--treasure.
Root Family
γάζα (gaza) — treasury, treasure, storehouse
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1047-01 |
γάζης | gazes | N GEN F SG |
treasure | of the royal treasury | treasury | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1047-01 |
Acts 8:27 | γάζης | gazes | N GEN F SG |
treasure | of the royal treasury | treasury |