εἰδωλεῖον
eidōleîon
G1493 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A building or sanctuary dedicated to the worship of an image (εἴδωλον), i.e., a temple or shrine constructed for housing a cult image or for performing rituals associated with it. Its primary sense is a physical locale devoted to the veneration of an idol. It may also denote a structure associated with or serving functions related to idol worship, such as sacrificial banquets or community gatherings linked to the cult of the idol.
Semantic Range
a sanctuary dedicated to an idol, a shrine or temple for idol worship, a hall or building where rituals for images (idols) occur, a structure associated with polytheistic cults
Root / Etymology
Formed from εἴδωλον ('image, idol') with the neuter substantive ending -εῖον, which commonly indicates a place associated with the root noun; thus, 'place of the idol.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term εἰδωλεῖον is rare in classical and Hellenistic Greek and is primarily attested in Koine period writings, especially in Jewish and early Christian literature distinguishing their cultic spaces from those of polytheistic cultures. In the New Testament (e.g., 1 Corinthians 8:10), it refers specifically to pagan sanctuaries or temples where food was offered to idols and communal meals were held. Distinct from words such as ναός (temple in the architectural or spatial sense, often of major deities and not limited to idols) or ἱερόν (sacred precinct), εἰδωλεῖον is usually polemical, emphasizing the idolatrous nature of the temple rather than its architectural status. Standard English translations often render the term as 'idol's temple,' but this phrase can obscure the strong polemic tone and the distinction from the broader Greek term for temple. In the LXX and other contemporary sources, εἰδωλεῖον designates explicitly the site of idol-worship and not generic religious buildings. Its use signals both a concrete location and a critique from monotheistic perspectives.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
neuter of a presumed derivative of εἴδωλον; an image-fane:--idol's temple.
Root Family
εἰδωλεῖον (eidōleion) — image, idol, idol-sanctuary, shrine
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1493-01 |
εἰδωλείῳ | eidoleio | N DAT N SG |
idol's temple | to an idol-shrine | an idol-shrine | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1493-01 |
1 Corinthians 8:10 | εἰδωλείῳ | eidoleio | N DAT N SG |
idol's temple | to an idol-shrine | an idol-shrine |