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Strong's Concordance
Greek Word Study

Strong's G2563 κάλαμος (kalamos)

Kalamos means “pen” — full meaning, definition, and every linked Bible usage across the indexed canon.

Same number, other testament: Strong's H2563 — chomer (“clay”) in the Hebrew Bible.

Strong's Number G2563
Language Greek
Linked Usages 34
Books 12

Strong's G2563 Quick Answer

Strong's G2563 κάλαμος (kalamos) is a Greek Strong's word-study entry. kalamos (kal'-am-os) n. 1. a reed (the plant or its stem, or that of a similar plant) 2. (by implication) a pen It has 34 linked Bible usages across 12 books. Visible English usage signals include reed and pen. Indexed coverage on this page includes New Testament, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, and Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha.

Meaning
kalamos (kal'-am-os) n. 1. a reed (the plant or its stem, or that of a similar plant) 2. (by implication) a pen
Usage
34 linked usages
Books
12 indexed books
Corpus
New Testament, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, and Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha
Usage Words
reed and pen

Meaning and Definition

kalamos (kal'-am-os) n. 1. a reed (the plant or its stem, or that of a similar plant) 2. (by implication) a pen [of uncertain affinity] KJV: pen, reed

Original Word
κάλαμος
Transliteration
kalamos
Morphology
noun

Across Lexicons

How independent scholarly lexicons define Strong's G2563. Each definition is shown with its source so you can compare and cite the original reference works.

Extended Strong's Greek Lexicon (Abbott-Smith based)

reed/stick/pen

Usage: κάλαμος, -ου, ὁ [in LXX chiefly for קָנֶה, Isa.42:3, Eze.40:3 ff., al. ;] a reed: Mat.11:7 12:20" (LXX) Luk.7:24; hence, accusative, to its various uses, __(a) a reed-pipe, flute; __(b) a reed-staff, staff (cf. 4Ki.18:21, ῥάβδος καλαμίνη): Mat.27:29-30, 48, Mrk.15:19, 36; __(with) a measuring reed or rod (Ez, l.with): Rev.11:1 21:15-16; __(d) a writing reed, a pen: III Jn 13 (cf. Milligan, NTD, 9, 7).† (AS)

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How Strong's G2563 Is Translated

The English word each shown verse actually uses to render kalamos, taken from the interlinear word alignment (the same word underlined in the excerpts below). Where a rendering is used more than once, the count is shown.

reed Matthew 11:7 11× pen 3 John 1:13

How Strong's G2563 Usage Compares

Indexed coverage includes Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, New Testament, and Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha. Each section below keeps corpus counts and sample passages visible so readers can compare the word across contexts instead of reading one flat concordance list.

  • The largest indexed corpus on this page is Septuagint / Greek Old Testament with 20 linked usages.
  • This page lets readers compare New Testament usage with Septuagint / Greek Old Testament usage, which is a key THF advantage over narrower Strong's pages.
  • Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha rows are counted separately so readers can decide how those texts relate to the main word study.

In the Septuagint (LXX)

Strong's G2563 (κάλαμος) appears 28 times in the Greek Septuagint — the Old Testament the New Testament authors quoted.

Sample Septuagint occurrences:

Read the full Greek Septuagint interlinear with Strong's →

Strong's G2563 by Corpus

Indexed usage grouped by testament and extended corpus so readers can compare this word across the Bible, Septuagint, deuterocanonical books, and 1 Enoch where present.

Strong's G2563 in the New Testament

12 indexed usages in New Testament.

Matthew 11:7 KJV

And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

Matthew 12:20 KJV

A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

Matthew 27:29 KJV

And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!

Strong's G2563 in the Septuagint / Greek Old Testament

20 indexed usages in Septuagint / Greek Old Testament.

Exodus 30:23 Septuagint / Brenton

Do thou also take sweet herbs, the flower of choice myrrh five hundred shekels, and the half of this two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet-smelling cinnamon, and two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet-smelling calamus,

Job 40:21 Septuagint / Brenton

He lies under trees of every kind, By the papyrus, and reed, and bulrush.

Psalms 44:2 Septuagint / Brenton

My heart has uttered a good matter: I declare my works to the king: My tongue is the pen of a quick writer.

Strong's G2563 in the deuterocanonical books / Apocrypha

2 indexed usages in Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha.

3 Maccabees 2:22 Septuagint / Brenton

Shaking him to and fro as a reed is shaken with the wind, he cast him upon the pavement, powerless, with limbs paralyzed; by a righteous judgment deprived of the faculty of speech.

3 Maccabees 4:20 Septuagint / Brenton

They said, and proved, that paper and pens had failed them for the carrying out of their purpose.

Usage Excerpts

First 34 linked usage excerpts for Strong's G2563.

