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Σόδομα

Sódoma

G4670 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Name of an ancient city in the southern Levant, known primarily as a site of destruction in biblical literature; refers to the city of Sodom as depicted in the Hebrew Scriptures and subsequent Greek writings. The primary lexical meaning is the toponym 'Sodom', but it can also function symbolically in literature as a reference to a place of moral corruption and subsequent divine judgment.

Semantic Range

the city of Sodom; by extension, a place representing corruption, wickedness, or judgment; in references to 'Sodom and Gomorrah,' symbolizes total destruction or moral depravity

Root / Etymology

From Hebrew סְדֹם (Sedom), carried directly into Greek as a loanword. The form Σόδομα reflects adaptation to Greek morphology but retains the unaltered sound and reference of the Hebrew original. Not related to any Indigenous Greek root; its etymology prior to the Hebrew is uncertain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Σόδομα appears in the Septuagint as a direct transliteration of the Hebrew name for the city destroyed in Genesis (Genesis 18–19). In Second Temple and later Jewish literature, as well as in the New Testament, 'Sodom' becomes emblematic for extreme wickedness and divine retribution, but the Greek term itself is strictly geographic and retains this secondary symbolic association through cultural usage rather than lexical development. English translations typically render Σόδομα as 'Sodom', but in both the Greek and Hebrew texts, the term functions not only as a proper noun but also as a symbol for notorious wickedness or destruction (e.g., Matthew 10:15; 2 Peter 2:6). There is no evidence of this word functioning outside the biblical and Hellenistic literary tradition; no alternate meanings exist in other Greek dialects or periods. The singular and plural forms (Σόδομα, Σόδομας) are both used, but the Septuagint and New Testament overwhelmingly employ the plural neuter, reflecting the Hebrew plural usage (סְדֹם always appears with plural verb forms, possibly as a stylistic convention). The word is used almost exclusively in Jewish and Christian texts; it is not found in pagan Greek literature apart from references to Jewish or Christian stories.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

plural of Hebrew origin (סְדֹם); Sodoma (i.e. Sedom), a place in Palestine:--Sodom.

Root Family

Σόδομα (Sódoma) — Sodom, ancient city, place associated with destruction

Root uncertain place name, toponym, city associated with destruction

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G4670-03 Σοδόμων sodomon N GEN N PL of Sodom of Sodom Sodoma 4
G4670-01 Σόδομα sodoma N NOM N PL Sodom Sodom Sodoma 3
G4670-02 Σοδόμοις sodomois N DAT N PL for Sodom to Sodom Sodoma 2

Occurrences in Scripture

9 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G4670-03 Matthew 10:15 Σοδόμων sodomon N GEN N PL of Sodom of Sodom Sodoma
G4670-02 Matthew 11:23 Σοδόμοις sodomois N DAT N PL Sodom to Sodom Sodoma
G4670-03 Matthew 11:24 Σοδόμων sodomon N GEN N PL of Sodom of Sodom Sodoma
G4670-02 Luke 10:12 Σοδόμοις sodomois N DAT N PL for Sodom to Sodom Sodoma
G4670-03 Luke 17:29 Σοδόμων sodomon N GEN N PL Sodom of Sodom Sodoma
G4670-01 Romans 9:29 Σόδομα sodoma N NOM N PL Sodom Sodom Sodoma
G4670-03 2 Peter 2:6 Σοδόμων sodomon N GEN N PL of Sodom of Sodom Sodoma
G4670-01 Jude 1:7 Σόδομα sodoma N NOM N PL Sodom Sodom Sodoma
G4670-01 Revelation 11:8 Σόδομα sodoma N NOM N PL Sodom Sodom Sodoma
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