Greek word · G2911

κρημνός

krēmnos

cliff

A steep slope, an overhanging bank, a precipice. Greek writers from Homer and Herodotus onward use it for river banks that have been cut away and for cliffs.

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

κρημνός, -οῦ, ὁ

(κρεμάννυμι), [in LXX: 2 Chronicles 25:12 (סֶלַע)* ;]

a steep bank: Matthew 8:32, Mark 5:13, Luke 8:33.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Matthew 8:32

Range of meaning

A steep slope, an overhanging bank, a precipice. Greek writers from Homer and Herodotus onward use it for river banks that have been cut away and for cliffs.

Against the English

WEB's 'cliff' suggests a sheer drop. BSB/ESV/NASB 'steep bank' and KJV/YLT 'steep place' are closer to the general sense. The word covers both a precipice and a very steep slope down to water.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the NT it occurs only in the three Synoptic accounts of this event.

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 8:32 κρημνοῦ steep bank

    “Go!” He told them. So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and died in the waters.

    Here: A steep slope or overhanging bank. It need not be a sheer cliff, but it was steep enough that a running herd could not stop.

Mark · 1

  1. Mark 5:13 κρημνοῦ steep bank

    He gave them permission, and the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs, and the herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the water.

Luke · 1

  1. Luke 8:33 κρημνοῦ steep bank

    Then the demons came out of the man and went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.