σκέλος
skelos
leg
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Greek word σκέλος (skelos), translated as "leg," has a clear meaning tied to the physical body. As part of the Body & Health semantic domain, σκέλος is closely related to bodily anatomy, particularly limbs. This singularity of meaning should be noted, as it is not ambiguous or context-specific. Within the given data, σκέλος appears three times in the Bible, which suggests a focused or recurring usage of the term. This frequency could indicate a particular emphasis on physical bodily parts or perhaps even disability or deformity, given the body-focused context. In terms of significance, the limited occurrences of σκέλος in the Bible do not reveal comprehensive information about its broader implications. Nonetheless, this word's narrow definition and concentrated usage point to its function as a descriptive term within the biblical text, providing details about the human form.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences across the text
Therefore the Jews, because it was the Preparation Day, so that the bodies wouldn’t remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a special one), asked of Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
John 19:32Therefore the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who was crucified with him;
John 19:33but when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was already dead, they didn’t break his legs.