Greek word · G2183

ἐφημερία

ephēmeria

division

Literally 'daily service' (from epi + hēmera, 'day'). In Jewish Greek it became the technical term for a rotating division of priests, and also for that division's term of duty. It is rare outside Jewish and Christian writing.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἐφ-ημερία, -ας, ἡ

(ἐφήμερος), [in LXX chiefly for מִשְׁמֶרֶת, מַחֲלֹקֶת ;]

1. a course of daily services (Nehemiah 13:30, 1 Chronicles 25:8, al.).

2. a class or course of priests detailed for service in the temple (1 Chronicles 23:6, al.): Luke 1:5, 8 (cf. MGr., ἐφημέριος, priest).†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Luke 1:5

Range of meaning

Literally 'daily service' (from epi + hēmera, 'day'). In Jewish Greek it became the technical term for a rotating division of priests, and also for that division's term of duty. It is rare outside Jewish and Christian writing.

Against the English

KJV 'course' was clear in 1611, meaning a turn or rotation, as in 'in due course.' Today readers hear a path or a class. 'Division' (BSB, WEB, ESV, NASB) or 'priestly order' (NLT) is clearer but loses the idea of a rotation.

How it drifted

The KJV's 'course' has aged. The sense of a set turn in a rotation is now largely lost to readers.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX 1 Chronicles 23:6; 28:13; 2 Chronicles 8:14; 31:2; Nehemiah 13:30 use ephēmeria for the priestly and Levitical divisions. Josephus uses the related form ephēmeris: David divided the priests into 24 courses, each serving 'eight days, from Sabbath to Sabbath' (Antiquities 7.365–366), and Josephus says he himself belonged to the first of them (Life 1–2). The Dead Sea Scrolls include calendar texts that track the rotation of the courses (the 'Mishmarot' texts, 4Q320–330). A later synagogue inscription from Caesarea lists the 24 courses with their home villages.

Similar words

Where it appears

Luke · 2

  1. Luke 1:5 ἐφημερίας division

    In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and whose wife Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron.

    Here: One of the 24 rotating groups of priests who took turns serving in the temple for a week at a time. This detail sets up 1:8–9, where it is his division's turn.

  2. Luke 1:8 ἐφημερίας division

    One day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.