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ποιμήν

poimḗn

G4166 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ποιμ- to tend, to guide, to protect (flocks)

Definition

A person who tends, leads, and guards flocks, especially of sheep; by extension, one who has the responsibility of guiding, protecting, or leading a community or group. In literal contexts, refers primarily to a herder of sheep or goats; in figurative use, to a leader or caretaker, especially one who provides guidance and oversight.

Semantic Range

one who tends flocks, shepherd, herdsman; one who guides or leads a community, leader or protector (figurative), spiritual overseer (metaphorical)

Root / Etymology

Uncertain; possibly related to the root ποιμαίνω (to tend a flock), which itself is derived from an earlier, likely pre-Greek or Indo-European root, but there is no securely attested derivation.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, ποιμήν principally refers to a literal shepherd, one who cares for flocks (chiefly sheep). The term appears frequently in Homeric and classical texts to designate this occupation, and often evokes imagery of guidance, protection, and vulnerability. In the Septuagint, ποιμήν commonly translates the Hebrew רֹעֶה (ro'eh), taking on significant metaphorical value as well, designating leaders, kings, or divinely appointed individuals entrusted with the care of a people. In the New Testament, the literal sense ('shepherd') is retained (e.g., Lk 2:8), but the word often acquires figurative nuance, referring to spiritual leaders or those tasked with guiding a community (e.g., Eph 4:11 uses ποιμένες for those in church leadership, commonly rendered as 'pastor'). English translations frequently use 'shepherd' for the literal sense and 'pastor' for the metaphorical sense, but the Greek term itself draws on the unified semantic field of tending, guiding, and protecting. The vocational and social context of shepherding in ancient society shades the metaphor with connotations of humility, watchfulness, and care, as well as leadership. The semantic range of ποιμήν overlaps with ποιμαίνω (to shepherd) and is distinct from ἡγεμών (a leader or ruler) or ἐπίσκοπος (overseer), though sometimes related by context.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of uncertain affinity; a shepherd (literally or figuratively):--shepherd, pastor.

Root Family

ποιμήν (poimēn) — one who tends, guides, protects flocks

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
G4166-01 ποιμὴν poimen N NOM M SG shepherd shepherd 7
G4166-02 ποιμένα poimena N ACC M SG Shepherd a shepherd 6
G4166-04 ποιμένες poimenes N NOM M PL shepherds shepherds 3
G4166-05 ποιμένων poimenon N GEN M PL shepherds of shepherds 1
G4166-03 ποιμένας poimenas N ACC M PL pastors shepherds 1

Occurrences in Scripture

18 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
G4166-02 Matthew 9:36 ποιμένα poimena N ACC M SG a shepherd
G4166-01 Matthew 25:32 ποιμὴν poimen N NOM M SG shepherd
G4166-02 Matthew 26:31 ποιμένα poimena N ACC M SG a shepherd
G4166-02 Mark 6:34 ποιμένα poimena N ACC M SG a shepherd a shepherd
G4166-02 Mark 14:27 ποιμένα poimena N ACC M SG shepherd a shepherd
G4166-04 Luke 2:8 ποιμένες poimenes N NOM M PL shepherds shepherds
G4166-04 Luke 2:15 ποιμένες poimenes N NOM M PL shepherds shepherds
G4166-05 Luke 2:18 ποιμένων poimenon N GEN M PL shepherds of shepherds
G4166-04 Luke 2:20 ποιμένες poimenes N NOM M PL shepherds shepherds
G4166-01 John 10:2 ποιμήν poimen N NOM M SG shepherd shepherd
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