Bible Lexicons

";eaten by worms."; This compd. found in the NT only in Acts 12:23 occurs in PSI V. 490.14 (B.C. 258–7) ]την γενομένην σκωληκόβρωτον, where the hiatus prevents our knowing what was ";eaten by worms,"; perhaps κριθή. Cf. the use of the negative applied to grain in P Grad 7.11 (iii/B.C.) σπέρματ ̣ο ̣ς ̣ ἀ ̣σ ̣κ ̣ω ̣λ ̣ηκ ̣ο ̣β ̣[ρώ ]τ ̣ο ̣υ ̣. The word is applied to diseased grain by Theophrastus (C.P. v. 9. 1), and hence was regarded by Hobart (p. 42 f.) as ";medical,"; but the above citations show it in ordinary use (cf. Cadbury JBL xlv. (1926), p. 201). Add the occurrence of the subst. σκωληκοβρωσία in P Masp III. 67325 II. verso.16 (Byz.) (cited by Preisigke Wörterb. s.v.), and the similar compd. ἰχθυόβρωτος in Syll 584 (= .3 997).7 (i/B.C. ?) ὁ τούτων τι ποιῶν κακὸς κακῇ ἐξωλείᾳ ἀπόλοιτο, ἰχθυόβρωτος γενόμενος.