Word Study for G2351 (θόρυβος)

thórybos /thor'-oo-bos/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom the base of θροέω

Meaninga disturbance

KJV usagetumult, uproar.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of thórybos — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word thórybos, represented by G2351, is defined as a disturbance, tumult, or uproar. It appears 7 times across 7 unique verses in the Bible. This term consistently points to moments of public commotion, social unrest, or intense, chaotic displays of emotion.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G2351 marks significant points of conflict and tension. During the trial of Jesus, Pilate proceeds with the crucifixion when he sees that a tumult is being made by the multitude Matthew 27:24. Earlier, the chief priests had decided against arresting Jesus on the feast day, fearing it would cause an uproar among the people (Matthew 26:5, Mark 14:2). The term also describes the scene at the house of the ruler of the synagogue, where Jesus saw the tumult of people weeping and wailing greatly Mark 5:38. In the book of Acts, Paul waited for an uproar to cease before departing for Macedonia Acts 20:1, and a commander could not determine the facts of a situation due to the tumult of the crowd Acts 21:34.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the nature of the disturbances described by G2351:

G1096 gínomai (to cause to be... to become...): This verb is often paired with thórybos to show a tumult being made or coming into being Matthew 27:24.
G214 alalázō (to vociferate... to wail... to clang): This describes the sound within a tumult, such as those who wailed greatly during the tumult at the home of the ruler of the synagogue Mark 5:38.
G3793 óchlos (a throng... the rabble... a riot): This identifies the source of the commotion, as a tumult often arises from a multitude or throng of people (Matthew 27:24, Acts 21:34).
G994 boáō (to halloo, i.e. shout...): This captures the vocal chaos of a tumult, where people in the multitude cried out different things Acts 21:34.
G4183 polýs (much... many...): This word quantifies the intensity of the scene, as seen when people wailed greatly as part of the tumult Mark 5:38.

Theological Significance

The use of G2351 carries significant narrative weight, often highlighting moments where human passion and disorder intersect with divine events.

Disruption of Order: The term signifies a breakdown of social control, forcing figures of authority like Pilate to act in response to a chaotic tumult rather than established procedure Matthew 27:24. A commander in Acts is similarly unable to get information due to a tumult Acts 21:34.
A Tool of Opposition and Fear: The religious leaders feared creating a tumult among the people, which influenced their timing for arresting Jesus Matthew 26:5. Conversely, Paul specifically refutes the charge that he was found with a crowd or with tumult in the temple Acts 24:18.
Expression of Intense Emotion: The word is not limited to angry mobs. It also conveys the powerful and chaotic sound of collective grief, as seen in the tumult of those weeping and wailing at the house of the ruler of the synagogue Mark 5:38.

Summary

In summary, G2351 is more than a simple word for noise. It is a specific descriptor for a disruptive and chaotic disturbance, whether from a volatile mob, a public outcry, or intense communal grief. It consistently marks points in the narrative where human disorder presents a challenge or a backdrop to the unfolding of God's purposes, from the trial of Christ to the ministry of the apostles.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a noun across 7 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it. These are this word’s own inflections, not words built from it — for those, see Related Words.

θόρυβον
θόρυβος
θορύβου

Related Words

1 entry in Strong’s name this word as its origin. These are its derivatives — a different relationship from the inflected forms above, which are this same word bent by grammar.

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 7 verses across 3 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Acts (3 verses); never once in the other 24.

Matthew

Mark

Acts

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.