ἐρέω
eréō
G2046
SILEX Entry
Definition
To speak, declare, pronounce in words; used primarily of direct speech or narration. The verb conveys the act of giving voice to words, especially in formal announcements, reported speech, or when narrating or referencing what is said by oneself or others. Depending on context, it may apply to reciting, proclaiming, or simply stating something aloud.
Semantic Range
to say, to speak, to utter, to declare, to pronounce, to recite, to tell, to call (by name), to report
Root / Etymology
The origin is related to the root ῥε-/ἐρ-, shared with ἔπω (epō, to say, to speak), and ultimately cognate with ῥέω (rheō, to flow) in some older Indo-European terms meaning 'to speak' (words as in a flowing stream), though the connection is partly thematic and partly morphological; etymology uncertain beyond Indo-European verbal root for uttering. In Koine Greek, ἐρέω is mostly an alternative form of ἔπω in certain tense forms and rare outside compound and poetic/literary usage.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, ἐρέω frequently appears in epic poetry (notably Homer) where it is a standard verb for 'saying' or 'declaring,' especially in direct speech. In the Septuagint and the New Testament, the verb is comparatively rare, found mainly in aorist and future forms (such as εἶπον, ἐρῶ), and is functionally interchangeable with other verbs of speaking or saying (esp. λέγω and φημί), though with a literary or formal flavor. Standard English translations generally render ἐρέω simply as 'say,' 'speak,' or 'tell,' but the word carries the nuance of formally pronounced speech or narration, often in the context of reporting discourse. Its primary use in post-classical and Koine Greek is as an alternate aorist and future of ἔπω, and its finite forms may be replaced by λέγω in regular prose. Unlike λέγω, which conveys a broader sense of 'speaking,' ἐρέω often introduces direct speech or serves as a device for reported narrative. In the Septuagint, it may render multiple underlying Hebrew verbs for 'say' or 'declare.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably a fuller form of ῥέω; an alternate for ἔπω in certain tenses; to utter, i.e. speak or say:--call, say, speak (of), tell.
Word Forms
0 distinct forms
No word forms found for this Strong's number.
Occurrences in Scripture
0 occurrences
No occurrences found.