Greek word · G4577
σειρά
seira
chain
σειρά means a cord, rope, line or chain, anything that binds or ties. The variant σιρός (also spelled σειρός) means a pit, especially an underground pit for storing grain, and so came to mean a dungeon pit.
Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
σειρά, -ᾶς, ἡ
[in LXX: Judges 16:13-14, 19 (מַחְלָפָה), Proverbs 5:22 (חֶבֶל) * ;]
1. (a) a cord;
(b) a chain (cf. Pr., l.with): σειραὶ ζόφου, 2 Peter 2:4, Rec., R, mg. (see: σειρός).
2. a lock of hair (Jg, ll. with).†
(AS)
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
- Range of meaning
σειρά means a cord, rope, line or chain, anything that binds or ties. The variant σιρός (also spelled σειρός) means a pit, especially an underground pit for storing grain, and so came to mean a dungeon pit.
- Against the English
'Chains of darkness' (KJV, BSB, NIV, ESV) follows σειραῖς. 'Pits of darkness' (WEB, NASB, NLT, and the older Revised Version) follows σιροῖς.
- Used elsewhere in the period
The parallel in Jude 6 has 'eternal chains (δεσμοῖς) under gloom'. 1 Enoch 10:4–5 and 10:12 have Asael bound hand and foot and thrown into darkness, and the other Watchers bound under the hills until judgment. 1 Enoch 54:3–5 describes chains forged for Azazel's hosts. Hesiod's Titans are bound in Tartarus.
Where it appears
2 Peter · 1
-
2 Peter 2:4 σειραῖς in chains
For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them deep into hell, placing them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;
Here: 'With chains' or 'with ropes', a picture of being bound like prisoners. Some early manuscripts instead read 'in pits' (σιροῖς). See the variants.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.