ἀρχιποίμην
archipoímēn
G750 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Principal shepherd; the one who has oversight or ultimate responsibility for a group of shepherds or a flock. By extension, denotes the lead figure among those who tend, guide, or protect a community, especially metaphorically applied to a leader tasked with the pastoral care of a group.
Semantic Range
chief shepherd, leader of shepherds, principal guardian, overseer of a flock, metaphorical leader providing pastoral care, spiritual leader
Root / Etymology
Compound of ἀρχή ('beginning, authority, rule') and ποιμήν ('shepherd, herdsman'). The term is a straightforward combination indicating one who occupies the chief or ruling role among shepherds.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The word ἀρχιποιμήν is a rare term in extant Koine sources, notably attested in 1 Peter 5:4 in the New Testament, where it is used metaphorically to describe a preeminent shepherd figure. In secular Greek, compounds with the prefix ἀρχι- denote primacy or leadership (e.g., ἀρχιερεύς 'chief priest'). The term was likely coined within Jewish or early Christian communities drawing from established Greek compound patterns, rather than being a common secular term. In Septuagint literature, ποιμήν is used frequently for literal shepherds and, metaphorically, for leaders and rulers. The English term 'chief shepherd' is a traditional rendering, but does not fully convey the possible breadth of leadership or oversight implied, especially in contexts where the metaphor is spiritual or communal. There are no clear attestations in earlier or extra-biblical Greek for the exact compound ἀρχιποιμήν, further suggesting its relatively late and context-specific coinage.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἀρχή and ποιμήν; a head shepherd:--chief shepherd.
Root Family
ἀρχιποίμην (archipoimēn) — to lead, to rule, to shepherd, to protect
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G750-01 |
ἀρχιποίμενος | archipoimenos | N GEN M SG |
Chief Shepherd | of the principal shepherd | chief shepherd | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G750-01 |
1 Peter 5:4 | ἀρχιποίμενος | archipoimenos | N GEN M SG |
Chief Shepherd | of the principal shepherd | chief shepherd |