"a scorpion, a large insect, sometimes several inches in length, shaped somewhat like a crab and furnished with a tail terminating in a stinger from which it emits a dangerous poison, Lk. 10:19; 11:12; Rev. 9:3, 5, 10*"
Definition and meaning
a scorpion, a large insect, sometimes several inches in length, shaped somewhat like a crab and furnished with a tail terminating in a stinger from which it emits a dangerous poison, Lk. 10:19; 11:12; Rev. 9:3, 5, 10*
In the original Greek the word is written: σκορπίος
Historical context
Luke wrote as a historian addressing a Greek audience. He carefully interviewed eyewitnesses and arranged events in order. The social and economic realities he describes — Roman taxation, Jewish religious hierarchy, the marginalization of women and the poor — are consistent with first-century Judea under Roman administration.
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 skorpios (G4651) across the King James Bible.
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
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Common questions
Strong's G4651 (skorpios) is a Greek word that means: a scorpion, a large insect, sometimes several inches in length, shaped somewhat like a crab and furnished with a tail terminating in a stinger from which it emits a dangerous poison, Lk. 10:19; 11:12;... It appears 5 times in the King James Bible.
The word skorpios (G4651) appears 5 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4651 is skorpios, a Greek word defined as: a scorpion, a large insect, sometimes several inches in length, shaped somewhat like a crab and furnished with a tail terminating in a stinger from wh. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
skorpios is a Greek word found in the New Testament.