Βαρτιμαῖος
Bartimaîos
G924 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper noun used as a personal name, most notably referring in the New Testament to a specific individual identified as 'son of Timaeus.' The name itself is semitic in form, combining an Aramaic or Hebrew patronymic prefix with a Greek-transliterated name. Its primary lexical sense is the personal designation of Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46—a blind beggar identified by his relationship to his father, Timaeus. The semantic range is limited due to its function as a proper name, but the elements in the name may bear connotations based on their original meanings in Semitic and Greek contexts.
Semantic Range
proper name (son of Timaeus), personal designation, Aramaic patronymic formation, used only as Bartimaeus the blind beggar
Root / Etymology
The name Βαρτιμαῖος is derived from the Aramaic/Hebrew 'בַּר' (bar, 'son') and the Greek transcription of 'Τιμαῖος' (Timaeus). The second component may reflect the Hebrew טָמֵא (tame', 'unclean'), but in the immediate NT context it is linked with the proper name Timaeus. Thus, 'son of Timaeus.' Etymologically, the name blends Semitic and Greek elements. The suggestion linking the second element to 'unclean' arises due to an apparent assonance rather than direct lexical intent in the NT usage.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Βαρτιμαῖος occurs only in Mark 10:46 as the personal name of a blind beggar encountered by Jesus in Jericho. The prefix 'Βαρ-' is a common Aramaic/Hebrew term for 'son,' regularly used in the period for constructing patronymic forms (cf. Bartholomew, Barabbas, Barnabas). The suffix, here -τιμαῖος, is interpreted within the narrative as a reference to his father, Timaeus. While some lexica and early interpretations attempt to derive a meaning from the Hebrew root טָמֵא ('unclean'), the Greek text itself provides an explicit gloss ('son of Timaeus'), suggesting the name is intended as a patronymic proper name, not as a descriptive epithet. In broader Greek and Hellenistic context, names formed with 'Bar-' signal Semitic identity or influence. Standard English translations uniformly transliterate the name as 'Bartimaeus,' sometimes noting its possible Semitic etymology in footnotes. No evidence exists that the NT intends 'unclean' as a meaning in this context. The name is not in wider use in Greek or Jewish literature outside of this passage.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Chaldee origin (בַּר and טָמֵא); son of Timæus (or the unclean); Bar-timæus, an Israelite:--Bartimæus.
Root Family
Βαρτιμαῖος (Bartimaios) — son, patronymic designation, personal name
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G924-01 |
Βαρτιμαῖος | bartimaios | N NOM M SG |
Bartimaeus | Son of Timaeus | Bartimaios | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G924-01 |
Mark 10:46 | Βαρτιμαῖος | bartimaios | N NOM M SG |
Bartimaeus | Son of Timaeus | Bartimaios |