ἐπιβοάω
epiboáō
G1916
SILEX Entry
Definition
To call out, cry out, or shout to someone or in response to a situation, often with urgency or intensity. It can denote a loud exclamation directed toward someone, petitioning for attention or intervention, sometimes in opposition or protest. In certain contexts, it may express a collective or public outcry.
Semantic Range
to cry out to (for aid or attention); to exclaim against; to issue a loud, urgent call; to make a public outcry; to appeal by shouting
Root / Etymology
From ἐπί (upon, to, against) and βοάω (to shout, cry out). The compound suggests emphasis or directionality to the act of crying out, enhancing the sense of urgent or directed exclamation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, βοάω generally means to cry out, shout, or raise one's voice, often in situations of distress or to attract attention; the prefix ἐπί intensifies or specifies the direction or target of the cry. The compound verb ἐπιβοάω is relatively rare and is encountered mostly in later Hellenistic or Koine contexts, including the Septuagint and the New Testament. In the Septuagint, it can denote both directed calls for help and public outcries, sometimes with a note of opposition or accusation ("to cry out against"). In the New Testament, the verb typically indicates an insistent or urgent public cry, often in situations of appeal or demand (e.g., an exclamation for mercy, justice, or attention). English translations sometimes render the term simply as "cry out" or "exclaim," but the directional or insistent nuance can be lost. Related verbs such as κραυγάζω or κράζω also denote loud or public cries, but ἐπιβοάω carries a more pointed or targeted emphasis due to the prepositional prefix.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἐπί and βοάω; to exclaim against:--cry.
Word Forms
0 distinct forms
No word forms found for this Strong's number.
Occurrences in Scripture
0 occurrences
No occurrences found.