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δῶμα

dōma

G1430 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A building or structure; more specifically, the upper part of a house, especially the flat roof or rooftop area characteristic of domestic architecture in the eastern Mediterranean. The term can refer generally to a dwelling or edifice, but in most Koine contexts, denotes the accessible roof (housetop) used for work, gathering, or escape.

Semantic Range

house, dwelling, building, edifice, palace, room, upper part of a house, rooftop, roof, housetop

Root / Etymology

From the root δώ- (to give, grant) seen as the base for various terms relating to house or structure, such as δομέω (to build). The noun form δῶμα reflects the result of building—constructed dwelling or edifice.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, δῶμα refers broadly to a house, dwelling, palace, or significant structure, commonly used for prestigious houses or even the dwellings of gods in poetry (e.g., Homeric epics). In later Koine Greek and in the Septuagint, the meaning narrows in many contexts to the upper part of a house—specifically the flat roof (housetop), a functional space in Levantine and Mediterranean domestic architecture used for storage, relaxation, or escape. In the New Testament (cf. Matt 24:17; Mark 13:15; Luke 5:19), δῶμα usually denotes this accessible rooftop area. English Bible translations often render δῶμα as 'housetop,' but in classical Greek literature, it means the entire house or palace, not limited to the roof. Related terms: οἶκος (house or household), στέγη (roof, covering). δῶμα sometimes overlaps with οἶκος in poetic use, but in Koine, its specificity for 'rooftop' is distinctive.

Translation Consistency

primary "rooftop" 7 occurrences

Most P2 renderings use rooftop/rooftops and the SILEX sense emphasizes the accessible flat roof or housetop area. 'Rooftop' is a natural, modern English word that clearly conveys the usual Koine meaning (the upper, usable part of a house) and will cover related senses (housetop, roof) consistently across all forms.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from (to build); properly, an edifice, i.e. (specially) a roof:--housetop.

Root Family

δῶμα (dōma) — building, structure, dwelling, rooftop

Root δώ- to build, to construct, to give a structure

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G1430-03 δώματος domatos N GEN N SG housetop of a rooftop rooftop 3
G1430-01 δῶμα doma N ACC N SG housetop the rooftop structure the rooftop structure 2
G1430-02 δωμάτων domaton N GEN N PL housetops of rooftops rooftops 2

Occurrences in Scripture

7 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G1430-02 Matthew 10:27 δωμάτων domaton N GEN N PL housetops of rooftops rooftops
G1430-03 Matthew 24:17 δώματος domatos N GEN N SG housetop of a rooftop rooftop
G1430-03 Mark 13:15 δώματος domatos N GEN N SG housetop of a rooftop rooftop
G1430-01 Luke 5:19 δῶμα doma N ACC N SG housetop the rooftop structure the rooftop structure
G1430-02 Luke 12:3 δωμάτων domaton N GEN N PL housetops of rooftops rooftops
G1430-03 Luke 17:31 δώματος domatos N GEN N SG housetop of a rooftop of a rooftop
G1430-01 Acts 10:9 δῶμα doma N ACC N SG housetop the rooftop structure the rooftop structure
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