ταμεῖον
tameion
inner room
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Greek word "ταμεῖον" (tameion) is a noun with the definition of "inner room". This word appears four times in the Bible, which suggests its significance in the language and context used. Given its translation to "inner room", it likely refers to a secluded, enclosed space within a larger structure, such as a dwelling, temple, or castle. As an inner room, its primary function is to provide seclusion and privacy, shielding the occupants from the outside world. This space may be used for various purposes, such as prayer, study, or storage. The fact that it is described as "inner" implies a sense of protection and separation from the outer world. The significance of "ταμεῖον" lies in its emphasis on intimacy and exclusivity. It highlights the importance of private spaces within broader social or architectural settings. Its appearance in the Bible, a text that values seclusion and intimacy in prayer and spiritual pursuit, underscores the significance of inner rooms as sites for connection with oneself, others, and the divine.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences across the text
But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
Matthew 24:26If therefore they tell you, ‘Behold, he is in the wilderness,’ don’t go out; or ‘Behold, he is in the inner rooms,’ don’t believe it.
Luke 12:3Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light. What you have spoken in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.
Luke 12:24Consider the ravens: they don’t sow, they don’t reap, they have no warehouse or barn, and God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than birds!