G3718 — ὀρθοτομέω (orthotoméō)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: G3718
Original: ὀρθοτομέω
Transliteration: orthotoméō
Pronunciation: or-thot-om-eh'-o
Part of Speech: Verb
Root: Compound of ὀρθός (orthos, G3717, "straight, upright") + base of τέμνω (temnō, "to cut")
Occurrences: 1 in NT (hapax legomenon)
First Occurrence: 2 Tim 2:15 — "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
Hapax Legomenon: YES — this word appears only once in the entire NT

Lexicon Definition¶

From a compound of ὀρθός (G3717, "straight, right") and the base of τέμνω ("to cut"); literally "to make a straight cut." Figuratively: to handle correctly, to expound rightly.

The Outline of Biblical Usage references LXX occurrences at Proverbs 3:6 and 11:5, plus the sole NT occurrence at 2 Timothy 2:15.

Louw-Nida Semantic Domain¶

Domain: 33.017 — Teach
Glosses: to teach correctly, to expound rightly
Parent Domain: 33 — Communication
Other words in subdomain: διδάσκω (G1321), διδασκαλία (G1319), διδάσκαλος (G1320), διδαχή (G1322), ἑτεροδιδασκαλέω (G2085), κατηχέω (G2727), νουθετέω (G3560), παιδεύω (G3811)

Louw-Nida Domain Neighbors (033017 — Teach)¶

Strong's	Lemma	Total Verses	Primary KJV Translation(s)
G1317	διδακτικός	2	apt to teach
G1318	διδακτός	2	taught, teacheth
G1319	διδασκαλία	17	doctrine, doctrines
G1320	διδάσκαλος	50	Master, teachers
G1321	διδάσκω	44	teaching, taught
G1322	διδαχή	26	doctrine
G2085	ἑτεροδιδασκαλέω	3	other doctrine, teach otherwise
G2312	θεοδίδακτος	1	taught of God
G2519	καθηγητής	3	Master, masters
G2567	καλοδιδάσκαλος	1	teachers of good things
G2727	κατηχέω	8	instruct, inform, teach
G3547	νομοδιδάσκαλος	3	doctors of the law
G3809	παιδεία	6	chastening, instruction
G3811	παιδεύω	13	chasten, instruct, teach

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

Translation	Count	%
rightly dividing	1	100%

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
2 Timothy	1	1.2

As a hapax legomenon, this word appears exclusively in the Pastoral Epistles, within Paul's charge to Timothy regarding the handling of Scripture.

Morphological Note¶

The sole NT form is ὀρθοτομοῦντα — present active participle, accusative singular masculine [V-PAP-ASM]. The participial form indicates an ongoing, characteristic activity rather than a one-time act: Timothy is to be continually "rightly dividing" the word of truth.

Etymology and Literal Sense¶

The compound consists of two elements:

ὀρθός (orthos, G3717) — "straight, upright, right" (NT: Acts 14:10 "stand upright," Heb 12:13 "straight paths"; 2 occurrences)
τέμνω (temnō) — "to cut" (base of τομώτερος G5114, "sharper," Heb 4:12 — "sharper than any two-edged sword")

The literal meaning is "to cut straight." The image may derive from: - Road-building (cutting a straight path through terrain) - Stone-masonry or woodworking (making a precise, straight cut) - Plowing (cutting a straight furrow)

The related adverb ὀρθῶς (orthōs, G3723, 4 occurrences) means "rightly, correctly" — used in Luke 7:43 "Thou hast rightly judged," Luke 10:28 "Thou hast answered right," Luke 20:21 "thou teachest rightly."

Semantic Categories¶

1. Correct Handling of the Word of Truth¶

2 Tim 2:15 — "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

The sole NT usage places orthotomeo within a workman metaphor: the teacher of Scripture is a craftsman whose material is "the word of truth" and whose task is to handle it with precision — cutting straight, not crooked.

2. LXX Background: Making Straight a Path¶

The word appears in the LXX at Proverbs 3:6 and 11:5, where it renders the Hebrew verb ישׁר (yashar, H3474) in the Piel stem ("to make straight, to direct"):

Prov 3:6 (LXX orthotomeo → Heb. yashar Piel) — "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (KJV)
Prov 11:5 (LXX orthotomeo → Heb. yashar Piel) — "The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way." (KJV)

In both LXX passages, the underlying concept is making a path straight — God straightening one's course (Prov 3:6) or righteousness straightening one's way (Prov 11:5). This "path-straightening" imagery is the semantic bridge to the NT use: handling truth correctly is making a straight path through it rather than deviating.

Word Family / Cognates (ὀρθο- compounds)¶

G3717 ὀρθός (orthos) — adjective: straight, upright (2v: Acts 14:10, Heb 12:13)
G3723 ὀρθῶς (orthōs) — adverb: rightly, correctly (4v: Mark 7:35, Luke 7:43, 10:28, 20:21)
G3716 ὀρθοποδέω (orthopodeō) — verb: to walk uprightly, be straight-footed (hapax: Gal 2:14 — "they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel")

Easily Confused Words¶

Word	Strong's	Shared Concept	Key Difference
ὀρθοποδέω (orthopodeō)	G3716	Both ὀρθο- compounds about correct conduct	orthopodeō = walking/living rightly (behavioral); orthotoméō = handling/teaching rightly (intellectual/hermeneutical)
διδάσκω (didaskō)	G1321	Both in "Teach" domain	didaskō = the general act of teaching; orthotoméō = the quality of precision in handling the content taught
ἑτεροδιδασκαλέω (heterodidaskaléō)	G2085	Opposite pole of teaching quality	heterodidaskaleo = teaching other/different doctrine; orthotoméō = teaching the correct doctrine rightly

Hebrew Source (LXX Bridge)¶

Hebrew Source	Strong's	LXX Context	Notes
יָשַׁר (yashar)	H3474	Prov 3:6, 11:5	Piel stem: "to make straight, direct"; 27v in OT; primitive root meaning "to be straight or even"

The LXX translators chose orthotoméō to render the Piel of yashar specifically in contexts about making one's path/way straight. This is not a dominant statistical bridge (only 2 co-occurrences), but it is the sole LXX precedent for orthotoméō and establishes its semantic range.