ἀγέλη (agelē)

The noun agelē refers to a herd of cattle or swine, describing a group of animals kept together for agricultural purposes. It appears seven times in the New Testament, primarily within the Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The word derives from the verb ageō, meaning "to lead," which highlights the natural tendency of these animals to follow one another as a unit under guidance.

Lexical sources note that this Greek term often translates the Hebrew word ʿēder in the Septuagint, where it similarly denotes a flock or herd. This linguistic connection underscores the pastoral imagery familiar to first-century audiences. The most prominent usage occurs in the accounts of the Gerasene demoniac, where a large herd of swine is possessed by demons and subsequently destroyed (Matthew 8:30-32; Mark 5:11-13; Luke 8:32-33). In these narratives, the agelē represents significant economic value and social disruption when its members are lost.

Translators consistently render agelē as "herd" to distinguish it from terms used for flocks of sheep or birds. The word carries no inherent theological symbolism beyond its literal meaning of livestock; however, its placement in exorcism stories emphasizes the tangible impact of spiritual power on the material world. The destruction of the herd serves as a concrete marker of the demon’s departure and the owner’s subsequent loss.