ἀμήτωρ (amētōr)
amētōr
motherless
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective amētōr literally means "motherless," formed from a negative prefix and the word for mother. In classical Greek, it often described gods or mythical figures who appeared without a maternal origin. The New Testament uses it in a single, highly specific context: Hebrews 7:3 to describe Melchizedek.
Here, the term highlights that Scripture records no birth or death for this priest-king. It does not necessarily mean he was biologically motherless, but rather that his genealogy is absent from the biblical record. This silence allows the author of Hebrews to present him as a type of Christ, whose priesthood stands apart from the Levitical line because it lacks documented human ancestry.
Translators typically render this as "without father or mother" or "motherless," emphasizing the lack of recorded lineage rather than biological fact. The word underscores the unique, timeless nature of Melchizedek’s priesthood in contrast to the traced descent required for Aaronic priests.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word amētōr means "motherless," yet its use in Hebrews 7:3 carries a deeper spiritual weight than simple biological absence. The author applies this term to Melchizedek not to highlight a lack of family, but to point out the silence of Scripture regarding his origins. By omitting his genealogy, the text presents him as a timeless figure, unbound by the recorded history that defines the Levitical priests.
This unique description serves as a powerful type of Christ. Just as Melchizedek’s priesthood stands apart from human lineage, Jesus’ priesthood is eternal and divine, rooted in God’s power rather than ancestral descent. For believers, this reminds us that our connection to God transcends earthly records or family trees. It invites us to rest in the certainty of a priesthood that does not fade with generations.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- without mother,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀμήτωρ,1×
Key Verses
-
Hebrews 7:3
without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God), remains a priest continually.
The term amētōr here emphasizes the scriptural silence on Melchizedek’s birth, allowing him to function as a timeless type of Christ rather than a figure bound by human ancestry.