ἀφοράω
aphoráō
G872 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To direct one's gaze away from a particular object toward another, focusing attention deliberately; in extended sense, to perceive, regard, or contemplate with an intentional shift in attention. The primary meaning is to turn one's gaze or attention away from something and consider something else, often with careful observation or concentration.
Semantic Range
to look away from, to turn one's gaze from one thing to another, to fix attention deliberately, to regard, to contemplate attentively
Root / Etymology
From the prepositional prefix ἀπό (away from) and the verb ὁράω (to see, to look). The compounded form emphasizes the sense of turning the eyes or mind away from one thing to another.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical and Hellenistic Greek, ἀφοράω is rare and largely limited to higher literary registers, carrying the sense of 'looking away' or 'turning one's regard from.' In Koine Greek, especially within the Septuagint and New Testament literature, usage is extremely rare and context-dependent, most notably found in Hebrews 12:2, where the sense is to fix one's eyes attentively on (or away from) an object—shifting perspective intentionally. Standard English translations typically render it 'to look to' or 'to fix one's eyes on,' but this can obscure the nuance of diversion or deliberate attention-shift. The verb thus carries connotations of both visual and mental attention, often in connection with role models, examples, or objects of meditation. It is not a general term for 'to look' but signifies a purposeful redirection, which distinguishes it from terms like βλέπω, βλέπω, or σκοπέω, which have simpler senses of seeing or observing.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἀπό and ὁράω; to consider attentively:--look.
Root Family
ἀφοράω (aphoraō) — to see, to perceive, to direct one's gaze away, to regard attentively
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G872-01 |
ἀφίδω | aphido | V AOR ACT SUBJ 1P SG |
I see | I may turn my gaze away | see | 1 |
G872-02 |
ἀφορῶντες | aphorontes | V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL |
looking | turning their gaze toward | turning their gaze toward | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G872-01 |
Philippians 2:23 | ἀφίδω | aphido | V AOR ACT SUBJ 1P SG |
I see | I may turn my gaze away | see |
G872-02 |
Hebrews 12:2 | ἀφορῶντες | aphorontes | V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL |
looking | turning their gaze toward | turning their gaze toward |