Lexical Summary klinidion: Small bed, cot, or couch Original Word: κλινίδιον Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bed. Neuter of a presumed derivative of kline; a pallet or little couch -- bed. see GREEK kline NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origindim. of kliné Definition a small couch NASB Translation stretcher (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2826: κλινίδιονκλινίδιον, κλινιδιου, τό (κλίνη), a small bed, a couch: Luke 5:19, 24. (Dionysius Halicarnassus, Antiquities 7, 68; Artemidorus Daldianus, oneir. 1, 2; Antoninus 10, 28; several times in Plutarch; (cf. Pollux 10, 7).) Topical Lexicon Word Overview and Semantic Range Strong’s Greek 2826 designates the light, portable “cot” or “pallet” regularly used in the first-century Mediterranean world by the sick and the poor. While larger couches belonged to the wealthy, this smaller bed could be rolled, folded, or slung over the shoulder, making it ideal for transporting an infirm person through crowded streets or narrow doorways. Occurrences in the New Testament 1. Luke 5:19 – Friends of the paralytic “lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.” Historical and Cultural Background Portable beds had a long history in the Near East. Mosaic Law, rabbinic rulings, and Greco-Roman custom all recognized the uncleanness associated with bodily fluids and illness; therefore the sick were often kept separate from normal household furniture. A light cot kept contamination isolated and allowed quick removal for ritual purification or burial. By the first century such pallets were typically woven from reeds or rushes and fastened to a wooden frame with leather thongs. Theological and Ministry Insights 1. Faith in Action: In Luke 5 the “mat” becomes a symbol of persistent faith. The friends will not be deterred by social obstacles or architectural barriers; their determination dramatizes James’s later declaration that “faith without deeds is dead.” Pastoral and Practical Application • Compassionate Initiative: Believers are encouraged to “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). The cot reminds the church that caring for bodily needs is often the doorway to deeper spiritual encounters. Related Old Testament Concepts • Numbers 15:32-36 and 2 Kings 4:10 mention sleeping mats, underscoring long-standing provision for rest and healing in covenant life. Concluding Reflection Strong’s 2826 is a small household item, yet in Scripture it carries large theological freight. Whether slung over the shoulder of a once-paralyzed man or lining a Jerusalem street awaiting Peter’s shadow, the humble cot points to the One who lifts sinners from spiritual paralysis and invites them to rise, carry their testimony, and walk in newness of life. Forms and Transliterations κλιναριων κλιναρίων κλινιδιον κλινίδιόν κλινιδιω κλινιδίω κλινιδίῳ klinarion klinariōn klinaríon klinaríōn klinidio klinidiō klinidíoi klinidíōi klinidion klinídiónLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Luke 5:19 N-DNSGRK: σὺν τῷ κλινιδίῳ εἰς τὸ NAS: the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle KJV: with [his] couch into INT: with the mat into the Luke 5:24 N-ANS Acts 5:15 N-GNP Strong's Greek 2826 |
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