πρόβατον

πρόβατον, -ου, τό

(προβαίνω), [in LXX chiefly for צֹאן, also for שֶׂה, more rarely for כֶּבֶשׂ (כֶּשֶׂב), רָחֵל ;]

1. in Hom., Hdt., cattle, esp. of small cattle, sheep and goats.

2. In NT, as in Attic writers generally (cf. MM, xxi), a sheep: Matt 7,15, Mark 6,34, al.; πρόβατα σφαγῆς, Rom 8,36 (LXX). Metaphorical (in cl. of timidity, stupidity or idleness), of the followers of a leader or master, esp. of those who are subject to the care of the Good Shepherd: Matt 10,6; 15,24; 26,31" (LXX) Mark 14,27 (LXX), Joh 10,7-8, 15-16; 10,26-27; 21,16-17 (WH txt., προβάτια), Hebr 13,20 opposite to ἐρίφια, Matt 25,33,

προβάτιον, -ου, τό,

dimin. of πρόβατον (used as a term of endearment, see El., § 27, 4), a little sheep: Joh 21,16-17 (πρόβατα, WH, mg.).†