4596. sérikos

Lexical Summary

sérikos: Silken, made of silk

Original Word: σηρικός
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: sérikos
Pronunciation: say-ree-kos
Phonetic Spelling: (say-ree-kos')
KJV: silk
NASB: silk
Word Origin: [from Ser (an Indian tribe from whom silk was procured, hence the name of the silk-worm)]

1. Seric, i.e. silken (neuter as noun, a silky fabric)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

silk.

From Ser (an Indian tribe from whom silk was procured; hence the name of the silk-worm); Seric, i.e. Silken (neuter as noun, a silky fabric) -- silk.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
variant reading for sirikos, q.v.
NASB Translation
silk (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 4596: σηρικός

σηρικός (Lachmann, the major edition, T WH σιρικός (cf. WH's Appendix, p. 151)), σηρικη, σηρικον (Σήρ, Σηρες, the Seres, a people of India (probably modern China; yet on the name cf. Pape, Eigennamen, under the word; Dict. of Geog., under the word Serica));

1. properly, pertaining to the Seres.

2. silken: τό σηρικον, silk, i. e. the fabric, silken garments. Revelation 18:12. ((Strabo, Plutarch, Arrian, Lucian); ἐσθήσεσι σηρικαις, Josephus, b. j. 7, 5, 4.)

STRONGS NT 4596: σιρικόςσιρικός, see σηρικός.

Topical Lexicon

Meaning and Context

The term translated “silk” denotes a costly textile imported from the Far East, renowned for its softness, luster, and rarity. In the first-century Mediterranean world it was a luxury item consumed primarily by imperial courts and the mercantile elite. Its appearance in Scripture therefore serves as shorthand for opulence, conspicuous wealth, and the kind of commerce that is driven by human pride and self-indulgence.

Biblical Occurrence

Revelation 18:12 is the lone New-Testament instance: “cargo of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; of all kinds of scented wood, every article of ivory, and every article made of costly wood, bronze, iron, and marble”. Here silk features among a catalogue of merchandise that sustains the prosperity of apocalyptic “Babylon,” a city-system representing godless, self-glorifying culture. Its sudden ruin exposes the emptiness of riches apart from God.

Silk in Ancient Trade and Culture

1. Origin. Classical writers link the fabric to the Seres (Chinese), describing the painstaking unraveling of cocoons.
2. Trade Routes. By the first century Silk Road caravans and maritime routes brought the cloth through Parthia, Persia, and Syria to Roman markets. Tariffs and middlemen multiplied its price, making it a status symbol in Rome, Ephesus, and Alexandria.
3. Moral Debate. Roman moralists such as Seneca decried silk’s transparency and extravagance, calling it a threat to modesty and social order—an attitude that parallels the prophetic critique of luxury in Revelation.

Old-Testament Parallels

Though different Hebrew terms stand behind them renders Ezekiel 16:10 with “silk.” In that passage God recounts adorning Jerusalem with the finest garments, only for her to misuse the gifts in idolatry. The prophetic pattern is consistent: when God’s people treat His blessings as ends in themselves, judgment follows.

Symbolic Significance in Revelation

Silk operates on two levels:
• Economic: It typifies global commerce that enriches merchants while ignoring righteousness.
• Ethical: It evokes sensuality and ostentation, mirroring the harlot imagery applied to Babylon (Revelation 17:1–6). The fabric thus becomes a metaphor for the allure of a world order opposed to the Lamb.

Theological Insights for Ministry

1. Stewardship versus Extravagance. Believers are called to enjoy God’s gifts without idolizing them (1 Timothy 6:17–19). Silk’s placement in a list destined for destruction warns against hoarding treasures on earth (Matthew 6:19–21).
2. Mission in the Marketplace. The international trade implied by silk reminds the church that global networks can serve either self-glorification or gospel advance. Paul’s bivocational tentmaking (Acts 18:3) models purposeful engagement rather than withdrawal.
3. Holiness and Identity. Silk’s cultural association with sensual display contrasts with the “fine linen, bright and clean” granted to the Bride of Christ (Revelation 19:8). The latter symbolizes righteous deeds, urging believers to pursue purity over glamour.

Application for Modern Discipleship

• Examine spending habits to ensure they reflect kingdom values, not Babylonian consumerism.
• Cultivate generosity; redirect luxury spending toward missions, mercy ministries, and congregational needs.
• Teach youth the difference between identity rooted in Christ and status rooted in brand or fashion—ancient silk finds modern counterparts in designer labels and digital prestige.
• Preach Revelation’s contrast between the temporary splendor of Babylon and the enduring glory of the New Jerusalem, encouraging perseverance amid a materialistic culture.

Related Biblical Texts for Further Study

Ezekiel 16:10; Isaiah 3:16–26; Matthew 6:19–24; Luke 12:15–21; 1 Timothy 6:6–10; Hebrews 11:24–26; Revelation 17:4; Revelation 18:11–19; Revelation 19:8.

Summary

Silk appears only once in the Greek New Testament, yet its historical cachet and prophetic placement provide a rich tableau for teaching on wealth, worldliness, and worship. The fabric’s journey from distant cocoons to Roman wardrobes illustrates the interconnectedness of nations even in antiquity, while its rapid disappearance in the downfall of Babylon foretells the ultimate futility of treasures divorced from devotion to God.

Forms and Transliterations

σηρικού σιρικου σιρικοῦ sirikou sirikoû

Englishman's Concordance

Revelation 18:12 Adj-GNS
GRK: πορφύρας καὶ σιρικοῦ καὶ κοκκίνου
NAS: and purple and silk and scarlet,
KJV: purple, and silk, and scarlet,
INT: of purple and of silk and of scarlet

Strong's Greek 4596
1 Occurrence

σιρικοῦ — 1 Occ.