κρημνός

a crag, precipice

Definition

Κρημνός refers to a steep, rugged cliff or precipice, often a sheer rock face or a dangerously steep bank. In the New Testament, it consistently describes a place of extreme vertical drop, specifically a cliff near the Sea of Galilee where the Gerasene demoniac's herd of pigs plunged to their deaths (Matthew 8:32, Mark 5:13, Luke 8:33). The word emphasizes the abrupt, hazardous nature of the terrain, not merely a hill or slope, but a place from which a fatal fall is inevitable. All three Gospel accounts use this term identically to depict the same dramatic geographical feature in the miracle narrative.

Biblical Usage

This word is used exclusively in the parallel accounts of Jesus casting demons into a herd of pigs in the region of the Gerasenes (or Gadarenes). In all three occurrences—Matthew 8:32, Mark 5:13, and Luke 8:33—it describes the 'steep bank' or 'precipice' down which the possessed herd rushed and drowned in the sea below. The usage is strictly geographical and narrative, serving to highlight the sudden, destructive end of the demons' destructive power as Jesus demonstrates His authority.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek verb κρεμάννυμι (kremannymi, G2910), meaning 'to hang' or 'suspend.' Thus, a κρημνός is etymologically a 'hanging' or 'overhanging' place—a cliff that seems to hang over a void. This root connection vividly conveys the sense of a perilous, vertical drop. The word is a native Greek term, not a borrowing, and its meaning remained stable in Koine Greek.

Semantic Range

While primarily a geographical term, κρημνός holds theological significance in its narrative context. It marks the point of destruction for the unclean spirits, symbolizing the ultimate futility and self-destructive end of evil when confronted by the authority of Christ (Luke 8:33). The precipice becomes an instrument of divine judgment, demonstrating Jesus's power over the spiritual realm and His ability to decisively remove a source of torment and uncleanness from the community. Understanding this sharp, fatal imagery enriches the reading by emphasizing the completeness of Jesus's victory in this encounter.

In the cultural context of first-century Palestine, steep cliffs like the κρημνός were recognized as common, dangerous features of the landscape around the Sea of Galilee. The story would resonate with listeners familiar with the terrain, making the sudden destruction of a large herd plausible and dramatic. The location also carries symbolic weight, as the sea was often viewed in ancient thought as a chaotic, abyssal place, making the plunge of the unclean animals into it a fitting end.

πέτρα (petra, G4073) — a mass of rock or bedrock, more general than a cliff. ὄρος (oros, G3735) — a mountain or hill, without the specific connotation of a sheer drop.

Word Details

Scripture References