ἥλιος (G2246) — Greek Lexicon

ἥλιος

hḗlios

G2246 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

The sun—the celestial body that is the center of the solar system and the primary source of light and heat for the earth. By extension, ἥλιος can refer to sunlight or daylight, and, in some contexts, may designate the east as the direction of sunrise. The term may also be used in broader poetic or cosmic senses to represent brilliance or prominence, but remains fundamentally tied to the physical sun and its light.

Semantic Range

the sun (as a celestial body), sunlight, daylight, the east (by association with rising sun); rarely, brilliance or radiance (poetic or metaphorical)

Root / Etymology

From the root ἡλ-, of uncertain, pre-Greek origin; no secure Indo-European derivation. The word is attested in Mycenaean Greek as 'he-li-jo'. Not related to αἱρέω or to words meaning 'ray.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

ἥλιος is the standard Greek term for the sun, used universally in classical and Koine Greek. In classical sources (e.g., Homer, Herodotus), ἥλιος is the name of both the sun and the personified sun god. In Hellenistic and Koine usage, it typically loses the personal sense and refers concretely to the physical sun. In the Septuagint, ἥλιος frequently renders Hebrew שֶׁמֶשׁ (shemesh). In the New Testament (e.g., Matt 5:45; Rev 16:8), it invariably refers to the natural sun or, by extension, to sunlight or daylight. Some English translations occasionally render ἥλιος as 'east' (by association with the sunrise), but this is secondary and context-dependent, not its primary lexical meaning. Unlike Latin 'sol' and related Indo-European terms, ἥλιος has no clear cognate outside Greek. The word does not denote abstract 'light' (φῶς), but always retains its concrete, celestial reference.

Translation Consistency

primary "sun" 32 occurrences

ἥλιος primarily denotes the celestial sun—the body that gives light and heat—and is most often rendered simply as “sun.” This single word naturally covers senses for sunlight/daylight and poetic radiance, while context can handle the occasional ‘east’ or metaphorical uses. 'Sun' is the common, natural English equivalent and matches the majority of occurrences.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from (a ray; perhaps akin to the alternate of αἱρέομαι); the sun; by implication, light:--+ east, sun.

Root Family

ἡλ- (hēlíkos) — of what age, of what size, of what degree

Root ἡλ- sun, sunlight

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
G2245	ἡλίκος	how great (feminine singular accusative)

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G2246-03`	ἥλιος	elios	`N NOM M SG`	sun	the sun	sun	14
`G2246-04`	ἡλίου	eliou	`N GEN M SG`	sun	of the sun	of the sun	12
`G2246-02`	ἥλιον	elion	`N ACC M SG`	sun	sun	sun	4
`G2246-01`	ἡλίῳ	elio	`N DAT M SG`	sun	to the sun	sun	2

Occurrences in Scripture

32 occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G2246-02`	Matthew 5:45	ἥλιον	elion	`N ACC M SG`	sun	sun	sun
`G2246-04`	Matthew 13:6	ἡλίου	eliou	`N GEN M SG`	of the sun	of the sun	of the sun
`G2246-03`	Matthew 13:43	ἥλιος	elios	`N NOM M SG`	sun	the sun	sun
`G2246-03`	Matthew 17:2	ἥλιος	elios	`N NOM M SG`	sun	the sun	sun
`G2246-03`	Matthew 24:29	ἥλιος	elios	`N NOM M SG`	sun	the sun	sun
`G2246-03`	Mark 1:32	ἥλιος	elios	`N NOM M SG`	sun	the sun	sun
`G2246-03`	Mark 4:6	ἥλιος	elios	`N NOM M SG`	sun	the sun	sun
`G2246-03`	Mark 13:24	ἥλιος	elios	`N NOM M SG`	sun	the sun	sun
`G2246-04`	Mark 16:2	ἡλίου	eliou	`N GEN M SG`	the sun	of the sun	of the sun
`G2246-04`	Luke 4:40	ἡλίου	eliou	`N GEN M SG`	sun's	of the sun	of the sun
`G2246-01`	Luke 21:25	ἡλίῳ	elio	`N DAT M SG`	sun	to the sun	the sun
`G2246-04`	Luke 23:45	ἡλίου	eliou	`N GEN M SG`	sun	of the sun	of the sun
`G2246-03`	Acts 2:20	ἥλιος	elios	`N NOM M SG`	sun	the sun	sun
`G2246-02`	Acts 13:11	ἥλιον	elion	`N ACC M SG`	sun	sun	sun
`G2246-04`	Acts 26:13	ἡλίου	eliou	`N GEN M SG`	sun	of the sun	of the sun
`G2246-04`	Acts 27:20	ἡλίου	eliou	`N GEN M SG`	sun	of the sun	of the sun
`G2246-04`	1 Corinthians 15:41	ἡλίου	eliou	`N GEN M SG`	of the sun	of the sun	of the sun
`G2246-03`	Ephesians 4:26	ἥλιος	elios	`N NOM M SG`	sun	the sun	sun
`G2246-03`	James 1:11	ἥλιος	elios	`N NOM M SG`	sun	the sun	sun
`G2246-03`	Revelation 1:16	ἥλιος	elios	`N NOM M SG`	sun	the sun	sun
`G2246-03`	Revelation 6:12	ἥλιος	elios	`N NOM M SG`	sun	the sun	sun
`G2246-04`	Revelation 7:2	ἡλίου	eliou	`N GEN M SG`	of the sun	of the sun	of the sun
`G2246-03`	Revelation 7:16	ἥλιος	elios	`N NOM M SG`	sun	the sun	sun
`G2246-04`	Revelation 8:12	ἡλίου	eliou	`N GEN M SG`	sun	of the sun	of the sun
`G2246-03`	Revelation 9:2	ἥλιος	elios	`N NOM M SG`	sun	the sun	sun
`G2246-03`	Revelation 10:1	ἥλιος	elios	`N NOM M SG`	sun	the sun	sun
`G2246-02`	Revelation 12:1	ἥλιον	elion	`N ACC M SG`	sun	sun	sun
`G2246-02`	Revelation 16:8	ἥλιον	elion	`N ACC M SG`	sun	sun	sun
`G2246-04`	Revelation 16:12	ἡλίου	eliou	`N GEN M SG`	sun	of the sun	of the sun
`G2246-01`	Revelation 19:17	ἡλίῳ	elio	`N DAT M SG`	sun	to the sun	sun
`G2246-04`	Revelation 21:23	ἡλίου	eliou	`N GEN M SG`	sun	of the sun	of the sun
`G2246-04`	Revelation 22:5	ἡλίου	eliou	`N GEN M SG`	of the sun	of the sun	of the sun

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