δραχμ-ή G1406
drachma, a Greek silver coin worth approximately a day's wage, used in Jesus' parable of the lost coin
The drachma was a silver coin in the Greek monetary system, roughly equivalent to the Roman denarius and representing about one day's wages for a laborer. In the New Testament it appears exclusively in the parable of the lost coin (Luke 15:8-9), where a woman searches diligently for one of her ten drachmas. The coin's value—significant but not extravagant—makes the parable's point: even what seems small to others is precious to the one who owns it, just as each lost sinner matters to God.
Senses
1. sense 1 — All three NT occurrences cluster in Luke 15:8-9 (with two mentions in verse 8). The woman has ten drachmas and loses one, then lights a lamp, sweeps the house, and searches carefully until she finds it. Upon recovery she calls together friends and neighbors to rejoice. The coin represents both economic value (perhaps a day's wage) and personal treasure—possibly part of a bridal dowry worn as a headpiece. The multilingual consistency (Spanish: dracma/dracmas, French: drachme) reflects the term's technical precision. Jesus chose this everyday monetary unit to illustrate God's relentless pursuit of the lost, making divine grace tangible through a woman's economics. 3×
AR["الدِّرْهَمَ", "دَرَاهِمَ", "دِرْهَمًا"]·ben["দ্রাখমা"]·DE["δραχμὰς", "δραχμὴν"]·EN["drachma", "drachmas"]·FR["drachme"]·heb["דְּרַכְמָה", "דְּרַכְמוֹנִים"]·HI["दिरहम"]·ID["dirham"]·IT["drachmas", "drachmen"]·jav["dirham"]·KO["드라크마", "드라크마를"]·PT["dracma", "dracmas"]·RU["драхм", "драхму"]·ES["dracma", "dracmas"]·SW["drakma"]·TR["grahmı"]·urd["درہم"]
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
δραχμ-ή, ἡ, (δράσσομαι, properly as much as one can hold in the hand,Refs 1st c.AD+ __I a weight, drachm, [κρεῶν] probably in Refs 4th c.BC+ __I.2 a silver coin, drachma, worth six obols, Refs 5th c.BC+, etc. [The penultimate is long in Refs 5th c.BC+: δαρχμή is found in Refs 5th c.AD+; compare δαρκνά.]