Lexical Summary
aulé: Courtyard, court, palace
Original Word: αὐλή
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: aulé
Pronunciation: ow-LAY
Phonetic Spelling: (ow-lay')
KJV: court, (sheep-)fold, hall, palace
NASB: courtyard, court, fold, house, palace
Word Origin: [from aemi "to breathe unconsciously", i.e. respire]
1. a yard (as open to the wind)
2. (by implication) a mansion
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
courtyard, hall
From the same as aer; a yard (as open to the wind); by implication, a mansion -- court, (sheep-)fold, hall, palace.
see GREEK aer
HELPS Word-studies
833 aulḗ – a building with an interior courtyard; an uncovered, walled area that is enclosed but without a roof; an open-air (interior) courtyard of a mansion or palace.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originof uncertain origin
Definitiona courtyard, a court
NASB Translationcourt (3), courtyard (5), fold (2), house (1), palace (1).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 833: αὐλήαὐλή,
αὐλῆς,
ἡ (
ἄω to blow; hence) properly,
a place open to the air (
διαπνεόμενος τόπος αὐλή λέγεται,
Athen. 5, 15, p. 189 b.);
1. among the Greeks in Homers time an uncovered space around the house, enclosed by a wall, in which the stables stood (Homer, Odyssey 9, 185; Iliad 4, 433); hence, among the Orientals that roofless enclosure in the open country in which flocks were herded at night, a sheepfold: John 10:1, 16.
2. the uncovered court-yard of the house, Hebrew חָצֵר, the Sept. αὐλή, Vulg.atrium. In the O. T. particularly of the courts of the tabernacle and of the temple at Jerusalem; so in the N. T. once: Revelation 11:2 (τήν αὐλήν τήν ἔξωθεν (Rec.st ἔσωθεν) τοῦ ναοῦ). The dwellings of the higher classes usually had two αὐλαί, one exterior, between the door and the street, called also προαύλιον (which see); the other interior, surrounded by the buildings of the dwelling itself. The latter is mentioned Matthew 26:69 (where ἔξω is opposed to the room in which the judges were sitting); Mark 14:66; Luke 22:55. Cf. Winers RWB under the word Häuser; (B. D. American edition under the word
3. the house itself a palace: Matthew 26:3, 58; Mark 14:54; Mark 15:16; Luke 11:21; John 18:15, and so very often in Greek writings from Homer, Odyssey 4, 74 down (cf. Eustathius 1483, 39 τῷ τῆς αὐλῆς ὀνόματι τά δώματα δηλοῖ, Suidas col. 652 c. αὐλή. ἡ τοῦ βασιλέως οἰκία. Yet this sense is denied to the N. T. by Meyer et al.; see Meyer on Matthew, the passage cited).
Topical Lexicon
Semantic Field and Core Idea The word denotes an enclosed open space adjoining a dwelling—most commonly a domestic courtyard surrounding a house or palace—but it can also signify the walled enclosure that protects livestock, especially sheep. The sense of protection, separation, and controlled access lies at the heart of every New Testament occurrence.
Old Testament and Second-Temple Roots
In the Septuagint, cognate Hebrew terms translate to the courts of the Tabernacle and Temple (for example, Exodus 27:9; Psalm 84:2). These spaces were places of worship, secure boundaries set apart for holy activity. By the first century, Jewish homes frequently featured an inner court encircled by rooms, and the royal residences of the Herods mirrored Hellenistic palace architecture with large outer courts.
Occurrences in the Gospels
1. Palace Courtyard of the High Priest (Matthew 26:3, 26:58-69; Mark 14:54-66; Luke 22:55; John 18:15)
• Setting of Jesus’ nighttime trial and Peter’s denial.
• The courtyard’s proximity to the judgment chamber ties confession and denial to public witness.
2. Roman Praetorium Forecourt (Mark 15:16)
• Soldiers mock Jesus “inside the Praetorium, that is, the governor’s headquarters,” yet within its court. The enclosure highlights Roman power ironically arrayed against the King.
3. Sheepfold Metaphor (John 10:1, 10:16)
• “Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber.”
• Jesus identifies Himself as both Gate and Shepherd, guaranteeing safe entry and unity: “There will be one flock and one Shepherd.”
4. Parable of the Strong Man’s Courtyard (Luke 11:21)
• A strong man fully armed guards his own courtyard; only a stronger opponent can plunder him. The imagery stresses spiritual warfare and Christ’s victorious power to liberate captives.
Eschatological and Prophetic Use
Revelation 11:2 applies the word to the outer court of the future Temple: “But exclude the courtyard outside the temple; do not measure it, because it has been given to the nations.” The boundary line between measured sanctuary and unmeasured court becomes a symbol of divine sovereignty over judgment and preservation.
Theological Themes
• Access and Exclusion: Courtyards can shelter insiders while keeping intruders out. The gospel narrative places Jesus in settings where that barrier is crossed, whether by Peter’s fearful trespass or by Gentile occupation in Revelation.
• Covenant Protection: The sheepfold motif crystallizes the believer’s security under Christ’s pastoral care (John 10:27-29).
• Public Witness: Events in these open yet enclosed areas occur before watching crowds, underscoring that discipleship is never a private matter.
Ministry Implications
• Hospitality and Accountability: First-century courtyards served as gathering places; modern ministry settings should emulate their openness while maintaining spiritual boundaries.
• Shepherd Leadership: Pastors imitate the Good Shepherd by guarding the flock against thieves—false teachers who avoid the “gate” of Scriptural authority.
• Spiritual Warfare: Like the strong man’s court, every believer’s life is contested territory; victory comes through the “stronger” Christ who disarms the enemy (Colossians 2:15).
Typological Insight
The protective walls of the sheepfold prefigure the ultimate security of the New Jerusalem, whose gates “will never be shut” because nothing unclean can enter (Revelation 21:25-27). Temporal courtyards anticipate a perfected sanctuary where redeemed humanity enjoys unhindered fellowship with God.
Summary
Across twelve New Testament occurrences, the term moves from literal palace and praetorium courts to parabolic and prophetic images of spiritual enclosure. Whether describing the scene of Peter’s denial, the safety of Christ’s sheep, or the contested outer court of the Temple, it consistently points to themes of access, protection, and the decisive authority of Jesus Christ.
Forms and Transliterations
αυλαί αυλαίς αυλάς αυλη αυλή αὐλῇ αυλην αυλήν αὐλήν αὐλὴν αυλης αυλής αύλης αὐλῆς αυλών aule aulē aulêi aulē̂i aulen aulēn aulḗn aulḕn aules aulês aulēs aulē̂s
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