3314. mesémbria

Lexicon

mesémbria: Noon, midday

Original Word: μεσημβρία
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: mesémbria
Pronunciation: meh-sem-BREE-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (mes-ame-bree'-ah)
Definition: Noon, midday
Meaning: (lit: midday, hence, the position of the sun at midday), the South.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

noon, south.

From mesos and hemera; midday; by implication, the south -- noon, south.

see GREEK mesos

see GREEK hemera

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from mesos and hémera
Definition
noon, the south
NASB Translation
noontime (1), south (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 3314: μεσημβρία

μεσημβρία, μεσημβρίας, ἡ (μέσος and ἡμέρα), from Herodotus down, midday (on the omission of the article cf. Winers Grammar, 121 (115));

a. (as respects time) noon: Acts 22:6.

b. (as respects locality) the south: Acts 8:26 (others refer this also to a.; see κατά, II. 2).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from μέσος (mésos, meaning "middle") and ἡμέρα (hēméra, meaning "day").

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • The Hebrew equivalent often associated with the concept of midday or noon is צָהֳרַיִם (tsaharayim, Strong's Hebrew 6672), which similarly denotes the brightest part of the day.
• For the concept of "south," the Hebrew term נֶגֶב (negev, Strong's Hebrew 5045) is often used, referring to the southern region or direction, particularly in the context of the Negev desert in Israel.

This entry provides a comprehensive understanding of the term μεσημβρία, illustrating its significance in biblical narratives and its dual application in describing both time and direction.

Usage: The word μεσημβρία is used in the New Testament to describe the time of day, specifically midday or noon. It is also used metaphorically to refer to the southern direction.

Context: • The term μεσημβρία appears in the New Testament in contexts that highlight the time of day, particularly in relation to significant events or journeys. For instance, in Acts 22:6, Paul recounts his conversion experience, noting, "About noon as I was approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me." Here, μεσημβρία is used to specify the time of the miraculous event, emphasizing the brightness of the light in contrast to the midday sun.
• The use of μεσημβρία to denote the south is less frequent in the New Testament but is understood in the context of geographical orientation. In the ancient world, directions were often described in relation to the position of the sun, with the south being associated with the sun's highest point in the sky at noon.
• The term encapsulates both a literal and metaphorical understanding of time and direction, reflecting the cultural and natural observations of the ancient Mediterranean world.

Forms and Transliterations

μεσημβρία μεσημβριαν μεσημβρίαν μεσημβρίας μεσημβρινή μεσημβρινόν μεσημβρινού μεσθάαλ mesembrian mesembrían mesēmbrian mesēmbrían

Englishman's Concordance

Acts 8:26 N-AFS
GRK: πορεύου κατὰ μεσημβρίαν ἐπὶ τὴν
NAS: up and go south to the road
KJV: go toward the south unto the way
INT: go toward [the] south unto the

Acts 22:6 N-AFS
GRK: Δαμασκῷ περὶ μεσημβρίαν ἐξαίφνης ἐκ
NAS: about noontime, a very bright
KJV: about noon, suddenly
INT: to Damascus about noon suddenly out of

Strong's Greek 3314
2 Occurrences

μεσημβρίαν — 2 Occ.