χάσμα
chásma
G5490 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A deep gap or wide opening; specifically, a chasm or gulf, often denoting a broad, impassable space or interval separating two locations or entities. In contexts, may refer to a physical opening in the earth, a deep fissure, or more metaphorically, a divide that cannot be traversed.
Semantic Range
chasm, deep opening, gulf, impassable divide, wide interval, figurative barrier
Root / Etymology
From the Greek root χα-, related to χάσκω (to yawn, gape) and connected to the idea of a wide opening or gaping; ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European *ghes- (to yawn, gape, devour).
Historical & Contextual Notes
χάσμα is a rare term in Koine Greek and is attested in earlier Greek literature with the sense of a broad and often terrifying opening or gulf (e.g., Homer, Hesiod). In the New Testament (Luke 16:26), it appears in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus to describe an unbridgeable separation between two realms, indicating both a spatial and qualitative divide. In the Septuagint, the term is seldom used. English translations often use 'gulf' or 'chasm,' which accurately captures the spatial nature but may neglect its metaphorical resonance of untraversable difference. Other Greek terms with overlapping meaning include φάραγξ (ravine) and ῥαγάς (cleft), but χάσμα emphasizes breadth and often the impossibility of crossing.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from a form of an obsolete primary (to "gape" or "yawn"); a "chasm" or vacancy (impassable interval):--gulf.
Root Family
χάσμα (chasma) — gaping opening, chasm, gulf, wide gap
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5490-01 |
χάσμα | chasma | N NOM N SG |
chasm | a gaping chasm | a gaping chasm | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5490-01 |
Luke 16:26 | χάσμα | chasma | N NOM N SG |
chasm | a gaping chasm | a gaping chasm |