Word Study for G5432 (φρουρέω)

phrouréō /froo-reh'-o/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom a compound of πρό and ὁράω

Meaningto be a watcher in advance, i.e. to mount guard as a sentinel (post spies at gates); figuratively, to hem in, protect

KJV usagekeep (with a garrison). Compare τηρέω.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of phrouréō — 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 phrouréō, represented by G5432, means to mount guard as a sentinel, or figuratively, to hem in and protect. Its core meaning is drawn from the idea of a military garrison. It appears 5 times across 4 unique verses in the Bible, illustrating a concept of being guarded or kept.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, G5432 carries both a literal and a figurative sense. The literal military application is seen in 2 Corinthians, where the governor of Damascus "kept the city... with a garrison" to prevent an escape 2 Corinthians 11:32. Figuratively, the word describes divine protection, as in Philippians 4:7 where the "peace of God... shall keep" the hearts and minds of believers. This protective sense is also seen in 1 Peter 1:5, where believers are "kept by the power of God." A different figurative use appears in Galatians 3:23, where, before the arrival of faith, people were "kept under the law," indicating a state of being watched over or confined.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the context in which G5432 is used:

G1515 eirḗnē (peace; by implication, prosperity): This is the agent that actively "keeps" the hearts of believers, highlighting that the guard is a state of divine tranquility from God Philippians 4:7.
G1411 dýnamis (force; specially, miraculous power): This is the source of the believer's protection, emphasizing that God's own power is the garrison that keeps them secure unto salvation 1 Peter 1:5.
G4102 pístis (persuasion... faith): Faith is the condition through which believers are kept by God's power 1 Peter 1:5. It is also the reality that the law was guarding people "unto" Galatians 3:23.
G4788 synkleíō (to shut together, i.e. include or... embrace in a common subjection to): This word is used alongside G5432 to reinforce the idea of confinement under the law, describing people as being "shut up" until faith was revealed Galatians 3:23.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G5432 is significant, highlighting how God guards His people and His purposes.

Active Spiritual Protection: The word is used to describe how God's peace and power actively function as a sentinel over the inner life of a believer, protecting their heart and mind in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7, 1 Peter 1:5).
The Law as a Guardian: Before the coming of Christ, the law served a guarding function. It kept people "shut up" or in protective custody, preserving them for the coming revelation of faith Galatians 3:23.
Preservation for Salvation: The act of being "kept" is directly linked to the final outcome of salvation, which is ready to be revealed in the last time. The guarding is not temporary but ensures a future deliverance 1 Peter 1:5.

Summary

In summary, G5432 is a powerful term describing the act of guarding with military-like vigilance. Whether used literally for a city under watch or figuratively for a believer's heart, it conveys a sense of being kept secure. This security can be for loving protection by God's power and peace, or for restrictive confinement under the law until the appointed time of faith.

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 verb across 4 occurrences, inflected in 4 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Future Active Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Imperfect Active Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Imperfect Passive Indicative 1st Plural 1×
Present Passive Participle Accusative Plural Masculine 1×

Accusative: The direct object of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
1st: First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Imperfect: Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Future: Action yet to take place.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Passive: The subject is acted upon.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

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 4 verses across 4 of the 27 books. 4 books tie for most frequent (1 verse each); never once in the other 23.

2 Corinthians

Galatians

Philippians

1 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.