Ἐλαιών
Olive-grove, Olive-yard, the mount Olivet
Definition
Ἐλαιών (elaiōn) primarily refers to an olive grove or olive orchard, a cultivated area of olive trees. In the New Testament, its specific and only usage is as a proper name for the Mount of Olives (Ὄρος τῶν Ἐλαιῶν), the ridge east of Jerusalem. This location is distinct from a general grove; it is a significant geographical and theological site. The term in Acts 1:12 directly identifies this mount, from which Jesus ascended to heaven.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Acts 1:12. Here, it functions as a proper name ('the mount called Olivet') to specify the location from which the disciples returned to Jerusalem after witnessing Jesus's ascension. Its usage is purely geographical, identifying a well-known landmark near Jerusalem.
Etymology
Derived directly from the Greek noun ἐλαία (elaia, G1636), meaning 'olive tree' or 'olive.' The suffix -ών (-ōn) often denotes a place associated with the root word, thus forming 'a place of olive trees.' It is essentially the Greek name for the location known as the Mount of Olives.
Semantic Range
While the word itself simply means 'olive grove,' its single biblical reference is theologically significant. The Mount of Olives (Ὄρος τῶν Ἐλαιῶν) is a key location in Jesus's ministry, including his triumphal entry, teachings, agony in Gethsemane (a garden on its slopes), and his ascension (Acts 1:9-12). Understanding that this is the specific location referenced enriches the narrative continuity from the Gospels into Acts and connects to Old Testament prophecies about the mount (e.g., Zechariah 14:4).
In first-century Judea, olive groves were vital for food, oil, and the economy. The Mount of Olives, specifically, was not a wild forest but a cultivated slope covered with olive trees, a common sight around Jerusalem. It also served as a burial ground and a place for pilgrimage during festivals. Its location across the Kidron Valley from the Temple made it a prominent geographical and religious landmark.
ἐλαία (elaia, G1636) — The olive tree or its fruit, the source element. κῆπος (kēpos, G2779) — A garden or cultivated plot; Gethsemane was a κῆπος on the Mount of Olives (John 18:1).
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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