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ἐντολή

entolḗ

G1785 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ἐντελ- to command, to instruct, to order

Definition

A directive or order issued by an authority, especially in a formal or official context; a command, order, or injunction. In various contexts, it can denote a specific instruction, an established rule, or a commandment, particularly those regarded as binding or authoritative (e.g., within legal, social, or religious frameworks). In Hellenistic and Roman-era Jewish contexts, often refers to the commandments found in the Torah or other scriptural texts.

Semantic Range

order, command, instruction, directive, authoritative prescription, specific rule or commandment, divine or scriptural precept

Root / Etymology

From the verb ἐντέλλομαι ('to command, to give an order'), itself derived from the prefix ἐν- ('in, upon') and the root τελ- ('to complete, fulfill, accomplish'). The noun ἐντολή expresses the concrete act or result of commanding.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, ἐντολή appears relatively infrequently and generally means an order or commission. By the Hellenistic period, especially in the Septuagint and later Jewish-Greek literature, ἐντολή becomes the standard term for referring to divine or scriptural commandments—translating the Hebrew מִצְוָה (mitzvah). In the New Testament, ἐντολή typically denotes an authoritative command, often God's instructions as found in the Torah or the teachings of Jesus. The term contrasts with νόμος (nomos, 'law'), which refers to a complete body of law or system; ἐντολή usually refers to a particular rule or directive within such a system. English translations such as 'commandment' or 'precept' capture much of this scope but may not always express the range from formal legal rule to simple directive. Notably, use of ἐντολή is more frequent in Jewish-Greek translations than in contemporary Greco-Roman writers, signaling its development as a specialized term in the context of scriptural tradition.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἐντέλλομαι; injunction, i.e. an authoritative prescription:--commandment, precept.

Root Family

ἐντολή (entolē) — command, order, directive, authoritative prescription

Word Forms

7 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
G1785-05 ἐντολὴν entolen N ACC F SG commandment a command 19
G1785-03 ἐντολάς entolas N ACC F PL commandments authoritative commands 18
G1785-04 ἐντολὴ entole N NOM F SG commandment authoritative command 14
G1785-06 ἐντολῆς entoles N GEN F SG commandment of a command 9
G1785-07 ἐντολῶν entolon N GEN F PL of commandments of commands 3
G1785-02 ἐντολαῖς entolais N DAT F PL commandments to the commands 3
G1785-01 ἐντολαὶ entolai N NOM F PL commandments authoritative commands 1

Occurrences in Scripture

67 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
G1785-07 Matthew 5:19 ἐντολῶν entolon N GEN F PL of commands
G1785-05 Matthew 15:3 ἐντολὴν entolen N ACC F SG a command
G1785-03 Matthew 19:17 ἐντολάς entolas N ACC F PL authoritative commands
G1785-04 Matthew 22:36 ἐντολὴ entole N NOM F SG authoritative command
G1785-04 Matthew 22:38 ἐντολή entole N NOM F SG authoritative command
G1785-02 Matthew 22:40 ἐντολαῖς entolais N DAT F PL to the commands
G1785-05 Mark 7:8 ἐντολὴν entolen N ACC F SG commandment a command
G1785-05 Mark 7:9 ἐντολὴν entolen N ACC F SG commandment a command
G1785-05 Mark 10:5 ἐντολὴν entolen N ACC F SG commandment a command
G1785-03 Mark 10:19 ἐντολὰς entolas N ACC F PL commandments authoritative commands
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