2563. kalamos
Berean Strong's Lexicon
kalamos: Reed, staff, measuring rod, pen

Original Word: κάλαμος
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: kalamos
Pronunciation: KAL-ah-mos
Phonetic Spelling: (kal'-am-os)
Definition: Reed, staff, measuring rod, pen
Meaning: a reed; a reed-pen, reed-staff, measuring rod.

Word Origin: From the root word κάλλω (kallo), meaning "to beautify" or "to adorn."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - H7070 (קָנֶה, qaneh): Refers to a reed or stalk, often used in similar contexts as "kalamos" in the Old Testament.

Usage: The Greek word "kalamos" primarily refers to a reed or a stalk of grain. In the New Testament, it is used metaphorically to describe a measuring rod or a writing pen. The term is often associated with fragility and flexibility, as reeds are easily swayed by the wind. It also signifies measurement and authority when used as a rod.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient times, reeds were abundant in the marshy areas of the Near East and were commonly used for various purposes, including writing instruments, musical pipes, and measuring tools. The flexibility and hollow nature of reeds made them ideal for crafting pens for writing on papyrus. Reeds were also symbolic in literature and art, often representing weakness or instability due to their susceptibility to external forces.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
a prim. word
Definition
a reed
NASB Translation
measuring rod (2), pen (1), reed (8), rod (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 2563: κάλαμος

κάλαμος, καλάμου, , from Pindar down, Latincalamus, i. e.

a. a reed: Matthew 11:7; Matthew 12:20 (from Isaiah 42:3); Luke 7:24.

b. a staff made of a reed, a reed-staff (as in 2 Kings 18:21): Matthew 27:29f, 48; Mark 15:19, 36.

c. a measuring reed or rod: Revelation 11:1; Revelation 21:15f (Ezekiel 40:3-6; Ezekiel 42:16-19).

d. a writer's reed, a pen: 3 John 1:13; (see Gardthausen, Griech. Palaeogr., p. 71f).

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
pen, reed.

Or uncertain affinity; a reed (the plant or its stem, or that of a similar plant); by implication, a pen -- pen, reed.

Forms and Transliterations
καλαμον κάλαμον καλαμος κάλαμος καλαμου καλάμου καλαμω καλάμω καλάμῳ kalamo kalamō kalámoi kalámōi kalamon kálamon kalamos kálamos kalamou kalámou
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Englishman's Concordance
Matthew 11:7 N-AMS
GRK: ἔρημον θεάσασθαι κάλαμον ὑπὸ ἀνέμου
NAS: to see? A reed shaken
KJV: to see? A reed shaken
INT: wilderness to look at a reed by [the] wind

Matthew 12:20 N-AMS
GRK: κάλαμον συντετριμμένον οὐ
NAS: A BATTERED REED HE WILL NOT BREAK
KJV: A bruised reed shall he not
INT: A reed bruised not

Matthew 27:29 N-AMS
GRK: αὐτοῦ καὶ κάλαμον ἐν τῇ
NAS: it on His head, and a reed in His right hand;
KJV: head, and a reed in his
INT: of him and a reed in the

Matthew 27:30 N-AMS
GRK: ἔλαβον τὸν κάλαμον καὶ ἔτυπτον
NAS: on Him, and took the reed and [began] to beat
KJV: him, and took the reed, and smote
INT: they took the reed and struck [him]

Matthew 27:48 N-DMS
GRK: καὶ περιθεὶς καλάμῳ ἐπότιζεν αὐτόν
NAS: and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink.
KJV: and put [it] on a reed, and gave him
INT: and having put [it] on a reed gave to drink him

Mark 15:19 N-DMS
GRK: τὴν κεφαλὴν καλάμῳ καὶ ἐνέπτυον
NAS: His head with a reed, and spitting
KJV: on the head with a reed, and
INT: head with a reed and spat on

Mark 15:36 N-DMS
GRK: ὄξους περιθεὶς καλάμῳ ἐπότιζεν αὐτόν
NAS: put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink,
KJV: and put [it] on a reed, and gave him
INT: with vinegar having put [it] on a reed gave to drink him

Luke 7:24 N-AMS
GRK: ἔρημον θεάσασθαι κάλαμον ὑπὸ ἀνέμου
NAS: to see? A reed shaken
KJV: for to see? A reed shaken
INT: wilderness to look at a reed by [the] wind

3 John 1:13 N-GMS
GRK: μέλανος καὶ καλάμου σοι γράφειν
NAS: to write [them] to you with pen and ink;
KJV: ink and pen write unto thee:
INT: ink and pen to you to write

Revelation 11:1 N-NMS
GRK: ἐδόθη μοι κάλαμος ὅμοιος ῥάβδῳ
NAS: there was given me a measuring rod like
KJV: me a reed like
INT: was given to me a reed like a staff

Revelation 21:15 N-AMS
GRK: εἶχεν μέτρον κάλαμον χρυσοῦν ἵνα
NAS: a gold measuring rod to measure
KJV: had a golden reed to measure
INT: had a measuring reed golden that

Revelation 21:16 N-DMS
GRK: πόλιν τῷ καλάμῳ ἐπὶ σταδίων
NAS: the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles;
KJV: the city with the reed, twelve
INT: city with the reed in stadia

Strong's Greek 2563
12 Occurrences


καλάμῳ — 4 Occ.
κάλαμον — 6 Occ.
κάλαμος — 1 Occ.
καλάμου — 1 Occ.

















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