βωμός

From the study of Acts 17:23

Range of meaning

A raised platform or altar, especially for sacrifice. In ordinary Greek it is the normal word for any altar.

Against the English

"Altar" is accurate. YLT's "erection" tries to reflect the root idea of a raised structure, but it is odd in modern English.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Greek Old Testament mostly keeps βωμός for pagan or illegitimate altars (e.g. Num 23:1; 1 Macc 1:54, 59; 2 Macc 10:2) and uses θυσιαστήριον for the altar of Israel's God. Philo and Josephus use βωμός more freely. This is its only New Testament occurrence.

From the study of Sirach 50:14

Range of meaning

Any raised altar or platform for sacrifice. In ordinary Greek it is the everyday word for an altar of the gods.

Against the English

Every English version just says 'altar'. KJV and Brenton also make it singular, which hides both the Greek plural and the unusual choice of word.

Used elsewhere in the period

The older LXX books mostly separate thusiastērion, the altar of the God of Israel, from bōmos, which is used for pagan or illegitimate altars (Num 23:1 for Balaam's altars; 1 Macc 1:54, 59 for the altar set up on top of the temple altar). Later Hellenistic Jewish Greek relaxed this. 2 Macc 2:19 and 13:8 and Josephus use bōmos for the temple altar. Sirach itself switches to thusiastērion in the next verse (50:15).