Exodus 30:23 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
Do thou also take sweet herbs, the flower of choice myrrh five hundred shekels, and the half of this two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet-smelling cinnamon, and two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet-smelling calamus,
Job 40:21 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
He lies under trees of every kind, By the papyrus, and reed, and bulrush.
Psalms 44:2 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
My heart has uttered a good matter: I declare my works to the king: My tongue is the pen of a quick writer.
Psalms 67:31 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
Rebuke the wild beasts of the reed: Let the crowd of bulls with the heifers of the nations be rebuked, So that they who have been proved with silver may not be shut out: Scatter thou the nations that wish for wars.
Song of Solomon 4:14 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
Spikenard and saffron, Calamus and cinnamon; With all woods of Lebanon, Myrrh, aloes, with all chief spices:
Isaiah 19:6 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And the streams shall fail, and the canals of the river; and every reservoir of water shall be dried up, in every marsh also of reed and papyrus.
Isaiah 35:7 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And the dry land shall become pools, and a fountain of water shall be poured into the thirsty land; there shall there be a joy of birds, ready habitations and marshes.
Isaiah 42:3 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench; but he shall bring forth judgment to truth.
Ezekiel 40:3 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And he brought me in thither, and, behold, there was a man, and the appearance of him was as the appearance of shining brass, and in his hand was a builder’s line, and a measuring reed; and he stood at the gate.
Ezekiel 40:5 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And behold a wall round about the house without, and in the man’s hand a reed, the measure of it was six cubits by the cubit, and a span: and he measured across the front wall; the breadth was equal to the reed, and the length of it equal to the reed.
Ezekiel 40:6 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And he entered by seven steps into the gate that looks eastward, and he measured across the porch of the gate equal to the reed.
Ezekiel 40:7 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And the chamber was equal in length to the reed, and equal in breadth to the reed; and the porch between the chambers six cubits; and the second chamber equal in breadth to the reed, and equal in length to the reed, and the porch five cubits.
Ezekiel 40:8 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And the third chamber equal in length to the reed, and equal in breadth to the reed.
Ezekiel 41:8 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And as for the height of the house round about, each space between the sides was equal to a reed of six cubits;
Ezekiel 42:12 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
So were the measures of the chambers toward the south, and according to the doors at the entrance of the walk, as it were the distance of a reed for light, and eastward as one went in by them.
Ezekiel 42:16 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And he stood behind the gate looking eastward, and measured five hundred cubits with the measuring reed.
Ezekiel 42:17 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And he turned to the north and measured in front of the north side five hundred cubits with the measuring reed.
Ezekiel 42:18 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And he turned to the west, and measured in front of the west side, five hundred cubits with the measuring reed.
Ezekiel 42:19 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And he turned to the south, and measured in front of the south side, five hundred cubits by the measuring reed.
Ezekiel 42:20 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
The four sides he measured by the same reed, and he marked out the house and the circumference of the parts round about, a space of five hundred cubits eastward, and a breadth of five hundred cubits, to make a division between the sanctuary and the outer wall, that belonged to the design of the house.
Matthew 11:7 New Testament, KJV
And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
Matthew 12:20 New Testament, KJV
A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.
Matthew 27:29 New Testament, KJV
And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
Matthew 27:30 New Testament, KJV
And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.
Matthew 27:48 New Testament, KJV
And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.
Mark 15:19 New Testament, KJV
And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him.
Mark 15:36 New Testament, KJV
And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down.
Luke 7:24 New Testament, KJV
And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
3 John 1:13 New Testament, KJV
I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee:
Revelation 11:1 New Testament, KJV
And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
Revelation 21:15 New Testament, KJV
And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
Revelation 21:16 New Testament, KJV
And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
3 Maccabees 2:22 Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha, Septuagint / Brenton
Shaking him to and fro as a reed is shaken with the wind, he cast him upon the pavement, powerless, with limbs paralyzed; by a righteous judgment deprived of the faculty of speech.
3 Maccabees 4:20 Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha, Septuagint / Brenton
They said, and proved, that paper and pens had failed them for the carrying out of their purpose.

All Indexed Usage Links

Every indexed verse link for Strong's G2563, grouped by book.

Exodus 1 usage, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament
Job 1 usage, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament
Psalms 2 usages, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament
Song of Solomon 1 usage, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament
Isaiah 3 usages, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament
Ezekiel 12 usages, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament
Matthew 5 usages, New Testament
Mark 2 usages, New Testament
Luke 1 usage, New Testament
3 John 1 usage, New Testament
Revelation 3 usages, New Testament
3 Maccabees 2 usages, Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha

Strong's G2563 FAQ

What does kalamos (κάλαμος) mean?

Kalamos (Strong's G2563) is a Greek word most simply glossed "pen". kalamos (kal'-am-os) n. 1. a reed (the plant or its stem, or that of a similar plant) 2. (by implication) a pen

How many times is kalamos (κάλαμος) used in the Bible?

This page currently indexes 34 linked usages for Strong's G2563 across 12 books.

Where can I study kalamos (κάλαμος) in context?

Use the linked verse references on this page to study Strong's G2563 in context. The indexed coverage includes New Testament, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, and Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha.

What English words translate kalamos (κάλαμος)?

The visible usage excerpts most often surface English words such as reed and pen. These are scanning signals from the displayed verses, not replacements for the original-language definition.

Does Strong's G2563 appear in the Septuagint or deuterocanonical books?

Yes. The current local index includes 20 in Septuagint / Greek Old Testament and 2 in Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha for Strong's G2563, with linked reader references where each row is available.