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ἀλοάω

aloáō

G248 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To tread upon, particularly to tread out grain by walking or trampling, as by humans, animals, or machinery; in transferred usage, to crush or break apart through pressure or trampling. In agricultural contexts, primarily refers to the act of separating grain from husks by treading on the threshing floor. In figurative use, can denote subjection or oppressive trampling.

Semantic Range

to tread out grain, to thresh, to trample upon (with specific reference to threshing floor); by extension: to crush or oppress (rare metaphorical use)

Root / Etymology

From ἅλων (halōn, meaning 'threshing floor'), which is likely of pre-Greek or non-Indo-European origin; the verb is a denominative formed from ἅλων, meaning 'to perform the action associated with a threshing floor.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, ἀλοάω is rare and specialized, closely associated with agricultural practice, specifically the procedure of threshing grain by trampling (cf. Theophrastus, Aristotle). In the Septuagint and New Testament, the verb typically refers to the agricultural process—allowing animals to tread out grain on the threshing floor (cf. Deut 25:4; 1 Cor 9:9, 1 Tim 5:18), a context where Judean custom and the Torah's stipulation about not muzzling the ox applies. The practice is emblematic of productive labor and serves metaphorically for rights to the fruit of one's work. English Bible translations often render the verb as 'to thresh' or 'to tread out grain/corn,' but the core image is of trampling or pressing grain by foot or hoof, not with machinery. Not generally used for other forms of trampling or oppression except by extension; alternative Greek verbs for general trampling include πατέω. The semantic range in the Koine period remains focused on threshing, with limited figurative extension. The verb is found mainly in agricultural texts, biblical, and legal contexts relating to agrarian labor.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from the same as ἅλων; to tread out grain:--thresh, tread out the corn.

Root Family

ἀλοάω (aloáō) — to tread, to thresh

Root ἀλοα- to tread, to thresh

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G248-02 ἀλοῶντα aloonta V PRS ACT PTCP ACC M SG threshing treading out grain treading out grain 2
G248-01 ἀλοῶν aloon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG thresher the one treading out grain treading out grain 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G248-02 1 Corinthians 9:9 ἀλοῶντα aloonta V PRS ACT PTCP ACC M SG while threshing treading out grain while threshing
G248-01 1 Corinthians 9:10 ἀλοῶν aloon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG thresher the one treading out grain treading out grain
G248-02 1 Timothy 5:18 ἀλοῶντα aloonta V PRS ACT PTCP ACC M SG threshing treading out grain treading out grain
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