κλίβανος
klíbanos
G2823 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A clay or earthen oven; specifically, a vessel or structure made from baked clay, used for baking bread or other food. In extended use, refers to an oven-like apparatus for heating or cooking. The term denotes a domestic or communal oven rather than a portable cooking vessel, and occasionally may refer to a kiln or furnace for firing pottery, but primarily signifies an oven for baking.
Semantic Range
earthen oven, clay baking oven, oven for bread, kiln for pottery (rare), heated baking structure; by extension, any oven-like apparatus
Root / Etymology
Etymology uncertain. The term κλίβανος does not have a securely established Greek root and is likely a loan from a non-Greek language of the Eastern Mediterranean or Near East, possibly connected to Semitic words for oven (cf. Hebrew 'tannur', Aramaic 'tanura'), but direct derivation is not confirmed.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek usage, κλίβανος refers to an oven used for baking or roasting, often a baking oven made of clay or earth, used domestically or communally. The term appears in various Hellenistic sources to describe traditional cylindrical or dome-shaped ovens, similar to Middle Eastern tannur ovens. In the Septuagint and New Testament (e.g., Matt 6:30, Luke 12:28), κλίβανος denotes the typical household or village baking oven, to which dried grass or stubble was sometimes added as quick fuel for heating. English Bibles usually render the term as 'oven,' which accurately reflects its primary sense, but modern readers may envision a metal kitchen appliance, whereas the original connotation is an earthen structure or pot built for high heat. Retains clear differentiation from πύρα (pyra, 'fire') and from πύργος ('tower'), and contrasts with καμίνος (kaminos), which can refer to a furnace for metalworking or pottery firing. The word is rare outside biblical and related texts, suggesting a regional or technical term for a specific type of oven. Its use persisted in later Greek but often referred to traditional bread ovens rather than advanced furnaces. There is little indication that κλίβανος had strong metaphorical or symbolic usage in Greek literature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of uncertain derivation; an earthen pot used for baking in:--oven.
Root Family
κλίβανος (klíbanos) — oven, baking vessel
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2823-01 |
κλίβανον | klibanon | N ACC M SG |
the oven | earthen oven | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2823-01 |
Matthew 6:30 | κλίβανον | klibanon | N ACC M SG |
earthen oven | |
G2823-01 |
Luke 12:28 | κλίβανον | klibanon | N ACC M SG |
the oven | earthen oven |