### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **kōlon**, represented by `{{G2966}}`, is a term for a **carcase**. It comes from a base word meaning a limb of the body, as if it were lopped off. It appears just **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the Bible, highlighting its very specific application.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its sole biblical appearance, `{{G2966}}` is used to describe the grim outcome for the generation of Israelites who sinned against God. The author of Hebrews asks with whom God was grieved for forty years, answering that it was with those whose **carcases** `{{G2966}}` fell in the wilderness [[Hebrews 3:17]]. This starkly illustrates the physical finality of judgment on their disobedience.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide context for the event where the **carcases** fell:
* `{{G264}}` **hamartánō** (to sin): This word explains the reason for the judgment. The Israelites' **carcases** fell because they had **sinned** [[Hebrews 3:17]]. The concept is central to scripture, which states that all have **sinned** [[Romans 3:23]].
* `{{G4360}}` **prosochthízō** (to feel indignant at): This describes God's emotional response to the sin. He was **grieved** with that generation [[Hebrews 3:10]], leading to the severe consequence of their deaths in the wilderness.
* `{{G4098}}` **píptō** (to fall): This verb is directly linked to **kōlon** in its only appearance, describing the action of the **carcases** as they **fell** in the wilderness [[Hebrews 3:17]]. The term is also used metaphorically as a warning to believers to take heed lest they **fall** [[1 Corinthians 10:12]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{G2966}}` is concentrated in its single, impactful use.
* **Physicality of Judgment:** The term **kōlon** emphasizes the tangible and severe consequences of sin. It is not an abstract concept but a reference to the physical bodies of those who perished due to their disobedience [[Hebrews 3:17]].
* **God's Grief and Wrath:** The context connects the fallen **carcases** directly to God being **grieved** `{{G4360}}` for forty years. This illustrates that rebellion against God invokes a response that culminates in judgment.
* **A Warning Against Unbelief:** The use of this word in Hebrews serves as a powerful historical warning. The fate of the Israelites, whose **carcases** littered the wilderness, is presented as a sobering example for believers to avoid falling into the same pattern of sin [[Hebrews 3:17]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{G2966}}` is a highly specific term translated as **carcase**. Its single use in the Bible is powerful, providing a graphic illustration of the finality of divine judgment. It serves as a stark reminder in [[Hebrews 3:17]] of the consequences faced by the generation that sinned in the wilderness, linking their physical death directly to their rebellion against God.
TRV