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ἑβδομηκοντάκις

hebdomēkontákis

G1441 adverb

SILEX Entry

Root ἑβδομηκοντ- seventy, seventyfold, in seventy instances

Definition

An adverb indicating a quantity or frequency of seventy times. Used specifically to express repetition or iteration of an action up to seventy occurrences.

Semantic Range

seventy times, on seventy occasions, with frequency of seventy occurrences

Root / Etymology

Formed from ἑβδομήκοντα ('seventy') plus the ordinal adverbial suffix -κις, which signifies frequency or number of times. The construction is parallel to other Greek adverbials such as ἑπτάκις ('seven times'), δεκάκις ('ten times').

Historical & Contextual Notes

The term ἑβδομηκοντάκις is rare, attested in the New Testament at Matthew 18:22 in reference to the number of times one should forgive, where it functions as a numerical adverb. In Classical and Hellenistic Greek, such numeric adverbs using -κις indicate repetition but are typically limited to lower numbers. The phraseological use ('seventy times seven') draws on biblical numeric idiom to evoke the idea of completeness or boundlessness in repetition, not merely arithmetical exactness. In standard English translations, the word is rendered as 'seventy times'; however, the idiomatic force in context may be hyperbolic, expressing unlimited forgiveness rather than an exact tally. There are no significant differences in usage between the rare biblical appearances and broader Greek literature, where such formation is derived straightforwardly from the cardinal number plus adverbial suffix.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

multiple adverb from ἑβδομήκοντα; seventy times:--seventy times.

Root Family

ἑβδομηκοντάκις (hebdomēkontakis) — seventy, seventyfold, in seventy instances

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
G1441-01 ἑβδομηκοντάκις ebdomekontakis ADV seventy times 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
G1441-01 Matthew 18:22 ἑβδομηκοντάκις ebdomekontakis ADV seventy times
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