Lexical Summary seira: Cord, rope, chain Original Word: σειρά Strong's Exhaustive Concordance chain. Probably from suro through its congener eiro (to fasten; akin to haireomai); a chain (as binding or drawing) -- chain. see GREEK suro see GREEK haireomai NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originvariant reading for siros, q.v. Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4577: σειράσειρά, σειράς, ἡ (εἴρω, to fasten, bind together, (akin to Latinsero, series, servus, etc.); cf. Curtius, § 518), from Homer down; a. a line, a rope. b. a chain: σειραῖς ζόφου (A. V. to chains of darkness, i. e.) to darkness as if to chains, 2 Peter 2:4 R G (but Tr WH have σειροις, L T σιροις, which see in their place); μία ἁλύσει σκότους πάντες ἐδέθησαν, Wis. 17:17 (18). STRONGS NT 4577: σειρόςσειρός, σειρου, ὁ, equivalent to σειρά, which see: 2 Peter 2:4 Tr WH. But σειρός, Latinsirus, in secular writings is a pit, an underground granary (e. g. Demosthenes, p. 100 at the end (where the Schol. τούς θησαυρούς καί τά ὀρυγματα ἐν οἷς κατετιθεντο τά σπέρματα σιρους ἐκάλουν οἱ θρακες καί οἱ Λίβυες); Diodorus Siculus 19, 44; cf. Suidas under the word σειροι; Valesius on Harpocration Lexicon, under the word μελίνη. See Field, Otium Norv. Pars iii., at the passage Accordingly R. V. text follows the critical editions (cf. σιρός) and renders pits of darkness). STRONGS NT 4577: σιρόςσιρός, σιρου, ὁ, equivalent to σειρός, which see: 2 Peter 2:4 L T. The term σειρά carries the picture of a woven strand strong enough to bind. Whether fashioned from flax, hemp, leather, or metal, it points to something that restrains — a rope, cord, or chain. Throughout Scripture, cords symbolize both slavery and salvation: what holds fast can imprison or secure, depending on who wields it. Old Testament Parallels The Septuagint repeatedly uses σειρά to translate Hebrew words for rope or cord. Notable scenes include: In each setting, σειρά frames the tension between human limitation and divine intervention. Either God cuts the cords to liberate, or He tightens them in judgment. Historical and Cultural Setting In the Greco-Roman world, ropes and chains served everyday tasks: securing cargo, restraining prisoners, even adorning temples. To Jewish ears steeped in Exodus imagery, cords evoked slavery in Egypt; to Gentile believers, they hinted at Roman imprisonment. Both audiences grasped the sober weight of being bound. New Testament Usage (2 Peter 2:4) “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell, delivering them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment” (2 Peter 2:4). Here σειραῖς depicts a current, conscious confinement of fallen angels pending final judgment. Peter anchors his warning to the churches: if celestial beings could not evade accountability, neither will false teachers (2 Peter 2:1-3). The imagery heightens the certainty and severity of divine justice. Theological Significance 1. Judicial Restraint: σειρά underscores that judgment is not merely future but actively enforced. Spiritual rebels are already confined. Implications for Christian Ministry • Warning against Presumption: Teachers who distort truth risk the same fate as the bound angels. Faithful exposition guards congregations from destructive heresies. Summary Strong’s Greek 4577 (σειρά) appears only once in the Greek New Testament, yet its rich Old Testament background and vivid eschatological setting make it a powerful emblem of judgment and deliverance. Whether illustrating divine restraint of rebel angels or celebrating the Lord’s liberation of His people, σειρά reminds believers that God alone binds and looses, and His verdict is both present and future, sure and final. Englishman's Concordance 2 Peter 2:4 N-DMPGRK: ἐφείσατο ἀλλὰ σειραῖς ζόφου ταρταρώσας KJV: and delivered [them] into chains of darkness, INT: spared but to chains of darkness having cast [them] to the deepest abyss |
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