λεῖος G3006
smooth, level, even
This adjective describes surfaces that are smooth to the touch, level terrain, or calm seas—anything lacking roughness or unevenness. In Luke 3:5, John the Baptist's ministry is described using Isaiah 40:4, where rough ways will be made smooth as preparation for the Lord's coming. The term suggests the removal of obstacles and the creation of easy passage.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Luke 3:5 quotes Isaiah's prophecy that rough places shall become smooth paths, part of the dramatic landscape transformation heralding messianic arrival. The multilingual evidence (smooth, lisos, uni, λείας) captures the physical quality of evenness, though the prophetic context invests it with spiritual significance—the leveling of barriers and preparation of hearts for God's visitation. 1×
AR["مُمَهَّدَةٍ"]·ben["মসৃণ"]·DE["λείας"]·EN["smooth"]·FR["uni"]·heb["חֲלָקוֹת"]·HI["समतल"]·ID["rata"]·IT["leias"]·jav["alus;"]·KO["부드러운"]·PT["planos"]·RU["гладкие"]·ES["lisos"]·SW["laini"]·TR["düz"]·urd["ہموار"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
λεῖος, α, ον, smooth to the touch, [αἴγειρος] Refs 8th c.BC+; χῆμαι, χηραμβίς, Refs 3rd c.BC+, Refs 5th c.BC+; also, of cloths, smooth, plain, not embroidered, ὑφαντά τε καὶ λ. Refs 5th c.BC+; λεῖα ἐκπεποιημένα worked smooth, of marble, Refs unsculptured, Ἀθήνης ἕδος Refs 3rd c.BC+; of plate, unembossed, φιάλαι Refs 3rd c.BC+ __2 in Refs 8th c.BC+, chiefly of level places or countries, λεῖος δ᾽…