ὄνος
onos
donkey
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Greek word ὄνος (onos) is a term that refers to a donkey. Its definition is straightforward, indicating a specific type of animal. The word appears five times in the Bible, suggesting its importance in certain contexts. The usage of ὄνος is likely to be literal, referring to the animal itself. However, its significance may extend beyond its physical presence. As a common mode of transportation in ancient times, donkeys played a crucial role in daily life, and the mention of one in the Bible may evoke a sense of familiarity or practicality. The limited occurrences of ὄνος in the Bible suggest that it may be used to convey a specific message or illustrate a particular point. Without more context, it is difficult to determine the exact significance of this word, but its presence is likely to hold some importance in the narrative or teaching of the surrounding text.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences across the text
saying to them, “Go into the village that is opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them, and bring them to me.
Matthew 21:5“Tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
Matthew 21:7and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their clothes on them; and he sat on them.
Luke 13:15Therefore the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each one of you free his ox or his donkey from the stall on the Sabbath, and lead him away to water?
John 12:15“Don’t be afraid, daughter of Zion. Behold, your King comes, sitting on a donkey’s colt.”