συνοικέω

I dwell with, live in wedlock with

Definition

The verb συνοικέω means 'to dwell together with' or 'to live together in a shared household.' In its primary New Testament usage, it specifically denotes the intimate cohabitation of a married couple, carrying the sense of living in wedlock or sharing a marital home. This meaning is clearly seen in 1 Peter 3:7, where husbands are instructed to live considerately with their wives. While the word can have a broader sense of cohabitation in extra-biblical Greek, its single biblical occurrence focuses exclusively on the marital union.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in 1 Peter 3:7. In this context, it is used in a direct command to Christian husbands, instructing them on how to relate to their wives within the covenant of marriage. The usage is explicitly marital and relational, emphasizing the shared domestic life and intimate partnership of husband and wife.

Etymology

The word is a compound verb formed from the preposition σύν (syn, G4862), meaning 'with' or 'together,' and the verb οἰκέω (oikeō, G3611), meaning 'to dwell' or 'to inhabit.' Literally, it means 'to dwell together.' This construction perfectly captures the essence of shared domestic life, which in its most significant application refers to the foundational living arrangement of marriage.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it grounds the marital relationship in the concrete reality of shared, daily life. It moves beyond legal contract or romantic sentiment to describe the practical, covenantal partnership of dwelling together. Understanding this Greek term enriches the reading of 1 Peter 3:7 by emphasizing that a husband's 'considerate' living is not an abstract ideal but is to be worked out in the intimate, everyday context of the shared home, reflecting Christ's faithful presence with His people.

In the ancient Greco-Roman world, marriage was fundamentally a social and domestic institution centered on establishing a household (oikos). 'Dwelling together' was the essential, public marker of a marital union, distinguishing it from other relationships. The command in 1 Peter, therefore, calls husbands to honor this foundational social covenant with wisdom and respect, recognizing their wives as joint heirs of God's grace within that shared life.

οἰκέω (oikeō, G3611) — a more general term meaning simply 'to dwell' or 'inhabit,' without the necessary connotation of cohabitation with another. | συμβιόω (symbioō, G4800) — means 'to live with,' but can be used more broadly for any close association, not exclusively marital. | μείγνυμι (meignymi, G3396) — means 'to mix' or 'mingle,' and in certain contexts can refer to sexual union, but lacks the sustained, domestic connotation of συνοικέω.

Word Details

Scripture References