ἑτεροζυγέω
heterozygéō
G2086 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To be yoked together with another of a different kind; specifically, to be joined, associated, or partnered with someone or something dissimilar, especially in a way that introduces disharmony or incompatibility. The term is used metaphorically to describe relationships, partnerships, or associations marked by fundamental differences leading to a lack of unity or concord.
Semantic Range
to be mismatched in partnership, to form an incongruent association, to join or unite under discordant conditions, to enter an incompatible or disharmonious relationship
Root / Etymology
Formed from ἕτερος ('other, another of a different kind') and ζυγός ('yoke'), thus literally 'to be yoked with another of a different kind.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
ἑτεροζυγέω is a rare word, appearing only in later Greek and notably in the New Testament in 2 Corinthians 6:14. Its formation is clearly patterned after agricultural terminology: ζυγός refers to the wooden bar used to join two animals for plowing or hauling, and in agricultural contexts, different kinds of animals were forbidden from being yoked together (cf. Deuteronomy 22:10 in the Septuagint). The verb is used metaphorically in Hellenistic Jewish and early Christian literature for forming partnerships or associations that would be considered mismatched or discordant, whether in belief, behavior, or social standing. The English rendering 'unequally yoked' reflects the metaphor, but modern readers should understand the focus on difference and incompatibility rather than mere inequality. It is distinguished from similar metaphors of unity (συζυγέω, 'to be yoked together') by its explicit emphasis on difference or disharmony. The term does not appear in classical Greek and is almost a technical term in Hellenistic Jewish and early Christian discourse for warning against inappropriate or incongruent partnerships.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from a compound of ἕτερος and ζυγός; to yoke up differently, i.e. (figuratively) to associate discordantly:--unequally yoke together with.
Root Family
ἑτεροζυγέω (heterozygeō) — to yoke with another of a different kind, to join dissimilarly, to form a mismatched partnership
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2086-01 |
ἑτεροζυγοῦντες | eterozugountes | V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL |
yoking with a different kind | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2086-01 |
2 Corinthians 6:14 | ἑτεροζυγοῦντες | eterozugountes | V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL |
yoking with a different kind |