216. alalos

Lexicon

alalos: Mute, speechless

Original Word: ἄλαλος
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: alalos
Pronunciation: AH-lah-los
Phonetic Spelling: (al'-al-os)
Definition: Mute, speechless
Meaning: unable to speak or articulate; speechless.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

dumb, mute, speechless

From a (as a negative particle) and laleo; mute -- dumb.

see GREEK a

see GREEK laleo

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from alpha (as a neg. prefix) and lalos (talkative)
Definition
mute, speechless
NASB Translation
mute (3).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 216: ἄλαλος

ἄλαλος, (λάλος, talking, talkative) (from Aeschylus on), speechless, dumb, lacking the faculty of speech: Mark 7:37; πνεῦμα, Mark 9:17, 25, because the defects of demoniacs were thought to proceed from the nature and peculiarities of the demons by which they were possessed. (the Sept. Psalm 37:14 (); Psalm 30:19 (); ἀλάλου καί κακοῦ πνεύματος πλήρης, Plutarch, de orac. def. 51, p. 438 b.)

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: From the Greek prefix ἀ- (a-, "not") and the root λαλ- (lal-, "speak"), derived from the verb λαλέω (laleō, "to speak").

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The concept of being mute is also present in the Hebrew Scriptures, though there is no direct one-to-one correspondence with the Greek term ἄλαλος. However, similar ideas can be found in Hebrew words such as:

- H483 אִלֵּם (illem): Meaning "mute" or "dumb," used in contexts like Exodus 4:11, where God speaks to Moses about His sovereignty over human abilities, including speech.

These Hebrew and Greek terms collectively emphasize the biblical theme of God's power to heal and restore, both physically and spiritually, as demonstrated through the ministry of Jesus Christ.

Usage: The term ἄλαλος is used in the New Testament to describe individuals who are unable to speak, often due to a physical or spiritual condition. It appears in contexts where Jesus heals those who are mute.

Context: The Greek term ἄλαλος appears in the New Testament to describe individuals who are mute, often as a result of demonic oppression or physical ailment. This term is used in the context of miraculous healings performed by Jesus, highlighting His authority over both physical and spiritual realms.

In the Gospel accounts, Jesus encounters individuals who are ἄλαλος and demonstrates His divine power by restoring their ability to speak. For instance, in Mark 7:37, the crowd is astonished when Jesus heals a man who is deaf and mute, exclaiming, "He has done all things well! He makes even the deaf to hear and the mute to speak!" (BSB). This miracle serves as a testament to Jesus' messianic identity and His fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah, who would bring healing and restoration.

The use of ἄλαλος in the New Testament underscores the broader theme of liberation and restoration found in Jesus' ministry. By healing those who are mute, Jesus not only addresses their physical needs but also symbolizes the breaking of spiritual bondage, offering a foretaste of the complete restoration that will come in God's kingdom.

Forms and Transliterations

άλαλα αλαλον άλαλον ἄλαλον άλαλος αλαλους αλάλους ἀλάλους αλωμένους alalon álalon alalous alálous

Englishman's Concordance

Mark 7:37 Adj-AMP
GRK: καὶ τοὺς ἀλάλους λαλεῖν
NAS: to hear and the mute to speak.
KJV: to hear, and the dumb to speak.
INT: and the mute to speak

Mark 9:17 Adj-ANS
GRK: ἔχοντα πνεῦμα ἄλαλον
NAS: with a spirit which makes him mute;
KJV: son, which hath a dumb spirit;
INT: having a spirit [that makes him] mute

Mark 9:25 Adj-NNS
GRK: αὐτῷ Τὸ ἄλαλον καὶ κωφὸν
NAS: to it, You deaf and mute spirit,
KJV: saying unto him, [Thou] dumb and deaf
INT: to it mute and deaf

Strong's Greek 216
3 Occurrences

ἄλαλον — 2 Occ.
ἀλάλους — 1 Occ.