"a pit, well or cistern, Mt. 12:11; 15:14; Lk. 6:39*"
Definition and meaning
a pit, well or cistern, Mt. 12:11; 15:14; Lk. 6:39*
In the original Greek the word is written: βόθυνος
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of bothunos (G999) across the King James Bible.
And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
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Common questions
Strong's G999 (bothunos) is a Greek word that means: a pit, well or cistern, Mt. 12:11; 15:14; Lk. 6:39* It appears 3 times in the King James Bible.
The word bothunos (G999) appears 3 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G999 is bothunos, a Greek word defined as: a pit, well or cistern, Mt. 12:11; 15:14; Lk. 6:39*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
bothunos is a Greek word found in the New Testament.