Original Word: σχοινίον
Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: schoinion
Pronunciation: skhoy-nee'-on
Phonetic Spelling: (skhoy-nee'-on)
Definition: a cord, rope.
Meaning: A small rope or cord, typically used for binding or tying.

Word Origin: Diminutive form of the Greek word σχοῖνος (schoinos), which refers to a rush or reed plant, often used for making ropes.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • H2256 חֶבֶל (chebel): A cord, rope, or line, often used in contexts of measuring or binding.
• H5688 עֲבוֹת (avoth): A thick rope or cord, used for binding or tying.

These Hebrew terms share a similar semantic range with σχοινίον, emphasizing the practical and symbolic uses of cords and ropes in biblical narratives.

Usage: The term σχοινίον is used in the New Testament to describe a cord or rope, often in contexts involving binding or construction.

Context: The Greek term σχοινίον appears in the New Testament in contexts that emphasize its practical use as a tool for binding or construction. In John 2:15, Jesus uses σχοινίον to make a whip to drive out the money changers from the temple: "So He made a whip out of cords and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables." This passage highlights the use of σχοινίον as a tool for enacting judgment and cleansing, symbolizing authority and the purging of corruption.

The use of σχοινίον in the New Testament reflects its common application in the ancient world, where ropes and cords were essential for various tasks, including agriculture, fishing, and construction. The diminutive form suggests a smaller, perhaps more delicate cord, suitable for specific tasks requiring precision or care.

Theologically, the use of σχοινίον in the cleansing of the temple can be seen as a metaphor for the purifying work of Christ, who seeks to restore holiness and order. The act of driving out the money changers with a whip made of cords underscores the seriousness of maintaining the sanctity of worship spaces and the need for righteous zeal in upholding divine standards.

Word Origin
dim. of schoinos (a rush)
Definition
a rope (made of rushes)
NASB Translation
cords (1), ropes (1).

STRONGS NT 4979: σχοινίον

σχοινίον, σχοινιου, τό (diminutive of the noun σχοῖνος, ὁ and ἡ, a rush), from Herodotus down, properly, a cord or rope made of rushes; universally, a rope: John 2:15; Acts 27:32.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

small cord, rope.

Diminutive of schoinos (a rush or flag-plant; of uncertain derivation); a rushlet, i.e. Grass-withe or tie (generally) -- small cord, rope.

Forms and Transliterations

σχοινια σχοινία σχοινίοις σχοινίον σχοίνισμα σχοινίσματα σχοινίσματά σχοινίσματος σχοινισμός σχοινίω σχοινιων σχοινίων σχοίνόν σχοίνος σχοίνων schoinia schoinía schoinion schoiniōn schoiníon schoiníōn

Links

Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts