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ἀγέλη

agélē

G34 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A company of animals kept and moving together, especially a flock or herd under collective movement or grazing. In literary and Hellenistic Greek, typically used for a group of domesticated animals such as swine, sheep, goats, or cattle. Carries the basic sense of an associated or gathered group moving together, usually under guidance or control, but may also refer metonymically to the place where such animals are gathered or held.

Semantic Range

herd, flock, drove, collective group of animals (usually domesticated and under human direction); by extension, the enclosure for such animals

Root / Etymology

From the root ἄγ- (to lead, to bring), related to ἄγω ('to lead, to drive'). ἀγέλη is a noun formation indicating that which is led or herded together.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, ἀγέλη regularly refers to a herd or flock of animals—commonly goats, cattle, or horses, with occasional reference to swine. In Hellenistic and Koine usage, including the New Testament (cf. Mark 5:11; Luke 8:32, 33; Matthew 8:30), it denotes especially a herd of swine, in narrative settings where such animals are gathered and driven collectively. The word underlines the collective and mobile aspect of animals under care, as opposed to solitary or stray animals. The term does not carry connotations regarding the social or religious status of the animals, and its use is consistent across the Septuagint and Koine sources. English translations often render ἀγέλη as 'herd,' especially of swine due to New Testament narrative contexts, but the Greek term is not intrinsically species-specific and can refer generically to any group of herd animals.

Translation Consistency

primary "herd" 7 occurrences

‘Herd’ is the most natural, common English equivalent for ἀγέλη and appears in the existing P2 renderings. It covers the typical range (herd/flock/drove of domesticated animals) and works idiomatically for collective movement and, by metonymy, the place where animals are kept.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἄγω (compare ἄγγελος); a drove:--herd.

Root Family

ἄγ- (agélē) — to lead, to bring, to drive

Root ἄγ- to lead, to bring, to drive
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
G71 ἄγω to be led

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G34-01 ἀγέλη agele N NOM F SG herd a herded flock herd 6
G34-02 ἀγέλην agelen N ACC F SG herd a driven herd herd 1

Occurrences in Scripture

7 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G34-01 Matthew 8:30 ἀγέλη agele N NOM F SG a herd a herded flock a herd
G34-02 Matthew 8:31 ἀγέλην agelen N ACC F SG herd a driven herd herd
G34-01 Matthew 8:32 ἀγέλη agele N NOM F SG herd a herded flock a herded flock
G34-01 Mark 5:11 ἀγέλη agele N NOM F SG herd a herded flock herd
G34-01 Mark 5:13 ἀγέλη agele N NOM F SG herd a herded flock herd
G34-01 Luke 8:32 ἀγέλη agele N NOM F SG herd a herded flock herd
G34-01 Luke 8:33 ἀγέλη agele N NOM F SG herd a herded flock a herded flock
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