ἥλιος G2246
sun — the solar body as source of light, heat, and metaphor for radiant glory or divine judgment
Helios is the standard Greek noun for the sun, inherited from the Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to shine' (cognate with Latin sol). Across its 32 New Testament occurrences, the physical sun serves both literal and theological purposes. Jesus teaches that the Father 'makes his sun rise on the evil and the good' (Matt 5:45), revealing divine impartiality through the most universal of natural phenomena. At the Transfiguration, Jesus' face shone 'like the sun' (Matt 17:2), and the righteous will 'shine like the sun' in the Father's kingdom (Matt 13:43). Apocalyptic passages darken the sun at cosmic turning points (Matt 24:29; Rev 6:12; 9:2), while Revelation's triumphant figures wear the sun as garment or crown (Rev 1:16; 10:1; 12:1). French soleil, Spanish sol, and German Sonne all continue the same Indo-European root.
Senses
1. sun (the celestial body) — The sun as celestial body, source of light and warmth, with rich metaphorical extension. Used literally of sunrise and sunset (Matt 5:45; Mark 1:32; Eph 4:26) and as a simile for radiant glory — Jesus' face at the Transfiguration (Matt 17:2), the righteous in the kingdom (Matt 13:43), the angel of Revelation 10:1. Apocalyptic darkening of the sun signals cosmic upheaval (Matt 24:29; Rev 6:12; 8:12; 9:2). The woman clothed with the sun (Rev 12:1) unites creation imagery with eschatological hope. 32×
AR["الشَّمسُ", "الشَّمسِ", "الشَّمْسُ", "الشَّمْسِ", "شَمسٍ", "شَمسَ", "شَمسِ", "شَمْسَهُ", "شَمْسُ", "شَمْسِ"]·ben["সূর্য", "সূর্য,", "সূর্যে", "সূর্যের", "ἡλίου-সূর্য"]·DE["Sonne"]·EN["sun"]·FR["soleil"]·heb["הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ", "שִׁמְשׁוֹ", "שֶּׁמֶשׁ", "שֶׁמֶשׁ"]·HI["और", "बदलेगा", "सुरज", "सूरज", "सूर्य", "सूर्य,", "सूर्य-को", "सोओरज"]·ID["matahari", "matahari,", "semua"]·IT["sole"]·jav["srengenge", "srengenge,", "srengengé", "srengéngé", "srengéngé,"]·KO["그", "줄-것이다", "해", "해-가", "해-가,", "해가", "해를", "해에", "해처럼"]·PT["sol", "sol,"]·RU["Солнце", "солнца", "солнца,", "солнце", "солнце,", "солнцу"]·ES["sol"]·SW["jua", "jua,", "litatiwa-giza"]·TR["gunes", "güneş", "güneş,", "güneşi", "güneşin", "güneşini", "güneşte", "parlayan"]·urd["سورج", "سورج-", "سورج٬"]
Matt 5:45, Matt 13:6, Matt 13:43, Matt 17:2, Matt 24:29, Mark 1:32, Mark 4:6, Mark 13:24, Mark 16:2, Luke 4:40, Luke 21:25, Luke 23:45 (+20 more)
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
ἥλιος, ὁ, Epic dialect ἠέλιος, as always in Refs 8th c.BC+ (except in the late passage Refs 8th c.BC+: Doric dialect ἀέλιος [ᾱ] Refs 5th c.BC+, but ἅλιος [ᾱ], Refs 5th c.BC+: Cretan dialect ἀβέλιος (i.e. ἀϝ-), Refs 5th c.AD+: Aeolic dialect ἀέλιος Refs 7th c.BC+; ἄλιος Refs 7th c.BC+ ἀέλιος (or ἁ-) Refs 4th c.BC+:— sun, Refs 8th c.BC+; ὁρᾶν φάος ἠελίοιο to see the light of life, live, Refs, etc.;…