ἵλεως
híleōs
G2436 predicate adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
gracious, merciful, favorable (especially of divine disposition); expressing the idea of being kindly disposed, showing favor, or averting deserved retribution. It can be used as a predicate adjective referring to a god or person ("gracious, propitious") or as an interjection ("may it not be!", "God forbid!") indicating a plea for calamity to be averted or showing strong rejection of a proposition.
Semantic Range
gracious, merciful, kindly disposed, propitious (especially of a deity); as an interjection: may it not be! far be it! God forbid!; to avert misfortune or calamity
Root / Etymology
Root is ἵλ- (as in ἱλάομαι, ἱλαστήριον), likely related to words for propitiation and favor. Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sel- (to approach, favor, invoke). Not derived from αἱρέομαι (to take, choose), as previously speculated in Strong's. The word is also related to Latin 'hilaris' (cheerful) but the semantic development is distinct in Greek religious usage.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Classical Greek, ἵλεως describes gods or humans as "gracious, favorable, kindly disposed." In inscriptions, often appears as a divine epithet requesting or declaring a deity’s favor (e.g., ἵλεως εἴη, "may [the god] be gracious"). In the Septuagint and New Testament, ἵλεως appears both as an adjective (e.g., Mat 16:22: ἵλεώς σοι, Kύριε, "may it not be to you, Lord!"—a Hebraic usage mirroring Hebrew מחל or חלילה) and as an interjection to vigorously reject or wish calamity to be averted. English translations render it inconsistently: sometimes as "God forbid," sometimes as "far be it," sometimes as "merciful," but none fully capture its original nuance of gracious forbearance or emphatic rejection. Closely related to ἱλάσκομαι (to propitiate, show mercy). In some contexts in Greek literature and inscriptions, the word suggests the hopeful stance of the worshiper towards the divine, not simply "cheerfulness" or emotional pleasantness but the disposition to forgive, spare, or favor.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
perhaps from the alternate form of αἱρέομαι; cheerful (as attractive), i.e. propitious; adverbially (by Hebraism) God be gracious!, i.e. (in averting some calamity) far be it:--be it far, merciful.
Root Family
ἵλεως (hileōs) — gracious, merciful, propitious, favorably disposed
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2436-01 |
ἵλεώς | ileos | ADJ.P NOM M SG |
gracious | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2436-01 |
Matthew 16:22 | ἵλεώς | ileos | ADJ.P NOM M SG |
gracious | |
G2436-01 |
Hebrews 8:12 | ἵλεως | ileos | ADJ.P NOM M SG |
gracious |