Lexical Summary ornis: Bird Original Word: ὄρνις Strong's Exhaustive Concordance hen. Probably from a prolonged form of the base of oros; a bird (as rising in the air), i.e. (specially), a hen (or female domestic fowl) -- hen. see GREEK oros NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. word Definition a bird, spec. a rooster or hen NASB Translation hen (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3733: ὄρνιξὄρνιξ (so manuscripts א D), equivalent to ὄρνις (which see): Luke 13:34 Tdf. The nominative is not found in secular writings, but the trisyllabic forms ὀρνιχος, ὀρνιχι for ὀρνιθος, etc., are used in Doric; (Photius (edited by Porson, p. 348, 22) Ἰωνες ὄρνιξ ... καί Δωριεις ὄρνιξ. Cf. Curtius, p. 495). STRONGS NT 3733: ὄρνιςὄρνις, ὀρνιθος, ὁ, ἡ (ὈΡΩ, ὄρνυμι, (see ὄρθρος)); 1. a bird; so from Homer down. 2. specifically, a cock, a hen: Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:34 (Tdf. ὄρνιξ, which see); (so Aeschylus Eum. 866; Xenophon, an. 4, 5, 25; Theocritus, Polybius 12, 26, 1; (others)). Strong’s Greek 3733 designates a bird, with New Testament usage focusing on the domestic hen. While the term can denote any fowl, the Gospel writers employ it for the mother-hen in her protective posture, drawing attention to qualities of nurturing, shielding, and covenantal faithfulness. Occurrences in Scripture Matthew 23:37 and Luke 13:34 each preserve Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem, in which He employs the hen metaphor to reveal His covenant love for Israel. Both passages read in part: “how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings”. The repetition across two independent Gospel settings underscores the importance Jesus placed on this image and assures readers of its authenticity. Symbolism and Theological Themes 1. Covenant Protection: The hen’s wings echo Old Testament language of divine shelter (Psalm 17:8; Psalm 91:4). Jesus identifies Himself with Yahweh’s protective presence, affirming His deity and unbroken continuity with prior revelation. Historical and Cultural Context First-century Jewish households commonly kept hens for eggs and meat. Observers in agrarian Galilee or Judea would have witnessed a brooding hen stretching her wings over her brood at any sign of danger. Jesus leverages this everyday scene to communicate profound spiritual truth, ensuring the metaphor’s resonance among all social strata, from rural peasants to Temple priests. Pastoral and Ministry Applications • Assurance for Believers: Pastors may draw on the hen metaphor to assure congregations of Christ’s steadfast protection amid trials (John 10:28-29). Christological Significance Jesus positions Himself as the active Gatherer—an activity elsewhere ascribed to God alone (Isaiah 40:11). By taking this role, He asserts Messianic authority and divine identity. The metaphor thus contributes to the cumulative Christological portrait in the Gospels: the Good Shepherd (John 10), the Mother Hen (Matthew 23; Luke 13), and the Shelter under whose wings salvation is found. Intertextual Echoes and Prophetic Resonance • Deuteronomy 32:11 portrays the LORD as an eagle protecting Israel, framing Jesus’ hen imagery as the climax of a long-standing biblical motif. Devotional Reflection Believers are invited to meditate on Christ’s intense desire—“how often I have longed”—and to respond with trust and obedience. Personal resistance forfeits experiential security, yet His arms remain open to all who come (Matthew 11:28-30). Summary Insights Strong’s 3733 enriches biblical theology by supplying a vivid image of Christ’s maternal-paternal care, seamlessly integrating Old Testament motifs with New Testament revelation. It calls the church to rest beneath His wings, to echo His protective love in ministry, and to proclaim both the mercy extended and the peril of refusal. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 23:37 N-NMSGRK: ὃν τρόπον ὄρνις ἐπισυνάγει τὰ NAS: the way a hen gathers KJV: together, even as a hen gathereth her INT: in which way a hen gathers together the Luke 13:34 N-NMS |
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