πανδοχεύς
pandocheús
G3830 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Innkeeper; one who manages or oversees a public lodging place where travelers or guests are accommodated for payment. In the context of the ancient eastern Mediterranean, typically the proprietor or caretaker of a roadside inn or caravanserai, responsible for hosting, providing lodging, and sometimes food and care for guests and their animals. The term primarily denotes this occupational sense; in extended contexts, may refer broadly to a host of travelers.
Semantic Range
innkeeper, manager of a public lodging, keeper of a caravanserai, warden of an inn or hostel
Root / Etymology
From πανδοχεῖον (panocheîon, 'inn, public lodging'), itself from πᾶς ('all, every') + δέχομαι ('to receive, accept'), thus 'a place which receives all.' πανδοχεύς is formed by adding the agentive suffix -εύς, denoting one who carries out the action (i.e., the one who receives all / runs the inn).
Historical & Contextual Notes
πανδοχεύς is a rare substantive, found in Koine Greek as the standard term for an innkeeper—appearing in literary sources, most notably in the New Testament parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:35). There, the πανδοχεύς is the person to whom the wounded man is entrusted, highlighting the role as a caretaker as part of broader hospitality traditions. Unlike traditional Greek hospitality (ξενία), which centered on personal guest-friendship, πανδοχεύς refers strictly to the commercial keeper of a public lodging, paralleling Near Eastern caravanserai or hostel operators. The related term πανδοχεῖον ('inn') is also rare and typically denotes more utilitarian accommodation for travelers (as opposed to private hospitality found in Greek homes). The standard English translation 'host' may not capture the explicitly commercial and impersonal nature of the role in ancient contexts. The word does not carry religious or moral connotation, but simply describes a professional occupation in Hellenistic and Roman-era travel infrastructure.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the same as πανδοχεῖον; an innkeeper (warden of a caravanserai):--host.
Root Family
πανδοχεύς (pandocheus) — to receive, to accommodate, host, manage lodging
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3830-01 |
πανδοχεῖ | pandochei | N DAT M SG |
innkeeper | to an innkeeper | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3830-01 |
Luke 10:35 | πανδοχεῖ | pandochei | N DAT M SG |
innkeeper | to an innkeeper |