The Greek word choîros, represented by G5519, is the term for a hog or swine. Of uncertain derivation, it appears 14 times across 13 unique verses in the Bible. While referring to a literal animal, it is consistently used in contexts that denote ritual uncleanness, degradation, and the profane.
In biblical narratives, G5519 appears in several significant accounts. It is central to the story of the Gadarene demoniac, where unclean spirits beg Jesus to be sent into a herd of swine, which then run violently down a steep place into the sea and perish (Matthew 8:32, Mark 5:13). The term also marks the lowest point for the prodigal son, who is sent to feed swine and becomes so desperate that he longs to eat their husks Luke 15:15-16. Metaphorically, Jesus uses the animal to represent those who would desecrate what is holy, instructing his followers not to cast pearls before swine Matthew 7:6.
Several related words provide a fuller picture of the context surrounding G5519:
- G34 agélē (herd): This word for "a drove" is used repeatedly to describe the large group of swine that the demons enter before rushing to their destruction (Matthew 8:31, Mark 5:11).
- G1006 bóskō (to feed, keep): This verb means to pasture or feed. It is used to describe the job of those who kept the swine that were possessed Mark 5:14 and the humiliating task given to the prodigal son Luke 15:15.
- G2911 krēmnós (steep place): This term for a precipice is found exclusively in the accounts of the possessed swine, describing the cliff from which the herd ran violently into the sea or lake (Matthew 8:32, Luke 8:33).
- G2965 kýōn (dog): In a key teaching, dogs are mentioned alongside swine as animals unable to appreciate what is sacred, reinforcing the idea of profane creatures who would defile holy things Matthew 7:6.
- G2769 kerátion (husk): This word refers to the carob-tree pods eaten by the swine in the parable of the prodigal son, symbolizing the absolute depth of his degradation Luke 15:16.
The theological weight of G5519 is tied to its consistent use as a symbol for impurity and the profane.
- Emblem of Degradation: The association with swine represents the ultimate state of desperation and uncleanness for the prodigal son, a low point from which he finally resolves to return to his father Luke 15:15-16.
- Vessel for the Unclean: The fact that demons specifically request to be sent into a herd of swine highlights the animal's symbolic connection to the demonic and impure in the biblical mindset Mark 5:12.
- Rejection of the Holy: Jesus's teaching not to cast pearls before swine establishes the animal as a metaphor for people who are hostile to spiritual truth and will only "trample" it underfoot Matthew 7:6.
In summary, G5519 is more than just the word for a hog. It is a potent biblical symbol for uncleanness, degradation, and that which is profane. Whether as the literal destination for cast-out demons, the charge of a son at his lowest point, or a metaphor for those who would reject the sacred, swine consistently represent a state of being contrary to holiness and righteousness.
TRV