"pr. blunt, dull, as a weapon; dull of hearing, deaf, Mt. 11:5; Mk. 7:32, 37; 9:25; Lk. 7:22; dumb, mute, Mt. 9:32, 33; 12:22; 15:30, 31; Lk. 1:22; meton. making dumb, causing dumbness, Lk. 11:14*"
Definition and meaning
pr. blunt, dull, as a weapon; dull of hearing, deaf, Mt. 11:5; Mk. 7:32, 37; 9:25; Lk. 7:22; dumb, mute, Mt. 9:32, 33; 12:22; 15:30, 31; Lk. 1:22; meton. making dumb, causing dumbness, Lk. 11:14*
In the original Greek the word is written: κωφός
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 kophos (G2974) across the King James Bible.
As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.
And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.
The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them:
Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.
And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.
And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.
When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.
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Common questions
Strong's G2974 (kophos) is a Greek word that means: pr. blunt, dull, as a weapon; dull of hearing, deaf, Mt. 11:5; Mk. 7:32, 37; 9:25; Lk. 7:22; dumb, mute, Mt. 9:32, 33; 12:22; 15:30, 31; Lk. 1:22; meton. making dumb, causing dumbness, Lk. 11:14* It appears 12 times in the King James Bible.
The word kophos (G2974) appears 12 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G2974 is kophos, a Greek word defined as: pr. blunt, dull, as a weapon; dull of hearing, deaf, Mt. 11:5; Mk. 7:32, 37; 9:25; Lk. 7:22; dumb, mute, Mt. 9:32, 33; 12:22; 15:30, 31; Lk. 1:22; met. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
kophos is a Greek word found in the New Testament.