πύργος G4444
A tower; a fortified structure for defense, watchkeeping, or agricultural use such as in a vineyard.
One of the most versatile architectural terms in the ancient world, referring to any elevated fortified structure--from city watchtowers to the stone towers built in vineyards to guard against thieves and animals. Jesus draws on the vineyard tower in his parable of the wicked tenants (Matt 21:33; Mark 12:1), echoing Isaiah 5:2, where the tower symbolizes God's careful provision for Israel. In Luke, the tower appears twice: the collapse of the tower of Siloam illustrates the randomness of tragedy (Luke 13:4), and the unfinished tower illustrates the cost of discipleship (Luke 14:28).
Senses
1. sense 1 — A tall fortified structure used for defense, observation, or agricultural guarding, particularly the stone watchtower erected in a vineyard or field. The multilingual glosses are remarkably uniform--'tower' (English), 'torre' (Spanish), 'tour' (French), 'Turm' (German)--reflecting the directness of the referent. In the vineyard parables (Matt 21:33; Mark 12:1), the tower alludes to Isaiah 5:2 and represents God's protective investment in his people. Luke's two tower references serve distinct rhetorical purposes: the Siloam tower collapse (Luke 13:4) warns against assuming disaster signals divine punishment, while the unfinished tower (Luke 14:28) teaches that following Jesus demands counting the full cost before breaking ground. 4×
AR["البُرْجُ", "بُرجًا", "بُرْجًا"]·ben["দুর্গ", "মিনার"]·DE["Turm", "πύργον", "πύργος"]·EN["a-tower", "tower"]·FR["tour"]·heb["מִגְדָּל"]·HI["गुम्मट", "मीनार"]·ID["menara"]·IT["purgon", "purgos"]·jav["menara"]·KO["망대를", "탑을", "탑이"]·PT["torre", "torre,"]·RU["башню", "башню,", "башня"]·ES["torre"]·SW["akalikodisha", "mnara"]·TR["kule"]·urd["برج"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
πύργος, ὁ, tower, especially such as were attached to the walls of a city, Refs 8th c.BC+: in plural, city walls or ramparts with their towers, Refs 8th c.BC+ __b movable tower for storming towns, Refs 5th c.BC+ __c tower on the back of war-elephants, Refs 2nd c.AD+ __d Ζανὸς π., Refs 4th c.BC+ name for the central fire of the universe, Refs 4th c.BC+ __2 metaphorically, tower of defence, τοῖος..…