G2816 — κληρονομέω (klēronoméō)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: G2816
Original: κληρονομέω
Transliteration: klēronoméō
Pronunciation: klay-ron-om-eh
Part of Speech: Verb
Root: κληρονόμος (klēronomos, G2818) — heir; ultimately from κλῆρος (klēros, G2819) "lot" + νέμω "distribute"
Occurrences: 18 tokens in 17 unique verses across 8 NT books
First Occurrence: Matt 5:5 — "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth."
Hapax Legomenon: No

Lexicon Definition¶

From G2818 (klēronomos); to be an heir to (literally or figuratively): — be heir, inherit.

Louw-Nida Semantic Domain¶

Domain: 57 — Possess, Transfer, Exchange
Subdomain: 57.009 — Receive
Other words in subdomain: ἀπέχω (G568), ἀπολαμβάνω (G618), δέχομαι (G1209), κατακληρονομέω (G2624), κληρονομία (G2817), κληρονόμος (G2818), κομίζω (G2865), λαγχάνω (G2975), λαμβάνω (G2983)

Domain Neighbors (57.009 — Receive)¶

Strong's	Lemma	Total Verses	Primary KJV Translation(s)
G568	ἀπέχω	6	they have, is
G618	ἀπολαμβάνω	5	receive, to receive
G1209	δέχομαι	26	receive, received
G2624	κατακληρονομέω	2	by lot, he divided
G2817	κληρονομία	14	inheritance, an inheritance
G2818	κληρονόμος	14	heir, heirs
G2865	κομίζω	3	shall receive, receiving
G2975	λαγχάνω	3	cast lots, had obtained
G2983	λαμβάνω	57	took, receive

Morphological Distribution¶

Form	Count	Typical Context
Future Active Indicative	10	Eschatological promise/warning: "shall inherit" / "shall not inherit"
Aorist Active Infinitive	3	Purpose/result: "to inherit" (1 Cor 15:50, Heb 12:17)
Aorist Active Subjunctive	2	Deliberative: "what shall I do that I may inherit?" (Mk 10:17, 1 Pet 3:9)
Aorist Active Imperative	1	Royal command: "inherit the kingdom" (Matt 25:34)
Present Active Indicative	1	Gnomic: "corruption doth [not] inherit incorruption" (1 Cor 15:50b)
Present Active Infinitive	1	Substantival: "heirs of salvation" (Heb 1:14)
Present Active Participle	1	Attributive: "them who... inherit the promises" (Heb 6:12)
Perfect Active Indicative	1	Completed result: "he hath by inheritance obtained" (Heb 1:4)

The future indicative dominates (56%), reflecting the word's overwhelmingly eschatological orientation. The sole perfect (Heb 1:4) applies to Christ's already-accomplished inheritance of the divine name.

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

Translation	Verses	%
inherit	5	29.4%
shall inherit	4	23.5%
shall [not inherit]	3	17.6%
to inherit	2	11.8%
I may inherit	1	5.9%
be heir	1	5.9%
be heirs of	1	5.9%
have inherited	1	5.9%
hath by inheritance obtained	1	5.9%
ye should inherit	1	5.9%

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
Galatians	2	1.3
Hebrews	4	1.3
1 Peter	1	1.0
1 Corinthians	3	0.7
Matthew	3	0.3
Revelation	1	0.2
Luke	2	0.2
Mark	1	0.1

Hebrews has the highest raw count (4 occurrences) and shares the highest density with Galatians (1.3/100v). The word is concentrated in epistolary literature (11 of 17 verses = 65%), with Synoptic/Johannine usage limited to the rich-ruler pericope (Matt/Mark/Luke) and two Matthean kingdom sayings. Absent from John, Acts, and the remaining Pauline letters.

