φυλακτήριον,
φυλακτηριου,
τό (neuter of the adjective
φυλακτηριος,
φυλακτήρια,
φυλακτήριον, from
φυλακτήρ (`poetic for
φύλαξ'));
1. a fortified place provided with a garrison, a station for a guard or garrison.
2. a preservative or safeguard, an amulet:
Demosthenes, p. 71, 24;
Dioscorides (?) 5, 158f (159f), often in
Plutarch. The Jews gave the name of
φυλακτήρια (in the Talm.
תְּפִלִּין,
prayer-fillets, German
Gebetsriemen; (cf. O. T. 'frontlets')) to small strips of parchment on which were written the following passages from the law of Moses,
Exodus 13:1-10,
11-16;
Deuteronomy 6:4-9;
Deuteronomy 11:13-21, and which, enclosed in little cases, they were accustomed when engaged in prayer to wear fastened by a leather strap to the forehead and to the left arm over against the heart, in order that they might thus be solemnly reminded of the duty of keeping the commands of God in the head and in the heart, according to the directions given in
Exodus 13:16;
Deuteronomy 6:8;
Deuteronomy 11:18; (cf.
Josephus, Antiquities 4, 8, 13). These scrolls were thought to have power, like amulets, to avert various evils and to drive away demons (Targ. on
Song of Solomon 8:3); hence, their Greek name. (But see Ginsburg in Alex.'s Kitto, see under the words, Phylacteries (under the end) and Mezuza.) The Pharisees were accustomed
τά φυλακτήρια αὐτῶν πλατύνειν,
to widen, make broad, their phylacteries, that they might render them more conspicuous and show themselves to be more eager than the majority to be reminded of God's law:
Matthew 23:5. Cf.
Winers RWB, under the word Phylakterien; Leyrer in
Herzog xi., 639ff; Kneucker in
Schenkel 1:601f; Delitzsch in
Riehm 270f; (Edersheim, Jewish Social Life etc., p. 220ff;
B. D. under the word Frontlets; especially
Hamburger, Real-Encycl., under the word Tephillin, vol. ii, p. 1203f; Ginsburg in Alex.'s Kitto as above).
THAYER’S GREEK LEXICON, Electronic Database.
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BLB Scripture Index of Thayer's