χρῡσόω G5558
to gild, overlay with gold, adorn with gold
χρυσόω means to gild or overlay with gold, to adorn something with gold plating or decoration. It appears only in Revelation, both times in John's vision of Babylon the great. Revelation 17:4 describes the woman (Babylon) as 'adorned with gold (κεχρυσωμένη χρυσίῳ) and jewels and pearls'—laden with expensive ornamentation. Revelation 18:16 laments: 'Alas, alas, for the great city that was clothed... adorned with gold (κεχρυσωμένη χρυσίῳ), with jewels, and with pearls!'—the perfect passive participle emphasizing her gilded state. The image is of ostentatious, excessive wealth and decoration—surface splendor masking inner corruption.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Both uses describe Babylon adorned with gold in Revelation's vision of the great harlot city. The κεχρυσωμένη state suggests being covered, overlaid, gilded with gold—external opulence. The German vergoldet ('gilded') captures the surface-level gold plating. John's vision critiques the seductive power of wealth and luxury—Babylon dazzles with gold and gems, but her golden exterior conceals spiritual adultery and blood-guilt. Gilding suggests surface beauty covering something less precious underneath. 2×
AR["المُتَحَلِّيَةُ", "مُذَهَّبَةً"]·ben["স্বর্ণাভরণ"]·DE["vergoldet"]·EN["having-been-gilded"]·FR["vergoldet"]·heb["מְזֻהָבָה"]·HI["सुनहली"]·ID["dihiasi-dengan-emas"]·IT["kechrusōmenē"]·jav["kaerèman"]·KO["꾸며진", "입혀진"]·PT["adornada-com-ouro"]·RU["украшена", "украшенный"]·ES["adornada-con", "adornada-de"]·SW["amepambwa", "uliokuwa-umepambwa"]·TR["kaplı"]·urd["سنہرے-سے-مُڑھی"]
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
χρῡσόω, future -ώσωLXX:—make golden, gild, LXX+5th c.BC+:—passive, χ. παχέϊ κάρτα χρυσῷ Refs 5th c.BC+; perhaps of gilding the horns of victims, Refs