λύκος G3074
Wolf; a predatory canine used literally of the animal and figuratively of dangerous, deceptive persons.
The lykos is the quintessential predator of the ancient pastoral world, the enemy the shepherd must guard against. Jesus draws on this deeply familiar image both literally and metaphorically: wolves come in sheep's clothing as false prophets (Matthew 7:15), and the disciples are sent out as sheep among wolves (Matthew 10:16; Luke 10:3). In John 10:12 the hired hand flees when the wolf attacks, contrasting with the Good Shepherd who lays down his life. Spanish consistently renders it 'lobo,' while French uses 'loup,' both preserving the predatory force.
Senses
1. wolf — A wolf, the predatory canine animal, employed both in literal and figurative senses. Literally it denotes the wild animal that threatens flocks, as in John 10:12 where the wolf snatches and scatters the sheep. Figuratively, Jesus uses it to characterize false prophets who disguise themselves in sheep's clothing (Matt 7:15) and the hostile world into which the disciples are sent (Matt 10:16; Luke 10:3). The metaphor trades on the wolf's reputation as cunning, rapacious, and merciless, a picture consistent across all the multilingual glosses: Spanish 'lobo,' French 'loup,' German 'Wolf' all carry the same predatory connotation without softening. 6×
AR["ذِئابٌ", "ذِئابٍ", "ذِئب", "ذِئَابٌ"]·ben["নেকড়", "নেকড়কে", "নেকড়দের", "নেকড়ে", "নেকড়েদের"]·DE["Wolf", "λύκοι", "λύκων"]·EN["of-wolves", "wolf", "wolves"]·FR["loup"]·heb["זְאֵב", "זְאֵבִים"]·HI["भेड़िए", "भेड़िया", "भेड़िये", "भेड़ियों-के"]·ID["serigala"]·IT["lupo"]·jav["ajag:", "asu-ajag", "serigala"]·KO["늑대들", "이리-가운데로", "이리가", "이리들", "이리들이", "이리를"]·PT["de-lobos", "lobo", "lobos"]·RU["волк", "волка", "волки", "волков"]·ES["de-lobos", "lobo", "lobos"]·SW["mbwa-mwitu", "mbwa-mwitu;", "mbwamwitu"]·TR["kurdu", "kurt", "kurtlar", "kurtlardır", "kurtların"]·urd["بھیڑیا", "بھیڑیوں", "بھیڑیوں-کے", "بھیڑیے"]
Related Senses
H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H0398 1. eat (consume food) (697×)H4191 1. die (Qal: natural/general death) (645×)G3708 1. see, perceive visually (419×)G0191 1. hear, perceive sound (360×)H???? 3. (352×)G3708 2. behold, look (exclamatory) (256×)H7272 1. foot (body part) (236×)H8354 1. drink, consume liquid (209×)H3205 1. Qal active: bear/give birth (female subject) (204×)H3205 2. Qal active: beget/father (male subject) (198×)H2421 1. Qal: live, be alive (177×)H8085 2. Qal: listen, heed, pay attention (172×)H2416a 1. alive, living (state/attribute) (146×)H2416e 1. life, lifespan, lifetime (145×)G2198 1. be alive, have life (133×)H8193 1. lip, lips (body part) (123×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
λύκος [ῠ], ὁ, wolf, Refs 8th c.BC+; πολιός grisly,Refs 8th c.BC+; ὀρέστεροιRefs 8th c.BC+; the small Egyptian wolves mentioned by Refs 5th c.BC+ were perhaps jackals: various kinds distinguished by Refs 3rd c.AD+ to see a wolf, i. e. to be struck dumb, as was vulgarly believed of any one at whom a wolf got the first look Refs 5th c.BC+; λύκου πτερά, of things that are not, 'pigeon's milk', Refs;…