Bible Word Study
μάρμαρος
marmaros · marble
μάρμαρος
marble
Definition
The Greek word μάρμαρος (marmaros) refers specifically to marble, a valuable and lustrous metamorphic rock prized in antiquity for its beauty and durability. In its sole New Testament occurrence in Revelation 18:12, it is listed among the luxury goods traded by the merchants of 'Babylon' (symbolizing corrupt worldly systems). The term denotes a high-status building material and artistic medium, used for statues, columns, and architectural veneers. Its inclusion in Revelation's list underscores extreme material opulence.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Revelation 18:12. It appears in a prophetic, symbolic context within a long inventory of extravagant commodities—including gold, silver, jewels, and fine fabrics—that will be lost with the fall of the symbolic city of Babylon. Its usage is purely descriptive of material wealth and has no distinct metaphorical or theological usage elsewhere in the biblical text.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek verb μαρμαίρω (marmairō), meaning 'to flash, sparkle, gleam,' the word μάρμαρος directly references the stone's characteristic shimmering or glittering appearance. This root connection highlights the primary quality for which marble was valued: its brilliant, polished surface that reflects light. The English word 'marble' is a direct loan from this Greek term via Latin 'marmor'.
Semantic Range
In the ancient Greco-Roman world, marble was a supreme symbol of wealth, power, and artistic achievement. Imported from specific quarries (like the famous Pentelic and Parian marbles of Greece), it was used for temples, public buildings, statues of gods and emperors, and the homes of the elite. Its mention in Revelation 18:12 would immediately signal to a 1st-century reader not just a building stone, but a luxury item representing the pinnacle of secular, material splendor and the architectural grandeur of the Roman Empire. λίθος (lithos, G3037) — A general term for 'stone' or 'rock,' which could include marble but encompasses all types. πέτρα (petra, G4073) — Typically refers to a large mass of rock or bedrock, not a cut and polished stone like marble.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). Concordance and morphology data are derived from the interlinear Bible.
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]