ἀλάβαστος G0211
alabaster jar; a small, handleless perfume flask typically carved from alabaster stone
In the ancient Mediterranean world, perfumes and precious ointments were stored in small globular flasks carved from alabaster, a translucent mineral prized for preserving fragrance. The Greek term refers not to the stone itself but to the vessel made from it. All four New Testament occurrences describe a woman breaking open such a jar to anoint Jesus (Matt 26:7; Mark 14:3; Luke 7:37), an act of costly devotion since the sealed neck had to be snapped to release the contents.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A small, handleless perfume vessel typically carved from alabaster stone, designed with a sealed neck to preserve costly ointments. The multilingual evidence consistently renders this as a container rather than the mineral: Spanish 'frasco de alabastro' (flask of alabaster) and French 'vase d'albatre' both emphasize the vessel. Every NT use involves anointing Jesus with expensive nard or perfume. 4×
AR["قارورَةِ", "قَارُورَةَ", "قَارُورَةُ"]·ben["শিশি"]·DE["ἀλάβαστρον"]·EN["alabaster-jar", "an-alabaster-jar"]·FR["vase-d'albâtre"]·heb["צְלוֹחִית"]·HI["संगमरमर-का-बर्तन", "संगमरमर-की-शीशी"]·ID["buli-buli", "buli-buli-pualam"]·IT["alabastron"]·jav["botol-alabaster", "botol-wangi", "wadhah-alabastèr"]·KO["옥합", "옥합을", "옵합-상자를"]·PT["alabastro", "vaso-de-alabastro"]·RU["алавастровый-сосуд"]·ES["alabastro", "frasco-de-alabastro", "un-frasco-de-alabastro"]·SW["chupa", "chupa-ya-alabasta"]·TR["kavanoz", "kavanozu"]·urd["سنگِ-مرمر-کی-شیشی", "شیشی"]
Related Senses
H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)H8313 1. burn, set fire to (94×)H2734 1. anger was kindled (82×)G5204 1. water (80×)H2822 1. darkness, absence of light (80×)G5457 1. light (illumination) (71×)G0450 1. rise, stand up (physical) (69×)H6965b 2. Qal: to stand firm, endure, be valid (50×)H6999a 2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) (45×)H5553 1. rock, cliff (physical feature) (43×)H6965b 4. Hifil: to establish, confirm (covenant/kingdom/word) (40×)H1197a 1. burn, be on fire (39×)H4306 1. rain, showers (38×)H1653 1. rain, precipitation (34×)G4655 1. darkness (30×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀλάβαστος [ᾰλᾰ-] or ἄλᾰβ-στρος, ὁ (ἡ, variant in Ev Marc. 14.3), globular vase without handles for holding perfumes, often made of alabaster, Refs 5th c.BC+ is the earlier Attic dialect form, Refs 4th c.BC+: Doric dialect accusative plural ἀλαβάστρωςRefs 3rd c.BC+:—neuter ἀλάβαστρον NT+3rd c.BC+: plural ἀλάβαστρα or -τα Refs 3rd c.BC+