Strong's Greek: 3217 -- (Not Used)zzz

Lexical Summary

(Not Used): (Not Used)

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

Topical Lexicon

Concept Overview

Strong’s 3217 speaks of bringing a charge, fault-finding or censuring. It can describe God’s righteous indictment of sin or humanity’s often-sinful habit of complaint. The word does not appear in the Greek New Testament, yet its idea runs through all of Scripture—from the wilderness grumblings of Israel to the final vindication secured by Jesus Christ.

Septuagint Usage

• Exodus 16:2–8 portrays Israel “grumbling” against Moses and Aaron; the Greek translators use 3217 to frame the complaint that is, in truth, directed at the LORD.
• Job 40:2 records God’s challenge, “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty?”—revealing how human self-justification places the creature over the Creator.
• Isaiah 58:1–2 sets God as the One who “declares” (charges) His people with covenant breach; here 3217 underscores divine holiness rather than petty criticism.
• Hosea 4:4 shows an illegitimate form of rebuke: “Let no man contend or rebuke another,” illustrating that sinful accusation only compounds guilt.

Biblical Theology

1. Divine Indictment

God alone judges without prejudice (Psalm 51:4). When He “finds fault,” He exposes sin in order to drive His people to repentance and restoration (Jeremiah 2:9). Hebrews 8:8 cites this pattern: “But God found fault with the people and said…,” preparing the way for the new covenant.

2. Human Complaint

Recurrent murmuring (Numbers 14:2, Psalm 106:25) manifests unbelief. 3217 in these contexts warns that grumbling is not benign; it challenges God’s goodness and sovereignty.

3. Christ the Faultless Substitute

Pilate’s “I find no basis for a charge against Him” (John 18:38) contrasts every prior passage where 3217 exposes guilt. The spotless One absorbs the world’s blame so believers may be presented “holy, blameless, and above reproach” (Colossians 1:22).

Ministry Significance

• Preaching must hold together God’s lawful charge and Christ’s gracious answer (Romans 3:23–24).
• Counsel and discipleship call Christians from a spirit of criticism to thankful submission (Philippians 2:14–15).
• Corporate confession draws on the motif: “Against You, You only, have I sinned” (Psalm 51:4), inviting cleansing rather than condemnation.

Related New Testament Ideas

Though 3217 itself is absent, its themes appear in:

– “Grumbling” (gongyzō, John 6:43)

– “Complaint” (mempsimoiros, Jude 16)

– “Accusation” (katēgoria, Revelation 12:10)

– “Convict” (elenchō, John 16:8)

Practical Reflection

Scripture balances righteous reproof and sinful censure. Believers are to welcome the former—“Search me, O God, and know my heart” (Psalm 139:23)—while rejecting the latter—“Do not grumble against one another” (James 5:9). In Christ, every legitimate charge has been met; therefore the church lives without fear of condemnation, yet also without the poison of complaint, shining “as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15).

Links

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