σιαγών (siagōn)
siagōn
cheek
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun siagōn refers to the jaw or jawbone, appearing in only two verses of the New Testament (Matthew 5:39 and Luke 6:29). It translates the Hebrew lechi, which carries a strong historical resonance as the weapon used by Samson in Judges 15. This background gives the word a visceral weight beyond its simple anatomical definition.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus uses this specific term when instructing followers not to resist an evildoer. He says if someone strikes you on the right cheek, offer the other siagōn as well. The choice of "jaw" rather than a more general word for face emphasizes the physical vulnerability and the deliberate act of enduring humiliation without retaliation.
Translators consistently render this as "cheek" in English to maintain the natural flow of the idiom, though the Greek root points directly to the bone structure. The term highlights the intensity of the insult; striking the jaw is a severe blow, making the command to absorb such violence without fighting back all the more radical.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word siagōn refers to the jaw or cheekbone, a term that carries significant weight in the New Testament. Jesus uses this specific anatomical reference in the Sermon on the Mount when instructing His followers not to retaliate against evil. By choosing the word for the jaw rather than the face, He highlights the physical vulnerability and the deliberate act of enduring humiliation without fighting back.
This teaching challenges our natural instinct for self-defense. Striking someone on the jaw is a severe blow, making the command to absorb such violence without retaliation radical. It invites us to break the cycle of violence through non-resistance, offering peace even when insulted.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- cheek,1×
- cheek1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- σιαγόνα,1×
- σιαγόνα1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 5:39
But I tell you, don’t resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Jesus uses siagōn here to specify the right cheek, emphasizing the deliberate nature of the insult and the call to non-retaliation in the Sermon on the Mount.
-
Luke 6:29
To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who takes away your cloak, don’t withhold your coat also.
Luke records the same instruction, using siagōn to reinforce the radical ethic of offering the other cheek when struck by an evildoer.