ἔκγονος G1549
Grandchildren, descendants; offspring of one's children, the next generation down
This adjective, used substantively, means 'descendants' and particularly 'grandchildren'—the offspring of one's children. In 1 Timothy 5:4, Paul instructs that if a widow has 'grandchildren,' they should learn to show piety toward their own household by caring for their grandmother. The term literally means 'born of' (ἔκγονος), and classical usage showed it meant children, descendants, or specifically grandchildren. The multilingual evidence is consistent (English 'grandchildren', Spanish 'nietos', French preserves the Greek, German 'Enkel'), all conveying the generational relationship.
Senses
1. sense 1 — First Timothy 5:4 addresses responsibility for widows: if she has 'grandchildren (ἔκγονα),' they should practice piety by caring for her. English 'grandchildren', Spanish 'nietos', and German 'Enkel' all specify the second-generation descendants. Classical usage showed this could mean any offspring or specifically grandchildren (ἐκγόνων ἔκγονοι = children's children). Paul's context makes grandchildren most likely, establishing multi-generational family responsibility. The term emphasizes biological descent and therefore familial obligation. 1×
AR["أَحْفادٌ"]·ben["নাতি-নাতনি"]·DE["Enkel"]·EN["grandchildren"]·FR["ἔκγονα"]·heb["נֶכָדִים"]·HI["पोते-पोतियन"]·ID["cucu-cucu"]·IT["ekgona"]·jav["putu"]·KO["손자들을"]·PT["netos"]·RU["внуков"]·ES["nietos"]·SW["wajukuu"]·TR["torunlar"]·urd["پوتے"]
Related Senses
H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H0398 1. eat (consume food) (697×)H4191 1. die (Qal: natural/general death) (645×)G3708 1. see, perceive visually (419×)G0191 1. hear, perceive sound (360×)H???? 3. (352×)G3708 2. behold, look (exclamatory) (256×)H7272 1. foot (body part) (236×)H8354 1. drink, consume liquid (209×)H3205 1. Qal active: bear/give birth (female subject) (204×)H3205 2. Qal active: beget/father (male subject) (198×)H2421 1. Qal: live, be alive (177×)H8085 2. Qal: listen, heed, pay attention (172×)H2416a 1. alive, living (state/attribute) (146×)H2416e 1. life, lifespan, lifetime (145×)G2198 1. be alive, have life (133×)H8193 1. lip, lips (body part) (123×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἔκγονος, ον (η, ον Refs 5th c.BC+, Doric dialect, Refs 4th c.BC+, etc.:— born of, sprung from, especially substantive, child, whether son or daughter, Refs 8th c.BC+ (anapaest meter): plural, ἔκγονοι descendants, Refs 5th c.BC+, etc.; ἐκγόνων ἔκγονοι children's children, Refs 5th c.BC+; also of interest as the child of the principal, Refs __b grandchild, Refs __2 neuter, ἔκγονά τινος one's offspring, Refs 5th c.BC+; [ποιηταὶ] ἔ. ἑαυτῶν καταλείπουσιν Refs 5th c.BC+; compare ἔγγονος.