ἐγκάθετος
enkáthetos
G1455 substantive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
One who is placed, installed, or planted in a secret or covert manner, especially for the purpose of observing, spying, or acting as an agent serving hidden interests. Denotes an individual introduced or stationed for surveillance or subversive activities, usually with deceptive intent. Used specifically of secret agents or informants who are inserted among a group to report or betray.
Semantic Range
planted agent, secret observer, spy, informer, suborned agent, covert operative, one set within for observation or betrayal
Root / Etymology
From ἐν ('in') and a verbal derivative of καθίημι ('to let down, to send down, to lower'), thus literally 'set in, placed within.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Ἐγκάθετος is a rare term in Greek, scarcely attested before the Hellenistic and Roman periods. In the New Testament (Luke 20:20), it refers to men secretly placed among others to spy and entrap Jesus with his words, highlighting the element of deception and covert intent. The usage is typically pejorative, stressing surreptitious observation or betrayal rather than mere information gathering. Standard English translations often render the word as 'spy', 'agent', or 'informer', which may obscure the nuance of being deliberately placed ('planted') for a hidden purpose. Classical sources use ἐγκάθετος most commonly in legal or political contexts for individuals embedded to gather intelligence or act on behalf of another party, sometimes indicating entrapment or acting as a provocateur. The term does not necessarily presume military espionage, but rather any secretive insertion of a person into a group, emphasizing the covert and directive aspect of their placement rather than their ethnic or political allegiance.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἐν and a derivative of καθίημι; subinduced, i.e. surreptitiously suborned as a lier-in-wait:--spy.
Root Family
καθιημι (καθ- + ἱημι) (enkáthetos) — to cause to sit or be placed, to plant, to install, to put within
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1455-01 |
ἐνκαθέτους | enkathetous | ADJ.S ACC M PL |
spies | covert planted agents | covert planted agents | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1455-01 |
Luke 20:20 | ἐνκαθέτους | enkathetous | ADJ.S ACC M PL |
spies | covert planted agents | covert planted agents |