ὄρνις (ornis)
ornis
hen
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun ornis refers broadly to a bird, but in the New Testament it carries a specific affectionate weight by denoting a hen or a mother bird. This usage appears only twice, both within Jesus’ own words during His final week in Jerusalem. In these passages, the word evokes the natural instinct of a brooding hen to gather her chicks under her wings for protection and warmth.
Jesus employs this image in Matthew 23:37 and Luke 13:34 to describe His longing to protect the people of Jerusalem. By choosing ornis rather than a generic term for bird, He highlights the tenderness and vulnerability of divine care. The metaphor suggests that safety is found not in fleeing, but in coming close to the shelter provided by God’s love.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word ornis usually means any kind of bird, but in the New Testament it carries a specific affectionate weight by denoting a hen or a mother bird. This usage appears only twice, both within Jesus’ own words during His final week in Jerusalem. In these passages, the word evokes the natural instinct of a brooding hen to gather her chicks under her wings for protection and warmth.
Jesus employs this image in Matthew 23:37 and Luke 13:34 to describe His longing to protect the people of Jerusalem. By choosing ornis rather than a generic term for bird, He highlights the tenderness and vulnerability of divine care. The metaphor suggests that safety is found not in fleeing, but in coming close to the shelter provided by God’s love.
This image invites us to consider how we respond to divine protection. It reminds us that God’s desire is to gather us in safety, offering warmth and refuge from the storms of life. This gentle imagery encourages trust in His care, even when circumstances feel uncertain or fearful.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a hen [gathers]1×
- a hen1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ὄρνις2×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 23:37
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!
This occurrence highlights Jesus' personal longing to protect Jerusalem, using the hen metaphor to express a tender, protective desire that was rejected by the city.
-
Luke 13:34
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, like a hen gathers her own brood under her wings, and you refused!
Here the word underscores the sorrow of refusal, showing that divine protection is offered freely but requires a willing response from those who seek safety under His wings.