βρέφος
brephos
infant
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Greek word βρέφος (brephos) is defined as an "infant." Its semantic domain is focused on "Kinship & Family," indicating that this term is closely tied to relationships and connections within a family unit. The fact that it appears 8 times in the Bible suggests that the concept of infancy and early childhood is significant in the biblical narrative. The term βρέφος can be used to describe a child in a general sense, but its specific meaning is tied to the idea of a young, vulnerable individual who is dependent on others for care and support. This may imply a sense of fragility or helplessness, and the term may be used to convey a sense of innocence or lack of understanding. Given its association with the semantic domain of Kinship & Family, the significance of βρέφος lies in its representation of the early stages of human development and the relationships that form during this time. The term highlights the importance of care, protection, and nurturing in the lives of young children, and its repeated use in the Bible underscores the significance of these themes in the biblical narrative.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
8 total occurrences across the text
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:44For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!
Luke 2:12This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.”
Luke 2:16They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough.
Luke 18:15They were also bringing their babies to him, that he might touch them. But when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
Acts 7:19The same took advantage of our race, and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to throw out their babies, so that they wouldn’t stay alive.
2 Timothy 3:15From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 2:2as newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, that with it you may grow,