G947 — βδελυκτός (bdelyktos)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: G947
Original: βδελυκτός
Transliteration: bdelyktos
Pronunciation: bdel-ook-tos'
Part of Speech: Adjective
Root: From G948 βδελύσσομαι (bdelyssomai) — to detest, abhor; ultimately from βδέω (bdeo, "to stink")
Occurrences: 1 verse in NT (1 token; 1 book)
First Occurrence: Tit 1:16 — "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."
Hapax Legomenon: YES — this form appears only once in the entire NT

Lexicon Definition¶

From βδελύσσομαι (bdelyssomai, G948): detestable, abominable. Specifically, idolatrous or morally loathsome. The verbal adjective form (-τος suffix) indicates a passive quality: "worthy of being abhorred," "deserving detestation." The word carries the visceral revulsion of its root (βδέω, "to stink") into a moral-religious judgment: these persons are not merely wrong but repulsive in the sight of God.

Thayer notes its occurrence in the LXX at Proverbs 17:15 (describing the one who justifies the wicked and condemns the just — "both are abomination to the LORD") and in the Apocrypha (Sirach, 2 Maccabees).

Louw-Nida Semantic Domain¶

G947 is not independently catalogued in the Louw-Nida database, but its cognates place it squarely in: - Domain: 25.17 — Abhor (sub-domain of "Attitudes and Emotions") - Related words in domain: βδέλυγμα (G946, noun: abomination), βδελύσσομαι (G948, verb: to abhor/detest)

UBS Semantic Domains¶

[025] Attitudes and Emotions — abhorrence, detestation, and what evokes revulsion

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

Translation	Count	%
abominable	1	100%

No translation variation — the single occurrence is rendered "abominable."

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
Titus	1	2.2

As a hapax legomenon, G947 appears only in Titus. Its cognates G946 (bdelygma) and G948 (bdelyssomai) appear in the Synoptics, Romans, and Revelation, but the adjective form is confined to Paul's Pastoral Epistles.

Semantic Categories¶

1. Moral-Religious Detestation — Character Exposed by Works¶

The sole NT occurrence applies βδελυκτός to persons whose professed knowledge of God is contradicted by their conduct. The word functions as a predicate adjective in a participial clause (βδελυκτοὶ ὄντες), characterizing the subjects as detestable in ongoing state. - Tit 1:16 — "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable (βδελυκτοί), and disobedient (ἀπειθεῖς), and unto every good work reprobate (ἀδόκιμοι)."

The three adjectives form a descending triad: (1) βδελυκτοί — detestable before God, (2) ἀπειθεῖς (G545) — disobedient/unpersuadable toward God's authority, (3) ἀδόκιμοι (G96) — failing the test, disqualified for any good work.

2. LXX Background — What God Finds Detestable¶

Though not a NT semantic category per se, the LXX usage at Proverbs 17:15 illuminates the word's moral force: "He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination (βδελυκτός) to the LORD." Here the adjective characterizes judicial perversion — reversing moral categories — as personally detestable to God.

Grammatical Note (Titus 1:16)¶

In its sole NT occurrence, βδελυκτοί is parsed as: - Form: βδελυκτοί — Nominative Plural Masculine - Construction: Predicate adjective in a causal participial phrase (βδελυκτοὶ ὄντες καὶ ἀπειθεῖς) modifying the implied subject of ὁμολογοῦσιν/ἀρνοῦνται - Function: Explains why their profession is hollow — they are, in their character, detestable

The full clause structure: - Θεὸν ὁμολογοῦσιν εἰδέναι — "They profess to know God" (Present Active Indicative) - τοῖς δὲ ἔργοις ἀρνοῦνται — "but by works they deny [him]" (Present Middle/Passive Indicative) - βδελυκτοὶ ὄντες καὶ ἀπειθεῖς — "being detestable and disobedient" (Present Active Participle of εἰμί) - καὶ πρὸς πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν ἀδόκιμοι — "and unto every good work reprobate"

Common Collocations¶

As a hapax, G947 has no independent collocation data. In its sole verse (Tit 1:16), it co-occurs with:

Word	Strong's	Relationship
ἀπειθής (apeithes)	G545	coordinate adjective — "disobedient"
ἀδόκιμος (adokimos)	G96	coordinate adjective — "reprobate/disqualified"
ὁμολογέω (homologeo)	G3670	antithetic verb — "profess/confess" (their profession contradicts their character)
ἀρνέομαι (arneomai)	G720	parallel verb — "deny" (their works deny God)
ἔργον (ergon)	G2041	instrument — "by works" reveals true character

Word Family / Cognates¶

G946 βδέλυγμα (bdelygma) — noun: a detestable thing, abomination (6v); the concrete object or state of abomination
G948 βδελύσσομαι (bdelyssomai) — verb: to detest, abhor (2v: Rom 2:22; Rev 21:8); the act of abhorring or being abhorred
All three derive from βδέω (bdeo, "to stink") — the root metaphor is olfactory revulsion applied to moral-religious judgment

Synonyms¶

G111 ἀθέμιτος (athemitos) — unlawful, abominable (2v: Acts 10:28; 1 Pet 4:3); emphasizes violation of statute/custom rather than visceral revulsion
G169 ἀκάθαρτος (akathartos) — unclean, foul (29v); ritual/demonic impurity rather than moral detestation
G150 αἰσχρός (aischros) — shameful, base; social disgrace rather than divine revulsion

Antonyms¶

G1184 δεκτός (dektos) — acceptable, accepted (5v); what is received favorably, the opposite of what is detested
G2101 εὐάρεστος (euarestos) — well-pleasing, acceptable (9v); specifically pleasing to God

Easily Confused Words¶

Word	Strong's	Shared Translation	Key Difference
βδελύσσομαι (bdelyssomai)	G948	both rendered "abominable" in KJV	G948 is the verb (action of abhorring or being abhorred — Rev 21:8 "the abominable"); G947 is the adjective (the quality of being detestable — Tit 1:16)
ἀθέμιτος (athemitos)	G111	both rendered "abominable" in KJV	G111 = unlawful/against established order (Acts 10:28 Peter's vision, 1 Pet 4:3 pagan practices); G947 = morally detestable before God, with connotation of revulsion
H8581 תָּעַב (taab)	H8581	"abominable" in KJV	Hebrew verb; broader OT usage for what God loathes — G947 is the Greek adjective equivalent

Hebrew Source¶

No direct LXX mapping data found for G947, which is expected for a word appearing only in the NT (Tit 1:16). However, the cognate noun G946 βδέλυγμα renders multiple Hebrew terms in the LXX:

Hebrew Source (via G946)	Strong's	Notes
תּוֹעֵבָה (to'ebah)	H8441	Primary — broad moral/ritual abomination
שִׁקּוּץ (shiqquts)	H8251	Specifically detestable/idolatrous objects
שֶׁקֶץ (sheqets)	H8263	Ritual filth (unclean creatures)

The adjective βδελυκτός draws from the same semantic field as its noun cognate and inherits the same Hebrew conceptual background.