ἑλκόω
helkóō
G1669 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To form or be affected with ulcers or sores; to develop an ulcerous condition. In passive or middle usage, refers to being afflicted with ulcerations or being covered with sores.
Semantic Range
to ulcerate, to become ulcerated, to develop sores, to be covered with sores, to be afflicted with ulcers
Root / Etymology
From the noun ἕλκος (hélkos, 'ulcer, sore') and the verbal ending -όω, forming a verb meaning 'to make sore' or 'to ulcerate.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
ἑλκόω is a rare verb, primarily medical in sense, attested in Hellenistic medical literature and found in the New Testament at Luke 16:20-21 to describe the condition of the poor man Lazarus ('covered with sores'). In other contexts, it describes pathological ulceration, the process by which the skin or tissue develops open running sores. It does not carry strong metaphorical or symbolic meanings in known literature; its sense is almost exclusively clinical or descriptive of physical ailment. In the Greek medical tradition, related words describe a broad range of ulcerative conditions, but ἑλκόω specifically emphasizes the process or result of becoming covered with ulcers. English translations have commonly rendered it as 'full of sores,' but this slightly undertranslates the nuance of active ulceration. The Septuagint does not use this verb extensively; it is otherwise quite rare in Koine Greek non-medical contexts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἕλκος; to cause to ulcerate, i.e. (passively) be ulcerous:--full of sores.
Root Family
ἑλκόω (helkoō) — to ulcerate, to develop sores, to cause to be covered with sores
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1669-01 |
εἱλκωμένος | eilkomenos | V PRF PASS PTCP NOM M SG |
full of sores | having been ulcerated | full of sores | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1669-01 |
Luke 16:20 | εἱλκωμένος | eilkomenos | V PRF PASS PTCP NOM M SG |
full of sores | having been ulcerated | full of sores |