ποτίζω
potízō
G4222 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To cause someone or something to drink, to provide liquid (usually water) for drinking, to water, to irrigate. The term is used both literally—for supplying drink to a person or an animal, and for watering plants or fields—and, in some cases, metaphorically (e.g., to refresh, to nurture or to sustain). Primary meaning: to provide with liquid for drinking; contextual senses can include irrigating vegetation or metaphorically sustaining or refreshing.
Semantic Range
to make (someone) drink, to provide drink, to water (as plants), to irrigate, to refresh or sustain (metaphorically), to serve liquid to someone
Root / Etymology
Derived from a causative form of πίνω (to drink); the stem ποτιδ- or ποτιζ- forms a denominative verb meaning 'to make or cause to drink.' The verb formation is from the alternate stem of πίνω (pinō), 'to drink.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical and Hellenistic Greek, ποτίζω primarily means to give someone or something a drink or to provide water, including irrigating fields. It is attested in secular Greek (Herodotus, Hippocrates) and frequently in Septuagint and Koine sources in both literal (providing water or liquid) and metaphorical (providing spiritual or moral nourishment) contexts. In agricultural usage, it often refers to watering or irrigating plants—common in the Septuagint, where God 'waters the earth.' In the New Testament, the term is most often literal (Matthew 25:35, 37, 42; Romans 12:20 'if your enemy is thirsty, give him something to drink'), though Paul utilizes it metaphorically (1 Corinthians 3:6-8 'I planted, Apollos watered'). Standard English translations as 'give to drink' or 'water' usually capture the primary meaning but may not fully convey its agricultural or metaphorical nuances. Not to be confused with verbs for food (τρέφω, 'to feed'), though the idea of refreshment or sustaining is sometimes conceptually close.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from a derivative of the alternate of πίνω; to furnish drink, irrigate:--give (make) to drink, feed, water.
Root Family
ποτίζω (potizō) — to cause to drink, to give to drink, to water, to irrigate
Word Forms
11 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4222-11 |
ποτίζων | potizon | V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG |
watering | causing to drink | 2 |
G4222-08 |
ποτίσῃ | potise | V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG |
gives | may cause to drink | 2 |
G4222-03 |
ἐποτίσατέ | epotisate | V AOR ACT IND 2P PL |
you were giving drink | 2 | |
G4222-06 |
ἐπότιζεν | epotizen | V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG |
gave to drink | was giving drink | 2 |
G4222-01 |
ἐπότισα | epotisa | V AOR ACT IND 1P SG |
I gave to drink | I gave drink | 1 |
G4222-07 |
πεπότικεν | pepotiken | V PRF ACT IND 3P SG |
has made drink | has caused to drink | 1 |
G4222-02 |
ἐποτίσαμεν | epotisamen | V AOR ACT IND 1P PL |
we gave to drink | 1 | |
G4222-04 |
ἐπότισεν | epotisen | V AOR ACT IND 3P SG |
watered | he gave drink | 1 |
G4222-05 |
ἐποτίσθημεν | epotisthemen | V AOR PASS IND 1P PL |
were made to drink | we were caused to drink | 1 |
G4222-10 |
ποτίζει | potizei | V PRS ACT IND 3P SG |
water | he/she/it causes to drink | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
15 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4222-08 |
Matthew 10:42 | ποτίσῃ | potise | V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG |
may cause to drink | |
G4222-03 |
Matthew 25:35 | ἐποτίσατέ | epotisate | V AOR ACT IND 2P PL |
you were giving drink | |
G4222-02 |
Matthew 25:37 | ἐποτίσαμεν | epotisamen | V AOR ACT IND 1P PL |
we gave to drink | |
G4222-03 |
Matthew 25:42 | ἐποτίσατέ | epotisate | V AOR ACT IND 2P PL |
you were giving drink | |
G4222-06 |
Matthew 27:48 | ἐπότιζεν | epotizen | V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG |
was giving drink | |
G4222-08 |
Mark 9:41 | ποτίσῃ | potise | V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG |
gives | may cause to drink |
G4222-06 |
Mark 15:36 | ἐπότιζεν | epotizen | V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG |
gave to drink | was giving drink |
G4222-10 |
Luke 13:15 | ποτίζει | potizei | V PRS ACT IND 3P SG |
water | he/she/it causes to drink |
G4222-09 |
Romans 12:20 | πότιζε | potize | V PRS ACT IMP 2P SG |
give drink | keep giving drink |
G4222-01 |
1 Corinthians 3:2 | ἐπότισα | epotisa | V AOR ACT IND 1P SG |
I gave to drink | I gave drink |