ὅρμημα (hormēma)
hormēma
sudden violence
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun hormēma describes a sudden rush or violent impulse. It captures the force of something being driven forward by an irresistible urge, rather than a calm or calculated decision. In the New Testament, this word appears only once, in Revelation 18:21.
Here, it refers to the massive stone thrown into the sea with great force, signaling the final destruction of Babylon. The imagery is one of decisive, overwhelming action that leaves no room for recovery. This usage highlights the word’s sense of abrupt and powerful movement.
The term derives from a root meaning to set in motion or urge on. Its single biblical occurrence emphasizes the totality of the event it describes. Translators often render it as "violence" or "impulse" to convey the sheer force behind the action.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ὅρμημα appears only once in Scripture, describing a sudden, violent force that cannot be stopped. In Revelation 18:21, an angel throws a massive stone into the sea to show how Babylon will fall. This image is not about random chaos but decisive action. It reminds us that God’s justice is real and final.
When life feels unstable or when evil seems powerful, this verse offers comfort. The same God who allows history to unfold also brings it to its proper end. You do not need to carry the weight of every injustice. Trust that God sees all things clearly and acts with purpose.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- with violence1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ὁρμήματι1×
Key Verses
-
Revelation of John 18:21
A mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down, and will be found no more at all.
This verse uses ὅρμημα to describe the decisive, irreversible fall of Babylon through a symbolic act of violence.