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αἰχμαλωσία

aichmalōsía

G161 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

The state or condition of being taken under compulsion, specifically the condition of being held as a captive—captivity, imprisonment, or exile. Used literally for the forced removal or detention of a person or group against their will, particularly in military or political contexts. By extension, may refer to periods of national or collective exile or subjugation.

Semantic Range

captivity, state of being captive, imprisonment, exile, bondage, collective deportation, forced detention, metaphorical captivity

Root / Etymology

From the noun αἰχμάλωτος (aichmálōtos, 'a captive'), itself derived from αἰχμή ('spear, spear point') and ἁλῶτος ('taken, captured'), thus originally meaning 'one taken with a spear.' αἰχμαλωσία is the abstract noun formed with the suffix -σία, indicating a state or condition, hence 'captivity.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In Classical Greek, αἰχμαλωσία refers to the state of captivity, especially as the result of warfare, and denotes being in the condition of a hostage or prisoner. In the Septuagint, it often translates Hebrew terms for Israelite or Judean captivity, especially the Exile to Babylon (e.g., the Babylonian captivity). In the New Testament and later Hellenistic texts, it may refer generally to captivity or bondage, both concrete (physical imprisonment) and, sometimes, metaphorically, as in Romans 7:23 ('captivity to the law of sin'). The term differs from δεσμωτήριον ('prison') or φυλακή ('guard, prison'), which frequently denote literal confinement or jail. English 'captivity' narrows the word to a collective or abstract state; αἰχμαλωσία often emphasizes the process and resulting social realities of forced exile or detention rather than simply imprisonment. The use in the LXX and the NT retains the connection with forced displacement due to military defeat, with strong connotations of loss of homeland or status.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from αἰχμάλωτος; captivity:--captivity.

Root Family

αἰχμαλωσία (aichmalōsia) — captivity, state of being taken by force, imprisonment, exile, forced detention

Root αἰχμαλωσ- to capture, be captive, to take by force

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G161-01 αἰχμαλωσίαν aichmalosian N ACC F SG captivity captivity captivity 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G161-01 Ephesians 4:8 αἰχμαλωσίαν aichmalosian N ACC F SG captivity captivity captivity
G161-01 Revelation 13:10 αἰχμαλωσίαν aichmalosian N ACC F SG captivity captivity captivity
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