1367. dischilioi

Lexical Summary

dischilioi: Two thousand

Original Word: δισχίλιοι
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: dischilioi
Pronunciation: dis-KHEE-lee-oy
Phonetic Spelling: (dis-khil'-ee-oy)
KJV: two thousand
NASB: two thousand
Word Origin: [from G1364 (δίς - twice) and G5507 (χίλιοι - thousand)]

1. two thousand

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

two thousand.

From dis and chilioi; two thousand -- two thousand.

see GREEK dis

see GREEK chilioi

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from dis and chilioi
Definition
two thousand
NASB Translation
two thousand (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 1367: δισχίλιοι

δισχίλιοι, δισχίλιαι, δισχίλια, two thousand: Mark 5:13. (From Herodotus down.)

Topical Lexicon

Definition and Scope

Strong’s Greek 1367 designates a specific cardinal number—two thousand—used once in the Greek New Testament.

Occurrences in Scripture

• Mark 5:13

Contextual Significance in Mark 5:13

In the Gerasene exorcism, Jesus grants permission for the legion of demons to enter “about two thousand” pigs. The detail underscores:

1. The vastness of demonic occupancy (a “legion”) contrasted with the singular authority of Christ.
2. The economic magnitude of the loss, revealing the dramatic nature of Jesus’ intervention and the community’s ensuing fear.
3. A vivid demonstration that not even an unclean multitude can resist the command of the Son of God.

Historical and Cultural Background

Pigs were unclean animals under Mosaic Law (Leviticus 11:7). Their presence in Decapolis territory fits a Gentile setting and heightens the narrative tension between Jewish purity codes and Gentile livelihoods. A herd of two thousand swine would represent substantial capital; its destruction testifies both to the demons’ destructive intent (John 10:10) and to Christ’s prioritizing one tormented man over sizable economic concerns.

Theological and Pastoral Lessons

• Christ’s supremacy over the unseen realm: a single command empties an army of demons (Colossians 2:15).
• The infinite worth of a human soul: the rescue of one man outweighs two thousand animals.
• Discipleship cost: the local populace preferred material security to spiritual deliverance, challenging readers to examine their own values (Mark 5:17).
• Evangelistic mission: the healed man becomes a herald in Decapolis, preparing Gentile hearts for later ministry (Mark 5:19-20; Mark 7:31-37).

Symbolism of Large Numbers in Scripture

Numbers frequently signal completeness, magnitude, or divine orchestration. “Two thousand” evokes a count well beyond personal ownership, pointing to the corporate, societal scope of both demonic oppression and Christ’s redemptive reach.

Related Numerical Themes

• Exodus 18:21 lists “thousands” as units of leadership, suggesting order and vastness.
• Psalm 50:10 proclaims God’s ownership of “the cattle on a thousand hills,” affirming divine sovereignty over every creature, including the swine of Mark 5.

Application for Ministry Today

• Spiritual warfare: workers must trust the authority of Christ rather than fear the scale of opposition.
• Holistic deliverance: true ministry values people over profit, even when societal structures resist.
• Testimony: like the delivered Gadarene, believers are called to publish Christ’s mercy in their own “Decapolis,” whatever cultural context that may be.

Summary

Strong’s 1367 draws attention to the enormity of Christ’s triumph in Mark 5:13. Two thousand swine rushing to destruction highlight the Savior’s unrivaled power, the preciousness of a single life, and the far-reaching call to proclaim what “the Lord has done” (Mark 5:19).

Forms and Transliterations

δισχίλια δισχίλιαι δισχιλίαν δισχιλίας δισχιλιοι δισχιλίοι δισχίλιοι δισχιλίους dischilioi dischílioi

Englishman's Concordance

Mark 5:13 Adj-NMP
GRK: θάλασσαν ὡς δισχίλιοι καὶ ἐπνίγοντο
NAS: about two thousand [of them]; and they were drowned
KJV: about two thousand;) and
INT: sea about two thousand and they were drowned

Strong's Greek 1367
1 Occurrence

δισχίλιοι — 1 Occ.