Original Word: κληρόω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: kléroó
Phonetic Spelling: (klay-ro'-o)
Short Definition: I make a heritage
Definition: I cast lots, choose by lot, assign by lot, assign a portion, receive a share.

Cognate: 2820 klēróō (from 2819 /klḗros, "to cast lots") – properly, make a choice when assisted by casting lots (cf. S. Zodhiates, Dict); to appoint (assign) by lot-casting. See 2818 (klēronómos).

2820 /klēróō ("assign by divine lot-cast"), is only used in Eph 1:11 where it is often translated "obtained an inheritance." The Greek text literally reads, "In whom (Christ), indeed we were lot-cast (2820 /klēróō), having already been pre-horizoned (4309 /proorízō, aorist participle) according to (divine) purpose, of the one energizing all things according to the counsel (1012 /boulḗ) arising from His will (2307 /thélēma)."

[The above rendering regards the Greek genitive as "subjective."]

STRONGS NT 2820: κληρόω

κληρόω, κλήρῳ: 1 aorist passive ἐκληρωθην; (κλῆρος); in classical Greek:

1. to cast lots, determine by lot.

2. to choose by lot: τινα (Herodotus 1, 94; others).

3. to allot, assign by lot: τινα τίνι, one to another as a possession, Pindar Ol. 8, 19.

4. once in the N. T., "to make a κλῆρος i. e., a heritage, private possession": τινα, passive ἐν ᾧ ἐκληρώθημεν (but Lachmann ἐκλλεθημεν) in whom lies the reason why we were made the κλῆρος τοῦ Θεοῦ (a designation transferred from the Jews in the O. T. to Christians, cf. Additions to Esther 3:10 [Esther 4:234:17f] (4 line 12f (Tdf.)) and Fritzsche, in the place cited; (cf. Deuteronomy 4:20; Deuteronomy 9:29)), the heritage of God Ephesians 1:11 (see Ellicott, in the place cited). (In ecclesiastical writings it signifies to become a clergyman (see references under the word κλῆρος, at the end).) (Compare: προσκληρόω.)

assign or obtain an inheritance.

From kleros; to allot, i.e. (figuratively) to assign (a privilege) -- obtain an inheritance.

see GREEK kleros

εκληρωθημεν εκληρώθημεν ἐκληρώθημεν κληρώση κληρωτί eklerothemen eklerṓthemen eklērōthēmen eklērṓthēmenInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts