5500. cheirotoneó

Lexicon

cheirotoneó: To appoint, to elect, to choose by raising hands

Original Word: χειροτονέω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: cheirotoneó
Pronunciation: khay-rot-on-eh'-o
Phonetic Spelling: (khi-rot-on-eh'-o)
Definition: To appoint, to elect, to choose by raising hands
Meaning: I elect by show of hands, choose by vote, appoint.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

choose, ordain.

From a comparative of cheir and teino (to stretch); to be a hand-reacher or voter (by raising the hand), i.e. (generally) to select or appoint -- choose, ordain.

see GREEK cheir

HELPS Word-studies

5500 xeirotonéō – properly, stretch out the hands to commission (send forth).

[5500 (xeirotonéō) literally means, "'I stretch out the hand,' thus expressing agreement with a motion, then, 'I elect by show of hands' [of popular vote]), 'I elect' " (Souter); properly, 'to vote by stretching out the hand' (practised in the assembly, so Athenian, Lucian, Plutarch)" (Abbott-Smith).]

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from cheir and teinó (to stretch)
Definition
to vote by stretching out the hand, to appoint
NASB Translation
appointed (2).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 5500: χειροτονέω

χειροτονέω, χειροτόνω: 1 aorist participle χειροτονησας; 1 aorist passive preposition χειροτονηθείς; (from χειρότονος extending the hand, and this from χείρ and τείνω); from (Aristophanes), Xenophon, Plato, Isocrates down;

a. properly, to vote by stretching out the hand (cf. Xenophon, an. 3, 2, 33 ὅτῳ δοκεῖ ταῦτα, ἀνατεινάτω τήν χεῖρα. ἀνετειναν ἅπαντες).

b. to create or appoint by vote: τινα, one to have charge of some office or duty, passive, 2 Corinthians 8:19, and in the spurious subscriptions in ; Titus 3:15.

c. with the loss of the notion of extending the hand, to elect, appoint, create: τινα, Acts 14:23 (see examples from the Greek writings in Passow, under the word, p. 2440{a}; χειροτονεῖσθαι ὑπό Θεοῦ βασιλέα, Philo de praem. et poen. § 9; (βασιλέως ὕπαρχος ἐχειροτονειτο, de Josephus, § 41); Josephus, Antiquities 6, 4, 2; (7, 11, 1; of the choice of Jonah as high priest, 13, 2, 2; cf. Hatch in Dict. of Chris. Antiq., under the word, Ordination, p. 1501{b}; Harnack on 'Teaching' etc. 15, 1 [ET]).). (Compare: προχειροτονέω.)

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: From the Greek words χείρ (cheir), meaning "hand," and τείνω (teinō), meaning "to stretch" or "to extend."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for χειροτονέω, the concept of appointing or choosing leaders is present in the Old Testament. Related Hebrew terms include בָּחַר (bachar, Strong's 977), meaning "to choose" or "to select," and נָתַן (nathan, Strong's 5414), meaning "to give" or "to appoint." These terms reflect similar themes of selection and appointment by divine or communal decision.

Usage: The term χειροτονέω is used in the context of appointing or electing individuals to a position or office, often within the early Christian church. It implies a communal decision-making process, typically involving the congregation or assembly.

Context: The Greek verb χειροτονέω appears in the New Testament in contexts related to the appointment of leaders within the early Christian community. The term is derived from the practice of raising hands to vote or signify agreement, a common method of decision-making in ancient Greek assemblies.

In the New Testament, χειροτονέω is used in Acts 14:23, where Paul and Barnabas appoint elders in the churches they established: "Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, and with prayer and fasting, they committed them to the Lord, in whom they had believed" (BSB). This passage highlights the practice of appointing church leaders through a process that involved both human decision and divine guidance, as indicated by prayer and fasting.

The use of χειροτονέω underscores the participatory nature of leadership selection in the early church, reflecting a blend of communal involvement and spiritual discernment. It suggests that while the community played a role in the selection process, the ultimate authority and guidance were sought from God.

The concept of χειροτονέω also aligns with the broader biblical theme of God-ordained leadership, where individuals are chosen to serve based on both divine calling and communal recognition. This practice ensured that leaders were not only spiritually qualified but also had the support and affirmation of the community they were to serve.

Forms and Transliterations

χειροτονηθεις χειροτονηθείς χειροτονηθεὶς χειροτονησαντες χειροτονήσαντες χειροτονίαν χειρώσηται cheirotonesantes cheirotonēsantes cheirotonḗsantes cheirotonetheis cheirotonetheìs cheirotonētheis cheirotonētheìs

Englishman's Concordance

Acts 14:23 V-APA-NMP
GRK: χειροτονήσαντες δὲ αὐτοῖς
NAS: When they had appointed elders
KJV: And when they had ordained them elders
INT: having chosen moreover for them

2 Corinthians 8:19 V-APP-NMS
GRK: ἀλλὰ καὶ χειροτονηθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν
NAS: [this], but he has also been appointed by the churches
KJV: who was also chosen of the churches
INT: but also having been chosen by the

Strong's Greek 5500
2 Occurrences

χειροτονήσαντες — 1 Occ.
χειροτονηθεὶς — 1 Occ.