ἑρπετόν G2062
reptile, creeping animal; any creature that crawls on the ground
Derived from the verb meaning 'to creep,' this noun covers the broad category of creatures that move close to the ground—snakes, lizards, insects, and similar animals. In Peter's vision a great sheet descends filled with four-footed animals, reptiles, and birds (Acts 10:12; 11:6), where the category serves to represent ritually unclean creatures now declared clean. Paul uses the term in Romans 1:23 to depict the degradation of idolatry, and James 3:7 lists reptiles among the wild creatures humanity has tamed.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Creeping animals, reptiles, and by extension any creature that crawls or slithers along the ground. In Peter's rooftop vision (Acts 10:12; 11:6) reptiles appear alongside quadrupeds and birds as formerly unclean creatures God now declares clean—Spanish 'reptiles' and French 'reptile' map directly. Romans 1:23 invokes the category to illustrate idolatrous degradation, exchanging God's glory for images of crawling things. James 3:7 includes them among wild creatures that humanity subdues. 4×
AR["الزَّواحِفِ", "زَوَاحِفَ", "زَوَاحِفُ"]·ben["সরীসৃপ", "সরীসৃপদের", "সরীসৃপদের।"]·DE["Kriechtiere", "ἑρπετὰ"]·EN["of-reptiles", "reptiles"]·FR["Kriechtiere", "reptile"]·heb["רְמַשֲׂים", "רֶמֶשׂ"]·HI["रेंगनेवाले", "रेंगनेवाले-जीवों-की", "रेंगनेवालों-की"]·ID["binatang-melata.", "melata", "reptil-reptil"]·IT["erpetōn", "rettile"]·jav["kewan-rumangkang", "kewan-rumangkang,", "kéwan-rumangkang.", "rumangkang"]·KO["기는-것들-의", "기는-것들-이", "기는-것들을", "기어다니는-것들"]·PT["de-répteis"]·RU["пресмыкающиеся", "пресмыкающихся"]·ES["de-reptiles", "reptiles"]·SW["vitambaavyo", "vitambaavyo,", "viumbe-vitambaavyo.", "watambaao"]·TR["sürüngenler", "sürüngenleri", "sürüngenlerin"]·urd["رینگنے-والوں", "رینگنے-والوں-کی", "رینگنے-والے"]
Related Senses
H6629 1. flock, sheep/goats (small livestock) (274×)H1241 1. cattle, herd (bovine livestock) (183×)H0352a 1. ram (male sheep) (156×)H6499 1. young bull, bullock (130×)H3532 1. lamb, young male sheep (105×)H2543 1. donkey (male ass) (96×)H7794 1. ox, bull (79×)H7462b 1. shepherd (agent noun) (76×)H5795 1. she-goat(s), female goat(s) (68×)H7462b 2. to shepherd, tend, pasture (60×)H1581 1. camel (domestic animal) (54×)H0738b 1. lion (46×)G4263 1. sheep (39×)H5739 1. flock or herd of livestock (38×)H5695 1. calf, young bull (35×)H0738a 1. lion (large predatory feline) (34×)H0860 1. female donkey (34×)H3611 1. dog (animal) (32×)H3715a 1. young lion, lion cub (31×)G0721 1. Lamb (29×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἑρπετόν, Aeolic dialect perhaps ὄρπετον (which see), τό, (ἕρπω) beast or animal which goes on all fours, Refs 8th c.BC+; ἑρπετά, opposed to πετεινά, Refs 5th c.BC+; πυκινώτατον ἑ., of a hound, Refs 5th c.BC+; of insects, Refs 7th c.BC+ __II creeping thing, reptile, especially snake, Refs 5th c.BC+; of the monster Typhoeus, with a snake's body, Refs 5th c.BC+ __II.2 as adjective, creeping, κακὸν ἑ. πρᾶγμα Refs 6th c.AD+; τὰ ἑ. θηρία Refs 3rd c.AD+