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ἱερωσύνη

hierōsýnē

G2420 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

The office or function of a priest; the state, role, or dignity of being a priest, with emphasis on institutional priestly status within a religious system. In context, can refer concretely to the priesthood as a collective institution, or more abstractly to priestly dignity or authority. Rarely used outside religious or cultic contexts.

Semantic Range

priesthood, priestly office, dignity of being priest, institutional priestly status, collective body of priests, priestly order

Root / Etymology

From the root ἱερός ('holy', 'sacred') with the abstract noun suffix -σύνη, forming a term signifying the condition or office relating to the sacred, specifically, the priestly office.

Historical & Contextual Notes

ἱερωσύνη is a rare noun in classical Greek, with the bulk of extant usage found in Hellenistic and Koine sources, including the Septuagint and the New Testament (e.g., Luke 1:9, Hebrews 7:11–12, 7:14, 7:24). In the Septuagint, it typically renders Hebrew terms such as כְּהֻנָּה (kehunnah), specifically denoting the institution or office of the Aaronic priesthood among Israelites. In the New Testament, it occurs in discussions of the Israelite priesthood (notably in Hebrews), sometimes used in contrast to the priesthood or high priesthood of Jesus as understood by early Christians. The term always denotes institutional or official priestly status, not individual persons per se (for which ἱερεύς is used). Standard English translations like 'priesthood' or 'priestly office' usually capture the basic meaning, but do not always convey the institutional or official nuance signified by the term in Greek contexts. Ἱερωσύνη is distinct from ἱερατεία, which can refer more broadly to the priestly body or order as a group. Earliest significant attestation is in the LXX and later Jewish–Hellenistic literature, rather than classical Greek. The term's use was shaped by the Israelite/Judean cultic system but was also intelligible in the context of Hellenistic priestly offices.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἱερός; sacredness, i.e. (by implication) the priestly office:--priesthood.

Root Family

ἱερ- (hierón) — sacred, holy, set apart for a deity

Root ἱερ- holy, sacred, priestly
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
G2411 ἱερόν to the sacred precinct
G2413 ἱερός sacred things

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2420-02 ἱερωσύνης ierosunes N GEN F SG priesthood of priesthood priesthood 2
G2420-01 ἱερωσύνην ierosunen N ACC F SG priesthood the priestly office priestly office 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2420-02 Hebrews 7:11 ἱερωσύνης ierosunes N GEN F SG priesthood of priesthood priesthood
G2420-02 Hebrews 7:12 ἱερωσύνης ierosunes N GEN F SG priesthood of priesthood priesthood
G2420-01 Hebrews 7:24 ἱερωσύνην ierosunen N ACC F SG priesthood the priestly office priestly office
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