κοῦμι
koûmi
G2891 Aramaic loanword
SILEX Entry
Definition
An imperative word meaning 'rise!' or 'arise!', directly addressing a person (feminine) and commanding them to stand up or to get up from a position of lying or death. The word is used as a direct speech element representing an Aramaic command in Greek narrative. Its use is restricted to quotation, specifically reproducing the original language spoken by Jesus in the narrative context.
Semantic Range
rise!, arise!, get up!, (imperative command to stand, addressed to a female)
Root / Etymology
Borrowed into Greek from the Aramaic קוּמִי (qûmī, 'arise!' feminine singular imperative of קום 'to rise, stand up'). Used transliterated in the Greek text to preserve the original spoken phrase.
Historical & Contextual Notes
κοῦμι appears only once in the New Testament (Mark 5:41), where it is part of the phrase 'ταλιθὰ κουμὶ', reflecting the reported words of Jesus. This is not a natively Greek word but a transliteration of spoken Aramaic. The word is feminine in form, matching the gender of the girl being addressed in the narrative. No evidence of usage in non-biblical Greek sources; it is best understood as a direct loan for the purposes of accurate narrative representation, typical of Mark's Gospel occasionally retaining Aramaic expressions. Standard English translations render this 'arise', 'get up', or similar; these capture the imperative function but may not reflect the specifically feminine or Semitic character of the word. In the broader Second Temple and Koine context, κοῦμι is unique to this biblical citation and not part of standard Koine speech.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Chaldee origin (קוּם); cumi (i.e. rise!):--cumi.
Root Family
קוּם (koûmi) — to rise, to stand up
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2891-01 |
κοῦμ | koum | TF |
koum | Arise! | Koumi | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2891-01 |
Mark 5:41 | κοῦμ | koum | TF |
koum | Arise! | Koumi |