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: Mt 7:15, Mk 6:34, al.; πρόβατα σφαγῆς, Ro 8:36(LXX). Metaph. (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: Mt 10:615:2426:31(LXX), Mk 14:27(LXX), Jo 10:7, 8, 15, 16, 26, 2721:16, 17 (WH txt., προβάτια), He 13:20; opp. to ἐρίφια, Mt 25:33.