Ἱερουσαλήμ
Hierousalḗm
G2419
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun: the city of Jerusalem — the central urban settlement in the southern Levant, renowned as the historic, political, religious, and cultic center for Israelites and later Judaisms; refers to the actual city and, in certain literary and apocalyptic contexts, may also denote an idealized or eschatological city; the primary term used in the Septuagint and New Testament to indicate the ancient city, often with symbolic import.
Semantic Range
the physical city of Jerusalem, the religious and cultic center for Israelites/Judeans, the metaphorical or idealized Jerusalem (as in prophetic or apocalyptic literature), the site of historical events
Root / Etymology
Borrowed directly from the Hebrew יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם (Yĕrūšālaim), itself of uncertain etymology but possibly meaning 'foundation of the god Shalem' or 'possession of peace.' The Greek Ἱερουσαλήμ is a transliteration, reflecting the Hebrew (rather than translating or Hellenizing the name).
Historical & Contextual Notes
Ἱερουσαλήμ is a transliteration rather than a native Greek form, distinguished from Ἱεροσόλυμα, which is a more thoroughly Hellenized version. In the Septuagint (LXX), Ἱερουσαλήμ most often represents the Hebrew city name, frequently found in contexts describing sacred history, ritual, and prophecy. It is the primary term in the New Testament, particularly in narrative and theological passages. Ἱεροσόλυμα occurs as an alternative, sometimes with subtly different literary or contextual nuance (e.g., more secular or geographical). In Second Temple and Hellenistic Greek texts, Ἱερουσαλήμ continues to refer specifically to the historic and religious center of the Judean people; in late Second Temple, apocalyptic, and Christian usage, it may also acquire symbolic meaning as the site of eschatological expectation (e.g., 'new' or 'heavenly' Jerusalem), though the primary referent is always the ancient city. Standard English 'Jerusalem' captures the primary referent, but not the occasional connotations of sanctity or literary resonance present in Greek and Hebrew texts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Hebrew origin (יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם); Hierusalem (i.e. Jerushalem), the capitol of Palestine:--Jerusalem. Compare Ἱεροσόλυμα.
Word Forms
0 distinct forms
No word forms found for this Strong's number.
Occurrences in Scripture
0 occurrences
No occurrences found.