Bible Lexicons

ἐλε-ημοσύνη, ἡ,

1. pity, mercy, Call. Del. 152.

2. charity, alms, LXX Tobit 4:7,.Matthew 6:2, D.L. 5.17.

ἐλεημοσύνη, ἐλεημοσύνης, ἡ (ἐλεήμων), the Sept. for חֶסֶד and צְדָקָה (see δικαιοσύνη, 1 b.);

1. mercy, pity (Callimachus () in Del. 152; Isaiah 38:18; Sir. 17:22 (), etc.), especially as exhibited in giving alms, charity: Matthew 6:4; ποιεῖν ἐλεημοσύνην, to practise the virtue of mercy or beneficence, to show one's compassion (A. V. do alms) (cf. the similar phrases δικαιοσύνην, ἀλήθειαν, etc. ποιεῖν), Matthew 6:1 Rec., 2, 3, (Sir. 7:10; Tobit 4:7 Tobit 12:8, etc.; for חֶסֶד עָשָׂה, Genesis 47:29); ἐλεημοσύνας, acts of beneficence, benefactions (cf. Winers Grammar, 176 (166); Buttmann, 77 (67)), Acts 10:2; εἰς τινα, Acts 24:17. Hence,

2. the benefaction itself, a donation to the poor, alms (the German Almosen (and the English alms) being (alike) a corruption of the Greek word): ἐλεημοσύνην διδόναι (((Diogenes Laërtius 5, 17)), Luke 11:41; Luke 12:33; αἰτεῖν, Acts 3:2; λαμβάνειν, Acts 3:3; πρός τήν ἐλεημοσύνην for (the purpose of asking) alms, Acts 3:10; plural, Acts 9:36; Acts 10:4, 31.

† ἐλεημοσύνη , -ης , ἡ

(< ἐλεέω ),

[in LXX chiefly for H2617, H6666;]

1. mercy, pity.

2. almsgiving, alms (like the German Almosen, a corruption of the Greek word ἐ ): Matthew 6:4; ποιεῖν ἐ ., Matthew 6:2-3, Acts 9:36; Acts 10:2; Acts 24:17; ἐ . διδόναι , Luke 11:41 (cf. Matthew 23:36; Dalman, Words, 62 f.) 12:33; αἰτεῖν , Acts 3:2; λαβεῖν , Acts 3:3; πρὸς (in order to ask) ἐ ., Acts 3:10; pl., Acts 10:4; Acts 10:31 (Cremer, 711).†

In the Christian P Gen I. 51.26 the writer, after petitioning a certain Amminaeus to use his influence in preventing a widow’s only son from being taken on military service, continues—καὶ ὁ θ (εὸ)ς ἀποδιδῖ (l. ἀποδιδοῖ) σ [ο ]ι πρὸς τὴν ἐ [λ ]εημωσύνην σου. McNeile’s statement (ad. Matthew 6:2) that the word is not used specifically for ";almsgiving"; earlier than B. Sira will require modification if the early date ascribed to Tobit, in which the word is very frequent, is accepted (cf. Oxford Apocrypha i. p. 183 ff.). The word survives in this sense in MGr.

 

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