κερμᾰτ-ιστής G2773
Money changer, currency exchanger working at temple or marketplace
This noun denotes those who exchanged various currencies for the temple shekel required for offerings. John 2:14 lists money changers among those Jesus drove from the temple courts. The Spanish 'cambistas,' French 'changeur,' and German 'Geldwechsler' all specify this occupation. While their service was necessary (foreign coins couldn't be used for temple tax), Jesus's action suggests their practice had become exploitative or inappropriately located.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Refers to professional money changers who exchanged foreign currency for acceptable temple coinage. Though providing a necessary service for pilgrims carrying Roman or Greek money, their presence in the temple courts—and possibly their exchange rates—represented the commercialization of worship that Jesus confronted with prophetic force. 1×
AR["صَرَّافِينَ"]·ben["মুদ্রা-বিনিময়কারীদের"]·DE["Geldwechsler"]·EN["money-changers"]·FR["changeur"]·heb["שֻׁלְחָנִים"]·HI["सराफों-को"]·ID["penukar-uang"]·IT["kermatistas"]·jav["tukang-ijol-yatra"]·KO["돈-바꾸는-자들-을"]·PT["cambistas"]·RU["менял"]·ES["cambistas"]·SW["wabadilishaji-pesa"]·TR["para-bozucuları"]·urd["صرّافوں"]
Related Senses
H5414 1. give, bestow (1855×)H3947 1. take, seize, grasp (Qal) (940×)G2192 1. possess / have (680×)G1325 1. give, bestow (336×)H5159 1. inherited land or property (170×)G2983 1. receive, obtain (134×)H3423 1. Qal: take possession of land (130×)G2983 2. take, take up (113×)G2398 1. one's own, belonging to oneself (91×)G3860 1. hand over, deliver to custody (78×)H7998 1. spoil, plunder, booty (74×)G1325 2. be given, be granted (70×)H5414 2. put, place, set (68×)H7999a 1. pay, repay, recompense (63×)H7069 1. Buy, purchase (59×)H1892 1. vanity, futility, absurdity (58×)H5159 2. heritage as covenant portion (52×)H6299 1. redeem or ransom (Qal active) (49×)H4376 1. Sell (Qal active) (47×)H1350a 1. Redeem, buy back (46×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
κερμᾰτ-ιστής, οῦ, ὁ, money-changer, NT