περικεφαλαία
perikephalaía
G4030 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Helmet; an item of protective headgear designed to encircle and cover the head, typically made of metal or sturdy materials for protection in combat or danger. In extension, the term may be used metaphorically for spiritual or moral protection.
Semantic Range
helmet (literal head armor), item encircling or protecting the head, metaphor for protection (esp. spiritual or moral), martial equipment
Root / Etymology
Formed from the preposition περί ('around') and the noun κεφαλή ('head'), with the feminine suffix -α. The literal sense is 'that which goes around the head.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, περικεφαλαία rarely appears, but related terms such as περικεφαλαιον and the simpler κράνος are used for 'helmet.' In the Koine period, especially in the Greek translations of the Hebrew Bible (Septuagint) and later in the New Testament (Ephesians 6:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:8), περικεφαλαία designates a helmet as worn by a soldier. The word appears in the LXX (e.g., 1 Samuel 17:5: helmet of bronze) translating Hebrew כּוֹבַע (kôba‘). In metaphoric NT usage (notably Eph 6:17, 'helmet of salvation'), it draws on martial imagery to denote spiritual protection, though the underlying image remains that of literal head armor. The standard English translation 'helmet' accurately conveys the primary sense but may obscure the detail that this was a Greco-Roman military object, and the metaphorical use relies on this cultural context.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of a compound of περί and κεφαλή; encirclement of the head, i.e. a helmet:--helmet.
Root Family
περικεφαλαία (perikephalaía) — to encircle, to bind around, head; protective headgear
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4030-01 |
περικεφαλαίαν | perikephalaian | N ACC F SG |
helmet | head-encircling helmet | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4030-01 |
Ephesians 6:17 | περικεφαλαίαν | perikephalaian | N ACC F SG |
helmet | head-encircling helmet |
G4030-01 |
1 Thessalonians 5:8 | περικεφαλαίαν | perikephalaian | N ACC F SG |
helmet | head-encircling helmet |