Quick Definition
χώρα, ας, ἡ n.f. region, land, fields
Strong's Definition
feminine of a derivative of the base of 5490 through the idea of empty expanse; room, i.e. a space of territory (more or less extensive; often including its inhabitants)
KJV Usage: coast, county, fields, ground, land, region. Compare 5117
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, f. | -ας | χωρέω
1.60 · Geographical Objects and Features · Land in Contrast With the Sea
land dry land, in contrast with the sea In a number of languages a clear distinction is made between terms which designate land in contrast with water and those which designate cultivated land. Even in English the normal term for land close to water is ‘shore’ or ‘coast,’ and therefore one may translate MAT 14:24 as ‘the boat was already far away from the shore.’ Similarly, in ACT 27:27 one may translate ‘we were getting close to shore.’
1.79 · Geographical Objects and Features · Sociopolitical Areas
region, territory, land, district (though this might imply too precisely a governmental area) region or regions of the earth, normally in relation to some ethnic group or geographical center, but not necessarily constituting a unit of governmental administration The meanings of γῆ[d], χώρα[b], κλίμαὅριον, and μέρος[c] are not to be regarded as completely synonymous, but in certain of their NT usages they are largely overlapping in reference.
MAT 2:12 · MAT 4:16 · MAT 8:28 · MRK 5:1 · MRK 5:10 · MRK 6:55 · LUK 2:8 · LUK 3:1 · LUK 8:26 · LUK 15:13 · LUK 15:14 · LUK 15:15 · LUK 19:12 · JHN 11:55 · ACT 8:1 · ACT 10:39 · ACT 12:20 · ACT 13:49 · ACT 16:6 · ACT 18:23 · ACT 26:20
1.87 · Geographical Objects and Features · Areas Which Are Uninhabited or Only Sparsely Populated
countryside, fields, rural area a rural area in contrast with a population center A rural area is often identified by a term or phrase meaning ‘extension of fields’ or ‘place of field after field’ or ‘area of farms.’
1.95 · Geographical Objects and Features · Pastures and Cultivated Lands
field, land land under cultivation or used for pasture
11.64 · Groups and Classes of Persons and Members of Such Groups and Classes · Socio-Political
region, inhabitants of a region the inhabitants of a region In a number of languages it is quite impossible to speak of ‘a region going out’ (MRK 1:5), since the term for ‘region’ cannot substitute for ‘the people of the region.’ Therefore, all such references must be made personal.
1 The overlapping features of meaning in γῆ[d], χώρα[b], κλίμα, ὅριον, and μέρος[c] may be readily illustrated by the comparable overlapping of English terms such as ‘region,’ ‘territory,’ and ‘land.’ For example, in the case of MAT 15:21 it would be possible to speak of the ‘region of Tyre and Sidon,’ the ‘territory of Tyre and Sidon,’ the ‘land of Tyre and Sidon,’ and even the ‘district of Tyre and Sidon.’ The English terms ‘region,’ ‘territory,’ ‘land,’ and ‘district’ do differ in certain nuances of meaning reflecting primarily supplementary components which are largely connotative. 2 It is possible that in the case of such meanings as τόπος[f] (11.59), πόλις[c] (11.61), κώμη[b] (11.62), and χώρα[e] (11.64) one should count on certain more or less automatic semantic rules by which the meaning of ‘inhabitants’ could be derived by metonymy from expressions of place. Since, however, such metonymic developments are far from universal, the distinct meanings are listed here as a practical guide to translators. The same type of problem occurs with Ιεροσόλυμα ‘Jerusalem,’ Ἰουδαία ‘Judea,’ and περίχωρος ‘region’ in MAT 3:5.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
