ψῆφος
psēphos
G5586 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A small stone or pebble, typically smooth and rounded from handling; used as a device for counting or casting a vote. The term also refers, by extension, to a vote or voting token, and in rare or figurative contexts, to a verdict (acquittal or condemnation) arrived at by such voting. Its primary lexical sense in Greek is the tangible pebble, but the meaning extends to abstract concepts tied to their practical usage in decision-making and numerical records.
Semantic Range
pebble, small stone, token, tally counter, voting token, vote, verdict, acquittal token, admission ticket
Root / Etymology
From the root ψήφ-; related to ψάφανος (pebble), and sometimes associated with ψηλαφάω (to touch, feel), reflecting the tangible, tactile nature of pebbles. The word is not of certain Semitic origin; the Greek etymology traces to words for 'pebble' or 'stone.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, ψῆφος referred primarily to a small pebble used for arithmetic calculations, especially in voting procedures—hence its secondary meaning of 'a vote.' In Athenian democracy and other Greek civic contexts, citizens would cast pebbles (ψῆφοι) into urns to register their votes, both in political and judicial decisions, which contributed to the term’s metaphorical extension as 'judgment' or 'verdict.' In the Septuagint, ψῆφος maintains its literal and legal senses (e.g., Exodus 28:9 for stones in the priestly breastplate), though with broader abstract extension possible. In the New Testament context (e.g., Revelation 2:17), ψῆφος appears in the imagery of a 'white stone,' understood variously as a token of acquittal, admission, or special favor, based on the cultural associations with voting and verdicts. English translations as 'stone' or 'vote' generally reflect these core meanings, but often miss the nuanced connection between tangible object and the acts (counting, voting, verdict-giving, token-granting) that the pebble represents. The semantic development exemplifies how physical tools in public life become embedded in figurative and symbolic language.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the same as ψηλαφάω; a pebble (as worn smooth by handling), i.e. (by implication, of use as a counter or ballot) a verdict (of acquittal) or ticket (of admission); a vote:--stone, voice.
Root Family
ψῆφος (psēphos) — pebble, vote, token
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5586-01 |
ψῆφον | psephon | N ACC F SG |
a stone | pebble | pebble | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5586-01 |
Acts 26:10 | ψῆφον | psephon | N ACC F SG |
my vote | pebble | my vote |
G5586-01 |
Revelation 2:17 | ψῆφον | psephon | N ACC F SG |
a stone | pebble | pebble |
G5586-01 |
Revelation 2:17 | ψῆφον | psephon-2 | N ACC F SG |
stone | pebble | pebble |