The verb σιωπαω (siopao) means to be still or quiet. In the classics this verb was occasionally also used to describe keeping something a secret, or choosing not to speak of something embarrassing or damaging. It stems from the in the New Testament unused noun σιωπη (siope), silence or a calm(ness), but it's unclear where that word came from, although enthusiasts have established that it's probably not Indo-European.

Here at Abarim Publications we don't know either, but if we were to guess, we would guess that our words are of Semitic origin and were imported into the Greek language basin along with the alphabet (see our article on Hellas for a closer look at this). Our noun σιωπη (siope), silence, thus probably came from the Hebrew stock of ספף שפף (sapap shapap) words, which have to do with separating and ending things. Verb סוף (sup) means to come to an end, and the identical noun סוף (sup) refers to reed (papyrus), the writing material that replaced loud heralding with quiet written messages.

Exodus 14:14 reads: "YHWH will fight for you, and you will be still," which uses the verb חרש (harash II), to be still. Identical verb חרש (harash I) means to engrave with the objective of storing information.

Our verb σιωπαω (siopao), to be still or quiet, is used 11 times in the New Testament, see full concordance, and has no derivations.

The noun σιγη (sige) also means silence, the absence of sound and particularly human speech and vocal agitation (Acts 21:40 and Revelation 8:1 only). In the classics this noun could be uttered in a command: silence! It could describe something said in a whisper, or something kept secret.

The origin of this word too is a mystery, and it clearly does not relate to the previous (in any way that the rules of the Greek language can explain). Here at Abarim Publications we suspect that this word may have something to do with the Hebrew verb שגג (shagag), to mislead, or שגה (shaga), to err or wander off.

Whatever its pedigree, from our noun σιγη (sige), silence, comes:

The noun σιαγων (siagon) means jaw, jawbone or cheek (Matthew 5:39 and Luke 6:29 only). One would hit someone on the jaw or cheek to stop them from talking (1 Kings 22:24, Job 16:10, Micah 5:1).

The origin of this word is again obscure, but if σιγη (sige) means silence, and derives from שגג (shagag), to err or mislead, then perhaps our noun σιαγων (siagon) may literally describe a silencer, to hit on when someone is speaking erroneously or willfully misleads their audience (see John 18:22-23).

The Hebrew word for jawbone or cheek is לחי (lehi), noted for its beauty (Song of Solomon 1:10), or used as a weapon (Judges 15:15). This noun לחי (lehi), cheek, is spelled the same as לחי (lahay), for life — as in לחיים (lahayim!), to your healthy life!, or in the name באר לחי ראי (beer lahay roi), or Beer Lahai Roy (Well Of The Living One Who Sees).

The noun ιασπις (iaspis) means jasper, which in antiquity denoted a greenish translucent gem whose green hue came from traces of χαλκος (chalkos), copper.

Our noun is a transliteration of the Hebrew term ישפה (yashpeh), which in turn appears to have been imported from Persian. However, the Hebrews were extremely careful with their language and would either give a thing its own Hebrew name, or else warp its existing name into something with a meaning in Hebrew (see for instance the name Tiglath-pileser). The adoption of this term into Hebrew implies that it fitted right in, and particularly into the cluster of roots we mention above: ספף שפף (sapap shapap), which yields a vast array of words that have to do with bordering, separating and ending things.

In the Old Testament, the jasper serves as the final of twelve stones that graced the high priestly ephod, namely the third stone of the fourth row (Exodus 28:20, 39:13), which is neatly befitting a stone whose name means Boundary or It Is Finished (also see the identical name Ishpah). The first of the twelve stones was the אדם ('odem; hence the name Adam, or Red Guy), a typically red stone, and red is the spectral opposite of green (see 1 Corinthians 15:45). Note that while the jasper marked the last of the high priestly gems, it also forms the first of the foundations of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:19).

The prophet Ezekiel counted the jasper among the coverings of the sublime king of Tyre (Ezekiel 28:13), and the king of Tyre is elsewhere celebrated for having joined king Solomon in building the temple of YHWH (1 Kings 5:1-12).

Our noun ιασπις (iaspis), jasper, is used 4 times in the New Testament; see full concordance.