χώρα, -as, 7, (XAQ [ef. Curtius $179], to lie open, be ready to receive), fr. Hom. down, Sept. for p38, 77°72 ‘a province’; 1. prop. the space lying between two 2. a region or country; i.e. a tract of land: ἡ x. ἐγγὺς τῆς ἐρήμου, Jn. xi. 54; [in an elliptical phrase, ἡ ἀστραπὴ (ἡ) ἀστράπτουσα ἐκ τῆς ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανὸν εἰς τὴν ὑπ᾽ οὐρανὸν λάμπει, ΔΑ. ρατὲ. .. part, Lk. xvii. 24 (cf. W.§ 64, 5) ; on the ellipsis of χώρα in other phrases (ἐξ ἐναντίας, ἐν δεξιᾷ, ete.), see W. 1. c.; B. 82 (72)]; land as opp. to the sea, Acts xxvii. 27; land as inhabited, @ province or country, Mk. v. 10; [vi. 55 L mrg. T Tr WH]; Lk. xv. 13-15; xix. 12; Acts xiii. 49; with a gen. of the name of the region added: Τραχωνίτιδος, Lk. iii. 1; τῆς Ιουδαίας, Acts xxvi. 20; [(or an equiv. adj.) ] Γαλατική, Acts xvi. 6; xviii. 235 τῶν Ἰουδαίων, Acts x. 39; plur. τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ Σαμαρείας, [A. V. regions}, Acts vill. 1; ἐν χώρᾳ x. σκιᾷ θανάτου, in a region of densest darkness (see σκιά, a), Mt. iv. 16; τινός, places or limits. the country of one, Mt. ii. 12; x. for its inhabitants, Mk. i. 5; Acts xii. 20; the (rural) region environing a city or village, the country, Lk. ii. 8; Tepyeonvav, Tepaσηνῶν, Ταδαρηνῶν, Mt. viii. 28; Mk. v. 1; Lk. viii. 26; the region with towns and villages which surrounds the metropolis, Jn. xi. 55. 3. land which is ploughed or cultivated, ground. Lk. xii. 16; plur., Lk. xxi. 21 [R.V. country]; Jn.iv.35[A.V. fields]; Jas. v. 4 [A. V. fields]. [S¥N. see τόπος, fin.]* [Xopatlv, see Xopativ. ]
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
χώρα chōra 28x
space, room; a country, region, tract, province, Mk. 5:10; Lk. 2:8; a district, territory, suburbs, Mt. 8:28; meton. the inhabitants of a country, region, etc., Mk. 1:5; Acts 12:20; the country, as opposed to the city or town, Lk. 21:21; a field, farm, Lk. 12:16; Jn. 4:35
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
χώρα, -ας, ἡ
[in LXX for אֶרֶץ, מְדִינָה, etc. ;]
most freq. in cl., a space, place.
land, i.e.
a land, country, region: Mt 12:2, Mk 5:10 6:55, Lk 2:8 15:13-15 19:12, Jo 11:54, Ac 13:49 27:27; χ. Γαλατική, Ac 16:6 18:23; Τραχωνίτιδος, Lk 3:1; τ. Ἰουδαίας, Ac 26:20; τ. Ἰουδαίων, Ac 10:39; pl., τῆς Ἰουδαίας κ. Σαμαρείας, Ac 8:1; Γεργεσηνῶν (Γερασηνῶν, Γαδαρηνῶν) Mt 8:28, Mk 5:1, Lk 8:26; ἐν χ. καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου, Mt 4:16;
land, property: Lk 12:16;
the country, opp. to the town; so in pl., Lk 21:21, Jo 4:35, Ja 5:4.†
SYN.: ἄγρος, τόπος (cf. DCG, i, 591a; LS, s.v. χώρα, ad init.).
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
χώρα. For this word in its widest sense of the ‘terrestrial region,” cf. P Leid ("3 (B.c. 181-143) (=I. p. 42) κυριείαν τῶν [ὑ]Ἱπὸ τὸν οὐρανὸν χωρῶϊν. In P Cairo Zen III. 594514 (iii/B.c.) it refers to exemption from compulsory labour κατὰ τὴν χώραν, ‘throughout the country” or “district,” and for a similar geographical sense we may refer to P Oxy IV. 7098 (c. A.D. 50) τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς τῆς κάτωι χώρας v[opods] εἰς ᾿Αλεξανδρείαν, with reference to the Delta, and zd. X. 12748 (iii/A.D.) βασιλικῇ ypappareta ᾿Αλεξανδρέων χώρας, “ basilico-grammateus of the territory of the Alexandrians.” Note also the comp. in P Oxy VI. 936° (iii/A.D.) TO προσκύνημά cov ποιῶ παρὰ τοῖς ἐπιχωρίοις θεοῖς, ‘I perform the act of worship on your behalf to the gods of the country” (Edd.), a son to his father. The thought of the ‘‘country” as opposed to the town (cf. Lk 2124, Jn 435, Jas 54) is seen in P Tebt II. 416" (iii/A.D.) μὴ οὖν ἀκούσῃς ἀνθρώπων ὅτι μέλλω μένιν ἐνθάδε, ἐν τίάϊχι παραγείνομε πρίὸ]ς σὲ εἰς τὴν χώραν, “do not therefore listen to people who say that I intend to remain here (in Alexandria) : I am coming speedily into the country to you’”’ (Edd.). For the metaph. sense ‘‘place,” ‘‘ position,” which does not occur in the NT, it is sufficient to cite P Oxy XII. Part VIII. cc 2) 6
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
χώρα (chōra) — country. χώρα, Ionic dialect χώρη, ἡ, ={χῶρος}, space or room in which a thing is, defined as partly occupied space, distinguished from κενόν and τόπος, [Refs 5th c.BC+] = country[Refs 8th c.BC+]; χώραν τινὶ καταλιπεῖν leave room for it, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
