יְוָנִי
𐤉𐤅𐤍𐤉
Yevani
H3125 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
An inhabitant or descendant of Yavan (Javan), referring specifically to people associated with Yavan in the biblical world. Typically designates individuals belonging to the people or regions in the eastern Aegean or Ionian Greek sphere. The term can also generically refer to peoples regarded as Ionian Greeks in ancient Near Eastern perception.
Semantic Range
descendant of Yavan (Javan), Ionian Greek, inhabitant or native of Yavan/Ionia, Grecian (in ancient perception), Greek (in later/Hellenistic contexts)
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root י-ו-ן (יָוָן, Yavan), which refers to the region and people traditionally linked with the Ionians of Greece. יְוָנִי is a nominal derivative (gentilic form) meaning 'of or pertaining to Yavan/Javan.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, יְוָנִי refers to peoples associated with the region of Yavan, typically linked to the Ionian Greeks or those perceived as Greeks by the ancient Israelites. In the earliest Israelite period, this term served as an ethnonym for distant maritime peoples (Genesis 10:2, 'sons of Japheth'), while during later periods (post-exilic, Hellenistic), it came to signify Greek-speaking peoples or Hellenes more broadly, particularly as Greek cultural influence spread through the eastern Mediterranean. The English term 'Greek' often translates יְוָנִי in modern Bibles, but in ancient Israelite context this term marked a more specific regional or ethnic identity rooted in the biblical Table of Nations. Its semantic range narrowed in later periods to mean 'Greek' generally, as reflected in translations and intertestamental literature. The term does not carry modern national or racial connotations, and should not be confused with religious or cultural categories that developed in later eras.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
patronymically from יָוֵן; a Jevanite, or descendant of Javan; Grecian.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
יון (y-w-n) — to be tumultuous, to ferment, Yavan/Ionia
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3125-01 |
הַ/יְּוָנִ֑ים | hayevanim | HTd/Ngmpa |
the Greeks | the Yavanites | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3125-01 |
Joel 4:6 | הַ/יְּוָנִ֑ים | hayevanim | HTd/Ngmpa |
the Greeks | the Yavanites |