Difference between revisions of "Leg"

<div> '''1: '''''Σκέλος''''' ''' (Strong'S #4628 — Noun Neuter — skelos — skel'-os ) </div> <p> "the leg from the hip downwards," is used only of the breaking of the "legs" of the crucified malefactors, to hasten their death, &nbsp;John 19:31-33 (a customary act, not carried out in the case of Christ, in fullfillment of &nbsp; Exodus 12:46; &nbsp;Numbers 9:12 ). The practice was known as skelokopia (from kopto, "to stike"), or, in Latin, crurifragium (from crus, "a leg," and frango, "to break"). </p>

<p> (1) שׁוק , <i> ''''' shōḳ ''''' </i> , [[Aramaic]] שׁק , <i> ''''' shoḳ ''''' </i> ; (2) כּרע , <i> ''''' kāra‛ ''''' </i> , dual כּרעים , <i> ''''' kerā‛ayim ''''' </i> ; (3) רגל , <i> ''''' reghel ''''' </i> ; σκέλος , <i> ''''' skélos ''''' </i> ; the King James Version translates also שׂבל , <i> ''''' shōbhel ''''' </i> , and צעדה , <i> ''''' ce‛ādhāh ''''' </i> , with "leg," but mistakenly): (1) The first [[Hebrew]] word ( <i> ''''' shōḳ ''''' </i> ) denotes the upper leg, and is therefore synonymous with [[Thigh]] (which see). It expresses metaphorically the muscular strength, and the pride of the runner. "He taketh no pleasure in the legs of a man" (&nbsp;Psalm 147:10 ). "His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold" (&nbsp;Song of Solomon 5:15 ). If the legs have lost their strength as in the lame or the Beri-beri patient, they become a metaphor for anything useless, inefficient or disappointing: "The legs of the lame hang loose; so is a parable in the mouth of fools" (&nbsp;Proverbs 26:7 ). The Aramaic form is found in the description of the image of Nebuchadnezzar, "its legs of iron" (&nbsp;Daniel 2:33 ). (2) <i> ''''' Kāra‛ ''''' </i> , dual <i> ''''' kerā‛ayim ''''' </i> , the "leg," "respecting the legs," mentioned as a portion of the paschal lamb (&nbsp;Exodus 12:9 ), or, usually, in connection with the head and the inwards, as a sacrificial portion (&nbsp;Exodus 29:17; &nbsp;Leviticus 1:9 , &nbsp;Leviticus 1:13; &nbsp;Amos 3:12 ). The word designates also the legs of leaping insects of the orthopterous family, locusts, etc., which were permitted as food to the [[Israelites]] (&nbsp;Leviticus 11:21 ). (3) <i> ''''' Reghel ''''' </i> , literally, "foot" (which see), found in this sense only once: "He (Goliath) had greaves of brass upon his legs" (&nbsp;1 Samuel 17:6 ). </p> <p> Two passages of wrong translation in the King James Version have been corrected by the Revised Version (British and American). The virgin daughter of [[Babylon]] is addressed: "Make bare the leg, uncover the thigh" (&nbsp;Isaiah 47:2 ), the Revised Version (British and American) renders: "Strip off the train ( <i> ''''' shōbhel ''''' </i> ), uncover the leg," the idea being that the gentle maid, who has been brought up in affluence and luxury, will have to don the attire of a slave girl and do menial work, for which her former garments are unsuited. The other passage is in &nbsp;Isaiah 3:20 , where the King James Version reads: "the bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs," the Revised Version (British and American) corrects: "the headtires ( <i> ''''' ce‛ādhāh ''''' </i> ), and the ankle chains." </p> <p> In the New [[Testament]] the word "leg" is found only in connection with the breaking of the legs of the persons crucified with the [[Saviour]] (&nbsp;John 19:31 , &nbsp;John 19:32 , &nbsp;John 19:33 ). We know from Roman and Greek authors that this was done as a <i> coup de grace </i> to shorten the miseries of criminals condemned to die on the cross. The practice bore the technical name of σκελοκοπία , <i> ''''' skelokopı́a ''''' </i> , Latin <i> crurifragium </i> . The verb σκελοποεῖν , <i> ''''' skelokopeı́n ''''' </i> ("to break the legs"), is found in the apocryphal [[Gospel]] of Peter (&nbsp;1 Peter 4:14 ), where it is distinctly stated that the legs of Jesus were not broken, that His sufferings on the cross might be extended, while the two malefactors crucified with Him were mercifully dispatched in this way. The <i> crurifragium </i> consisted of some strokes with a heavy club or mallet, which always materially hastened the death of the sufferer, and often caused it almost immediately. </p> <p> Edersheim, in <i> Ltjm </i> , II, 613, suggests that the breaking of legs was an additional punishment, and that it was always followed by a <i> coup de grace </i> , the <i> perforatio </i> or <i> percussio sub alas </i> , a stroke with sword or lance into the side. This, however, is not borne out by any classical information which is known to me, and is contradicted by the statement of the evangelist that Jesus received the percussio, while the malefactors endured the <i> crurifragium </i> . Compare on this subject, especially for parallels from classical authors, Sepp, <i> Das Leben [[Jesu]] </i> , VII, 441, and Keim, <i> Jesus von Nazara </i> (English translation), VI, 253, note 3. </p>

<p> is the rendering of several words in the A.V. Usually the Heb. term is '''''כָּרָע''''' '', Karla''' (only in the dual '''''כְּרָעִיַם''''' ), the lower limb or ''Shank'' of an animal (&nbsp;Exodus 12:9; &nbsp;Exodus 29:17; &nbsp;Leviticus 1:9; &nbsp;Leviticus 1:13; &nbsp;Leviticus 4:11; &nbsp;Leviticus 8:21; &nbsp;Leviticus 9:14; &nbsp;Amos 3:12) or a locust (&nbsp;Leviticus 11:21); the '''''Σκέλος''''' of a man (&nbsp;John 19:31-33). '''''שֹׁוֹק''''' , sh '''''Ô''''' k (Chald. '''''שָׁק''''' , ''Sh [['''''Â''''' K'']]  of an image, &nbsp;Daniel 2:33), is properly the shin or lower part of the leg, but used of the whole limb, e.g. of a person (&nbsp;Deuteronomy 28:13; &nbsp;Psalms 147:10; &nbsp;Proverbs 26:7; "thigh," &nbsp;Isaiah 47:2; in the phrase ''"Hip'' [q.v.] and thigh," &nbsp;Judges 15:7; spoken also of the drawers or ''Leggins,'' Song of Solomon v. 15); also the "heave ''Shoulder"'' (q.v.) of the sacrifice (&nbsp;Exodus 29:22, etc.; &nbsp;1 Samuel 9:24). Once by an extension of '''''רֶגֶל''''' , re'gel (&nbsp;1 Samuel 17:6), properly a foot (as usually rendered). [[Elsewhere]] improperly for '''''שֹׁבֶל''''' , sho'bel, the train or trailing dress of a female (&nbsp;Isaiah 47:2); and '''''צְעָדָה''''' , tseada', a step-chain for the feet, or perh. bracelet for the wrist ("ornament of the leg," &nbsp;Isaiah 3:20). (See Thigh). </p> <p> Goliath's greaves for his legs doubtless extended from the knee to the foot (&nbsp;1 Samuel 17:6). (See [[Greaves]]). The bones of the legs of persons crucified were broken to hasten their death (&nbsp;John 19:31). (See [[Crucifixion]]). </p>