ἐπεῖδον
epeîdon
G1896 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To look upon, to gaze at, or to direct one's attention to (a person or thing), typically with deliberate attention or consideration. Depending on context, may imply noticing, observing, perceiving, or regarding (with favor, indifference, or sometimes with evaluation or judgment).
Semantic Range
to look upon, to observe, to regard with attention, to behold, to direct one's focus toward, to notice
Root / Etymology
From a compound of ἐπί (upon, on) and εἶδον (second aorist of ὁράω, to see); literally 'to look upon' or 'to see upon.' The form ἐπεῖδον appears in aorist tenses as a variant of the verb ἐφοράω/ὁράω with the prefix ἐπί-.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical and Hellenistic Greek, ἐπεῖδον is aorist (past tense) and chiefly means 'looked upon' or 'beheld,' sometimes with the sense of seeing something with attention or recognition, beyond mere observation. The prefix ἐπί- adds the nuance of direction—'upon' or 'towards.' The verb may imply noticing something significant or turning one’s gaze to an object, person, or situation, with a range of emotional or evaluative connotations depending on the context (approval, pity, inquiry, etc.). In the Septuagint and New Testament, it appears in narrative or reporting contexts ('he looked upon them,' 'he regarded their situation'), sometimes reflecting or translating the Hebrew רָאָה בְּ (to see/upon), or to signal divine or human attention to a need or an event. English translations like 'behold' or 'look upon' can obscure whether the regard is favorable, neutral, or critical; the original Greek allows for all these nuances depending on context.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
and other moods and persons of the same tense; from ἐπί and εἴδω; to regard (favorably or otherwise):--behold, look upon.
Root Family
ἐπεῖδον (epeidon) — to see, to look, to observe
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1896-02 |
ἔπιδε | epide | V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG |
take note | Look upon! | Look upon | 1 |
G1896-01 |
ἐπεῖδεν | epeiden | V AOR ACT IND 3P SG |
he looked | he looked upon | he looked upon | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences