"a den, lair, burrow, Mt. 8:20; Lk. 9:58*"
Definition and meaning
a den, lair, burrow, Mt. 8:20; Lk. 9:58*
In the original Greek the word is written: φωλεός
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 pholeos (G5454) across the King James Bible.
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 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.
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Common questions
Strong's G5454 (pholeos) is a Greek word that means: a den, lair, burrow, Mt. 8:20; Lk. 9:58* It appears 2 times in the King James Bible.
The word pholeos (G5454) appears 2 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G5454 is pholeos, a Greek word defined as: a den, lair, burrow, Mt. 8:20; Lk. 9:58*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
pholeos is a Greek word found in the New Testament.