κέρμα G2772
Small coins, loose change, or money in coin form (especially copper)
This term refers to coins or small change, often specifically copper coins as opposed to silver. John 2:15 describes Jesus overturning the tables and scattering the coins of the money changers in the temple. The multilingual glosses (coins, monedas, monnaie, Münzen) all converge on coinage. This detail emphasizes both the commercial desecration of sacred space and the totality of Jesus's disruptive prophetic action.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Refers to coins or small change, particularly copper currency used in everyday transactions. When Jesus scatters these coins in the temple cleansing, the image is both of judgment on corrupt commerce and dramatic disruption—money rolling across temple courts as traders scramble, their enterprise literally overturned. 1×
AR["دَرَاهِمَ"]·ben["মুদ্রা"]·DE["Muenzen"]·EN["coins"]·FR["monnaie"]·heb["מַטְבֵּעוֹת"]·HI["सिक्के,"]·ID["uang-logam,"]·IT["kermata"]·jav["yatra,"]·KO["잔돈들-을"]·PT["moedas,"]·RU["монеты"]·ES["monedas"]·SW["sarafu"]·TR["paralarını"]·urd["سکّے،"]
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
κέρμα, ατος, τό, (κείρω) fragment, κέρματα θηρείων μελέων uncertain reading in Refs 5th c.BC+; but mostly, __2 coin, ἐγκάψας τὸ κ. εἰς τὴν γνάθον Refs 4th c.BC+; collectively, cash, Refs 5th c.BC+ especially of copper money, opposed to silver (ἀργύριον), Refs 2nd c.AD+: frequently in plural, μικρὰ κ. Refs 5th c.BC+; διδοὺς κέρματα Test. cited in Refs 4th c.BC+