English · KJV
G5268

ὑποζύγιον

hypozýgion /hoop-od-zoog'-ee-on/ Ask about this word
Meaningneuter of a compound of ὑπό and ζυγός; an animal under the yoke (draught-beast), i.e. (specially), a donkey
KJV usageass.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of hypozýgion — 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 hypozýgion, represented by G5268, refers to an animal under the yoke (draught-beast), specifically a donkey or ass. It appears 2 times in 2 unique verses in the Bible. The term is derived from a compound of ὑπό and ζυγός, literally meaning an animal that is placed under a yoke.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, G5268 appears in two distinct contexts. First, it is used in the prophecy concerning the arrival of the King to the daughter of Sion, describing him as meek and sitting on a colt, the foal of an ass Matthew 21:5. Second, it is found in the account where a prophet was rebuked for his iniquity when the "dumb ass" spoke with a man's voice to forbid his madness 2 Peter 2:16.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide deeper context for the role of G5268:

  • G3688 ónos (an ass): This word for donkey is used in parallel with G5268 in the description of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem Matthew 21:5.
  • G880 áphōnos (dumb): This describes the natural state of the ass before it miraculously speaks, emphasizing its voicelessness 2 Peter 2:16.
  • G1649 élenxis (rebuke): The miraculous speech of the ass G5268 is the means of rebuke against the prophet's transgression 2 Peter 2:16.
  • G5456 phōnḗ (voice): This word is used for the "man's voice" that the dumb ass was given, highlighting the supernatural nature of the event 2 Peter 2:16.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G5268 is demonstrated in its two appearances:

  • Prophetic Humility: The word is used to fulfill a prophecy where the King's arrival is marked by meekness. His choice of an ass signifies a humble and peaceful entry to Sion, contrasting with a conquering king on a warhorse Matthew 21:5.
  • Divine Intervention: In a striking display of God's sovereignty, an G5268 becomes the instrument of divine correction. A creature that is dumb G880 is given a voice to forbid the madness of a prophet, showing that God can use any part of His creation to rebuke iniquity 2 Peter 2:16.

Summary

In summary, though used only twice, G5268 is a significant term. It defines an animal central to two important narratives: the humble arrival of the King to Sion and the supernatural rebuke of a wayward prophet. Through this simple term for a draught-beast, scripture illustrates profound themes of meekness, fulfilled prophecy, and God's power to intervene in extraordinary ways.

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 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

  • Genitive Singular Neuter 1×
  • Nominative Singular Neuter 1×
Nominative
The subject of the verb.
Genitive
Possession or source — often "of".
Singular
One.
Neuter
Neuter grammatical gender.

Related Words

Related

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.

G3688 ὄνος apparently a primary word; a donkey:--an ass. G880 ἄφωνος from Α (as a negative particle) and φωνή; voiceless, i.e. mute (by nature or choice); figuratively, unmeaning:--dumb, wi G1649 ἔλεγξις from ἐλέγχω; refutation, i.e. reproof:--rebuke. G5456 φωνή probably akin to φαίνω through the idea of disclosure; a tone (articulate, bestial or artificial); by implication, an ad

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 2 verses across 2 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Matthew and 2 Peter (1 verse each); never once in the other 25.

1
Matthew
1
2 Peter

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, 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.