"a bird, fowl, Mt. 6:26; 8:20"
Definition and meaning
a bird, fowl, Mt. 6:26; 8:20
In the original Greek the word is written: πετεινόν
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 peteinon (G4071) across the King James Bible.
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.
And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.
Refiner gives you the full lexicon entry, AI-powered verse insight, historical commentary, cross-references, and voice study — all in one place.
Free to start · Disciple $4.99/mo · Shepherd $9.99/mo
Common questions
Strong's G4071 (peteinon) is a Greek word that means: a bird, fowl, Mt. 6:26; 8:20 It appears 14 times in the King James Bible.
The word peteinon (G4071) appears 14 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4071 is peteinon, a Greek word defined as: a bird, fowl, Mt. 6:26; 8:20. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
peteinon is a Greek word found in the New Testament.