2. generally, place, spot, στρέψεσθ᾽ ἐκ χώρης ὅθι.. [Refs 8th c.BC+]; χώραν ἐκ χώρας μεταβάλλειν move from place to place, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; field in a ceiling, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἡ πρώτη χ. the first field (on the chest of Cypselus), [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; socket or cavity of a joint, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of the eye, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; as euphemism for the genital organs, [Refs]
3. the position, proper place of a person or thing, ἐνὶ χώρῃ ἕζεται [Refs 8th c.BC+]: especially a soldier's post, Ἄρης οὐκ ἔνι χώρα is not at his post (or perhaps in the land,[Refs 5th c.BC+]; χώραν λιπεῖν, προλείπειν, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μισθοφορεῖν κεναῖς χ. draw pay for unfilled vacancies, [Refs 4th c.BC+] fill a person's place, [Refs 6th c.AD+] take a position, find one's place, ἕως ἂν χώραν λάβῃ [τὰ πράγματα] till they are brought into position, into order, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐκ ἂν ἔχοι χώραν νοήσεως ἡντινοῦν τὸ ἀγαθόν the Good cannot have any possibility of thinking, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; σοὶ ἀστρονομεῖν χ. your province is astronomy, [Refs 2nd c.AD+] time and place, ἐν ὁποία ἀξία φυτευθῆναι καὶ ὥρὰ καὶ χώρᾳ [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πρὸς ὥρας καὶ χώρας καὶ διαίτας[Refs 4th c.BC+] b. in metric, position of a foot in a verse, τὸ δακτυλικὸν δέχεται δακτύλους καὶ σπονδείους κατὰ πᾶσαν χ. [Refs 7th c.AD+]
4. metaphorically, station, place, position, ἐν χώρᾳ τινὸς εἶναι to be in his position, be counted the same as he is, ἐν ἀνδραπόδων or μισθοφόρου χώρᾳ εἶναι to be in the position of slaves or mercenaries, to pass or rank as such, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν οὐδεμιᾷ χ. εἶναι to have no place or rank, be in no esteem, [Refs 6th c.BC+]
5. in senses [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἰς τὰς ἑαυτῶν χ. πάρεισι are at their posts, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν χώρᾳ in one's place, at one's post, ἐν ταῖς χ. γενέσθαι [Refs]; ἐν χώρᾳ πίπτειν, ἀποθνῄσκειν, die at one's post, [Refs]; ἐπὶ χώρας ἕσσαι set it in its place, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also μένειν ἐπὶ χώρας, ={μένειν κατὰ χώραν}, remain in force, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; κατὰ χώρην εἶναι be in one's place, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἤλπιζον.. οὐ μενεῖν κατὰ χ. τὰ πράγματα[Refs]as it was, undisturbed, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐᾶν κατὰ χ. τὴν πόλιν leave in its place, leave as it was, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κατὰ χ. ἀπιέναι retire in their old order, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. land, i.e. ,
II.1. a land, country, ἅς τινας ἵκεο χώρας ἀνθρώπων [Refs 8th c.BC+]; territory, ὁ τύραννος ἢ πόλεων ἢ χ. πολλῆς [ἐπιθυμεῖ] [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.2. landed estate, [Refs 5th c.BC+]. b. country town, τοὺς κήρυκας διαπέμψαντες ἐς τὰς χ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.3. the country, opposed to to the town, ἡ πόλις καὶ ἡ χ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὁ ἐκ τῆς χ. γιγνόμενος σῖτος[Refs]; ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ κοιταῖον γίγνεσθαι, opposed to ἐν ἄστει, Decrees cited in [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἁ κοινὰ χ. (of two cities) [Refs 2nd c.BC+]: especially of Egypt as opposed to Alexandria, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; ἡ ἄνω χ. καὶ ἡ κάτω, Upper and Lower Egypt, [Refs 3rd c.BC+] alone is used in Attic dialect; whereas in signification 1 χῶρος is common, except in the special sense of one's proper place or post (χῶρος and χώρα perhaps cognate with χῆρος, χῆτος).