Semantic Categories¶

1. Inheriting the Kingdom of God¶

The dominant NT usage — eschatological entry into God's kingdom, stated both positively and negatively. - Matt 25:34 — "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" - 1 Cor 6:9 — "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?" - 1 Cor 6:10 — "Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." - Gal 5:21 — "they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God"

2. Inheriting Eternal Life¶

Used in the rich-ruler question across the Synoptics — "what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" - Matt 19:29 — "every one that hath forsaken houses... shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life" - Mark 10:17 — "Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" - Luke 10:25 — "Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" - Luke 18:18 — "Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

3. Inheriting Promises, Blessings, and "All Things"¶

Broader eschatological reception — what the faithful receive by divine appointment. - Heb 6:12 — "followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises" - Heb 12:17 — "afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected" - 1 Pet 3:9 — "ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing" - Rev 21:7 — "He that overcometh shall inherit all things"

4. Inheriting the Earth¶

Beatitude promise echoing Psalm 37:11. - Matt 5:5 — "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth"

5. Christ's Inherited Status¶

Applied uniquely to Christ's superiority over angels. - Heb 1:4 — "as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they" - Heb 1:14 — "ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation"

6. Covenant Inheritance — Free vs. Slave¶

Allegory of Sarah and Hagar applied to inheritance rights. - Gal 4:30 — "the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman" - 1 Cor 15:50 — "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption"

Common Collocations¶

Word	Strong's	Co-occurrences	Typical Pattern
βασιλεία (basileia)	G932	5x (29%)	"inherit the kingdom of God" — eschatological entry formula
θεός (theos)	G2316	5x (29%)	"kingdom of God" complement; also "blessed of my Father"
αἰώνιος (aionios)	G166	4x (24%)	"inherit eternal life" — Synoptic rich-ruler pericope
ζωή (zoe)	G2222	4x (24%)	"inherit eternal life" — life as the inherited possession
διδάσκαλος (didaskalos)	G1320	3x (18%)	"Good Master" — address in "inherit eternal life" question
ποιέω (poieo)	G4160	3x (18%)	"what shall I do to inherit?" — human action question
εὐλογέω (eulogeo)	G2127	2x (12%)	"blessed of my Father" (Matt 25:34); "inherit a blessing" (1 Pet 3:9)
εὐλογία (eulogia)	G2129	2x (12%)	"inherit the blessing" (Heb 12:17); "inherit a blessing" (1 Pet 3:9)
πατήρ (pater)	G3962	2x (12%)	Father as source of inheritance (Matt 25:34, Heb 1:4)
υἱός (huios)	G5207	2x (12%)	Son/sonship as basis of inheritance (Gal 4:30, Rev 21:7)

Word Family / Cognates¶

G2818 κληρονόμος (klēronomos) — heir (14v); the person who inherits
G2817 κληρονομία (klēronomia) — inheritance (14v); the thing inherited
G2819 κλῆρος (klēros) — lot, portion, inheritance (11v); the root concept of allotment
G2624 κατακληρονομέω (kataklēronomeo) — divide by lot, give as inheritance (2v); intensive compound
G4789 συγκληρονόμος (synklēronomos) — joint-heir, fellow-heir (4v); co-inheritance

Easily Confused Words¶

Word	Strong's	Shared Translation	Key Difference
יָרַשׁ (yarash)	H3423	"inherit," "shall inherit"	OT primary; broader sense includes dispossession/conquest; klēronoméō narrows to receiving as heir
נָחַל (nachal)	H5157	"inherit," "to inherit"	OT; focuses on the allotment process (dividing by lot); klēronoméō emphasizes the heir's reception

Synonyms¶

G1411 δύναμις (dynamis) — power (listed in relationship data; conceptual overlap in Heb 1:4 context of Christ's exalted status)
G5312 ὑψόω (hypsoō) — exalt (listed in relationship data; parallel concept of elevation/reception of status)

Hebrew Source (via LXX)¶

Hebrew Source	Strong's	Co-occurrences	PMI	Notes
יָרַשׁ (yarash)	H3423	100	6.38	Primary LXX equivalent — "to possess/dispossess/inherit"; dominant bridge
נָחַל (nachal)	H5157	21	5.96	Secondary — "to inherit (by lot)"; closer semantic match
נַחֲלָה (nachalah)	H5159	17	3.94	Noun — "inheritance, heritage"; overlaps with G2817
אֶרֶץ (erets)	H776	72	2.49	"Earth/land" — frequent object of inheritance in OT

The dominant Hebrew source is H3423 yarash (100 co-occurrences, PMI 6.38), which carries a broader semantic range including military dispossession alongside inheritance. The LXX consistently uses klēronoméō for yarash's inheritance sense, establishing the bridge that informs the NT's eschatological "inherit the kingdom/earth/eternal life" formulae.