Strong's Greek: 3208 -- (Not Used)zzz

Lexical Summary

(Not Used): (Not Used)

(Not Used)
Part of Speech:
Transliteration: (Not Used)
(Not Used)

Topical Lexicon

Strong’s Numbering Context

James Strong’s exhaustively numbered concordance was designed to give every distinct Hebrew and Greek root in the canonical text of Scripture its own index number. The fact that 3208 carries the notation “Not Used” simply means no unique lexical form in the extant Greek New Testament required an additional entry at that point in the sequence. The number is therefore a placeholder that preserves the integrity of the system and keeps later numbers in alignment with Strong’s original pagination.

Absence of Occurrences in the New Testament

Because no inspired New Testament writer employed a vocabulary item that Strong or his later editors labeled 3208, there are no canonical verses to cite for lexical usage, doctrinal nuance, or contextual shading. This absence is not an indication of textual loss or corruption; rather, it reflects the self-contained completeness of the divinely superintended vocabulary of Scripture as we possess it today.

Impact on Concordance Study

1. Integrity of the Index: Leaving 3208 vacant prevents renumbering thousands of subsequent entries and thereby protects cross-reference tools, dictionaries, commentaries, and software that rely on the traditional numbering.
2. Clarifying Duplicate Forms: Strong occasionally skipped numbers when he discovered that a form first thought to be distinct was actually a duplicate spelling or inflection of an earlier entry.
3. Pedagogical Reminder: Encountering an unused number alerts students that concordance tools amplify but do not govern Scripture; the final authority rests with the God-breathed text itself.

Connection with the Septuagint and Non-Canonical Greek Texts

Scholars sometimes locate Greek terms in the Septuagint, the Apocrypha, Philo, Josephus, or later patristic writings that are absent from the New Testament. While Strong’s 3208 does not designate any of these, its “gap” status underscores that inter-testamental literature, though historically valuable, is not part of the inspired corpus and therefore should be weighed accordingly (compare Romans 3:2; Hebrews 1:1–2).

Theological and Ministry Reflections

• Providence in Preservation: The very precision with which the Spirit directed the biblical writers—even down to which words they did not use—highlights God’s providence over His Word (Matthew 24:35).
• Sufficiency of Scripture: The absence of a 3208 lemma demonstrates that everything believers need for “life and godliness” was conveyed without it (2 Peter 1:3).
• Humility in Scholarship: Students are reminded to submit tools and traditions to Scripture itself, cultivating the Berean spirit commended in Acts 17:11.

Practical Application for Pastors, Teachers, and Students

• Teach congregations how to use Strong’s numbers while cautioning them against overreliance on secondary resources.
• Model exegesis that moves beyond word studies to the larger literary, historical, and redemptive context.
• Encourage memorization of passages that affirm the reliability of Scripture—“All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

Select Scriptures on the Faithful Study of God’s Word

• Ezra 7:10 – “Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD…”
• Psalm 119:18 – “Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law.”
• Acts 17:11 – “The Bereans were more noble-minded… for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true.”
• 2 Timothy 2:15 – “Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth.”
• 1 Peter 1:25 – “The word of the Lord stands forever.”

Bibliographic and Historical Notes

• James Strong first published his concordance in 1890; later editors of Greek dictionaries (e.g., Thayer, Vine, BAGD) retained his numbering for consistency.
• Modern lexical databases (e.g., BDAG, Louw-Nida, Semantic Domain indices) continue to map entries to Strong’s numbers, so an empty slot like 3208 functions as a fixed landmark.
• Digital platforms (BibleHub, Blue Letter Bible, Logos, Accordance) all retain “Not Used” at 3208 to avoid confusion and broken hyperlinks.

Summary

Strong’s Greek 3208 serves as a silent witness to the meticulous care with which the biblical text has been cataloged and preserved. Its very emptiness reinforces the sufficiency, precision, and trustworthiness of the Scriptures God has graciously given His people.

Links

Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts