Sexual promiscuity (2845) (koite) literally refers to a place for lying down and rest and thus refers to a bed or bedroom. Koite was used also of the den of an animal or the nest of a bird as well as of a box or basket.
In certain contexts it was used to refer to the marriage bed and conveyed the same idea of our English phrase "going to bed" does today. Koite is also described illicit sexual promiscuity, as in this present verse.
Barclay writes that koite...
literally means a bed and has in it the meaning of the desire for the forbidden bed. This was the typical heathen sin. The word brings to mind the man who sets no value on fidelity and who takes his pleasure when and where he will. (Barclay, W: The Daily Study Bible Series, Rev. ed. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press)
Luke uses koite literally writing...
and from inside he shall answer and say, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' (Luke 11:7)
Koite is used of the honored marriage bed, the writer of Hebrews exhorting the readers to...
"Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed (koite) be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge." (Heb 13:4-note)
Earlier Paul used koite to describe legitimate conception...
And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac (Ro 9:10-note)
Comment: Here koite occurs in the expression koiten echousa, (literally = bed having) and is a euphemism for coitus, and, by expansion, conception and pregnancy.
Koite - 4x in NAS - Lk 11:7; Ro 9:10, Ro 13:13; Heb 13:4. NAS = bed, 2; conceived, 1; sexual promiscuity, 1.
Koite is found some 81 times in the Septuagint - LXX (Ge 49:4; 10.23" class="scriptRef">Ex 10:23; 21.18" class="scriptRef">21:18; Lev 15:4, 5, 16, 17, 21, 23, 24, 26, 32; 20" class="scriptRef">18:20, 22, 23; 19.20" class="scriptRef">19:20; 13" class="scriptRef">13" class="scriptRef">20:13; 22:4; Nu 5:13, 20; 31:17-18, 35; 11-Judg.21.12" class="scriptRef">Judges 21:11,12; 2Sa 4:5, 11; 11:2, 13; 13:5; 17:28; 1 Ki 1:47; 1 Chr 5:1; Est 4:17; Job 7:13; 33:15, 19; 36:28; 37:8; 38:40; Ps 4:4; 36:4; 41:3; 149:5; Pr 7:17; Song 3:1; Isaiah 11:8; 17:2; 56:10; 57:7; Jer 10:22; 50:6; Ezek 23:17; Dan 2:28, 29; 4:5, 8, 10, 13; 7:1, 2; Hos 7:14; Mic 2:1, 12)
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Greek Word Studies ( - )
Read freely Greek Word Studies from the Austin Precept text commentary of the Bible in text and pdf format. Precept Austin is an online free dynamic bible commentary similar to wikipedia with updated content and many links to excellent biblical resources around the world. You can browse the entire collection of Commentaries by Verse on the Precept Austin website.We have been "bought with a price" to be "ambassadors for Christ" and our "salvation is nearer to us than when we believed" so let us "cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" "so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming." (1Cor 6:20, 2Cor 5:20, Ro 13:11, 2Cor 7:1, 1Jn 2:28)