ἐνάλιος G1724
of the sea, marine, aquatic; pertaining to creatures or things that inhabit the sea
This adjective describes creatures or things belonging to the sea. In James 3:7, it appears in a list of categories that humans have tamed: land animals, birds, sea creatures, and reptiles. The term emphasizes the marine habitat and nature of these beings. Classical usage applied it to sea gods like Poseidon, seamen, islands, and marine life. James uses it to highlight humanity's God-given dominion over creation, contrasting our ability to tame all creatures with our inability to tame the tongue.
Senses
1. sense 1 — James 3:7 catalogs humanity's taming achievements: beasts, birds, serpents, and 'things in the sea.' The genitive plural ἐναλίων denotes marine creatures. Cross-lingual evidence (sea creatures, marinos, im Meer lebend) confirms the aquatic reference. Classical texts used this term for fish, sea gods, and maritime contexts. James' point is that while we've subdued every category of creation, the human tongue remains untamable—a sobering indictment. 1×
AR["البَحريَّاتِ"]·ben["সামুদ্রিকদের"]·DE["im-Meer-lebend"]·EN["of-sea-creatures"]·FR["ἐναλίων"]·heb["יַמִּיִּים"]·HI["समुद्री-जीवों-की"]·ID["makhluk-laut,"]·IT["enaliōn"]·jav["seganten,"]·KO["바다-생물들의,"]·PT["de-seres-marinhos"]·RU["морских,"]·ES["de-marinos"]·SW["wa-baharini"]·TR["deniz-yaratıklarının"]·urd["سمندری-جانوروں٬"]
Related Senses
H8033 1. There (locative adverb) (835×)H7760a 1. put, place, set physically (444×)H8064 1. heavens / sky (329×)H5439 1. around, all around (spatial) (319×)H4057b 1. wilderness, desert region (270×)H3220 1. sea, body of water (269×)H0520a 1. cubit (unit of length) (246×)H0127 1. ground, land (territory) (210×)H3383 1. Jordan River (proper noun) (183×)G1093 1. earth, the world (176×)H5800a 1. forsake, abandon (Qal active) (166×)H8121 1. sun (celestial body) (133×)H7126 1. offer, present sacrificially (122×)H6828 1. north, cardinal direction (120×)H2351 1. outside, exterior space (119×)H5104 1. river, stream (119×)H7341 1. width, breadth (101×)G1563 1. there (95×)H7126 2. draw near, approach (95×)G2281 1. sea, large body of water (91×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐνάλιος [ᾰ], α, ον, and ος, ον Refs 5th c.BC+: Epic dialect and Lyric poetry also εἰνάλιος, α, ον ος, ον Refs 5th c.BC+:— in, on, of the sea, κῆτος, κορῶναι, Refs 8th c.BC+; εἰνάλιον πόνον ἐχοίσας βαθὺν σκευᾶς ἑτέρας while the rest of the tackle is at work fishing deep in the sea, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐ. θεός, of Poseidon, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐ. λεώς seamen, Refs; πόντου εἰναλία φύσις, i.e. the fish,…