βάλλω

bállō

G906 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To throw or cast something, typically with force or purpose; to let fall, put, or place something, often in a deliberate or active manner. Extended meanings include to pour, to position by throwing (such as casting lots), to throw down or strike, and in some contexts, to lay down or place (without the connotation of violence).

Semantic Range

to throw, to cast, to hurl, to put, to lay, to place, to pour, to strike, to send, to drive, to drop (something), to set down

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root βαλ- (ball-), an old and fundamental verb in Greek with Indo-European roots. Cognate with ῥίπτω (rhiptō), though βάλλω is generally more formal and covers a broader semantic range.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Βάλλω is a widely attested verb in both classical and Hellenistic Greek. In classical usage, it regularly describes throwing objects with the hand (stones, weapons) but is also used metaphorically. In the Septuagint, it translates several Hebrew verbs for 'throwing,' 'casting,' or 'placing.' In the New Testament, its usage remains active and wide-ranging: physical acts of throwing or casting (Mt 5:29, throwing into Gehenna), casting out (excluding someone), placing (such as lying sick or setting something down), or metaphorically casting/bringing forth (as with nets or lots). The English translation tradition renders βάλλω variably as 'cast,' 'throw,' 'lay,' 'put,' and even 'pour,' reflecting this broad semantic scope. Βάλλω differs from ῥίπτω, which tends to indicate throwing with less care or more suddenness. While βάλλω can indicate violence or force, it can also simply mean to put or place, depending on idiom and context.

Translation Consistency

primary "throw" 17 occurrences

βάλλω most frequently means to throw/cast/hurl. "Throw" is the natural, modern English verb that captures the primary forceful/action sense across contexts (cast down, hurl, throw into, send, drop) while remaining idiomatic. It is preferable to the more formal/archaic "cast" and will yield more natural SIBI renderings even when sense shifts to placing or putting (these can be handled by context or secondary phrasing).

Alternatives (33 occurrences):
"cast" (10x) "thrown" (6x) "he/she/it threw" (4x) "having been cast" (2x) "lying" (2x) "threw" (2x) "put" (2x) "having been thrown" (1x) "having poured" (1x) "casting" (1x) "putting" (1x) "those casting" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primary verb; to throw (in various applications, more or less violent or intense):--arise, cast (out), X dung, lay, lie, pour, put (up), send, strike, throw (down), thrust. Compare ῥίπτω.

Root Family

βαλ- (ekbállō) — to throw, to cast, to put

Root βαλ- to throw, to cast, to put
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
G1544 ἐκβάλλω Drive out!
G1685 ἐμβάλλω to throw into
G2598 καταβάλλω being cast down
G306 ἀναβάλλομαι he deferred for himself
G905 βαλάντιον money pouches

Word Forms

41 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G906-36 ἔβαλεν ebalen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG cast he/she/it threw he/she/it threw 21
G906-01 βάλε bale V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG cast Throw! Throw! 11
G906-40 ἐβλήθη eblethe V AOR PASS IND 3P SG was thrown was cast was cast 9
G906-03 βαλεῖν balein V AOR ACT INF to put to throw to throw 8
G906-38 ἔβαλον ebalon V AOR ACT IND 3P PL they cast they cast they threw 8
G906-06 βάλλει ballei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG puts throws throws 6
G906-17 βάλλουσιν ballousin V PRS ACT IND 3P PL do they put they are casting they are throwing 4
G906-31 βληθῆναι blethenai V AOR PASS INF to be thrown to be cast to be thrown 4
G906-08 βάλλεται balletai V PRS PASS IND 3P SG is thrown is being cast is being thrown 3
G906-18 βάλω balo V AOR ACT SUBJ 1P SG put I may cast I may put 3

Occurrences in Scripture

122 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G906-08 Matthew 3:10 βάλλεται balletai V PRS PASS IND 3P SG is thrown is being cast is being thrown
G906-01 Matthew 4:6 βάλε bale V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG throw Throw! Throw!
G906-13 Matthew 4:18 βάλλοντας ballontas V PRS ACT PTCP ACC M PL casting those casting those throwing
G906-30 Matthew 5:13 βληθὲν blethen V AOR PASS PTCP NOM N SG to_be_thrown having been cast having been cast
G906-32 Matthew 5:25 βληθήσῃ blethese V FUT PASS IND 2P SG you be cast you will be cast you will be cast
G906-01 Matthew 5:29 βάλε bale V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG cast Throw! Throw!
G906-27 Matthew 5:29 βληθῇ blethe V AOR PASS SUBJ 3P SG should be cast may be cast may be cast
G906-01 Matthew 5:30 βάλε bale V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG throw Throw! Throw!
G906-12 Matthew 6:30 βαλλόμενον ballomenon V PRS PASS PTCP ACC M SG thrown being cast being cast
G906-04 Matthew 7:6 βάλητε balete V AOR ACT SUBJ 2P PL cast you may cast you may throw
G906-08 Matthew 7:19 βάλλεται balletai V PRS PASS IND 3P SG is thrown is being cast is being thrown
G906-26 Matthew 8:6 βέβληται bebletai V PRF PASS IND 3P SG is lying has been cast has been cast
G906-23 Matthew 8:14 βεβλημένην beblemenen V PRF PASS PTCP ACC F SG lying having been cast lying
G906-24 Matthew 9:2 βεβλημένον beblemenon V PRF PASS PTCP ACC M SG lying having been cast having been thrown
G906-17 Matthew 9:17 βάλλουσιν ballousin V PRS ACT IND 3P PL do they put they are casting they are throwing
G906-17 Matthew 9:17 βάλλουσιν ballousin-2 V PRS ACT IND 3P PL they put they are casting they are throwing
G906-03 Matthew 10:34 βαλεῖν balein V AOR ACT INF to bring to throw to throw
G906-03 Matthew 10:34 βαλεῖν balein-2 V AOR ACT INF to bring to throw to throw
G906-21 Matthew 13:42 βαλοῦσιν balousin V FUT ACT IND 3P PL they will throw they will cast they will cast
G906-29 Matthew 13:47 βληθείσῃ bletheise V AOR PASS PTCP DAT F SG cast to a having-been-cast one having been cast
G906-38 Matthew 13:48 ἔβαλον ebalon V AOR ACT IND 3P PL they cast they cast they threw
G906-21 Matthew 13:50 βαλοῦσιν balousin V FUT ACT IND 3P PL they will throw they will cast they will cast
G906-03 Matthew 15:26 βαλεῖν balein V AOR ACT INF to throw to throw to throw
G906-01 Matthew 17:27 βάλε bale V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG cast Throw! Throw!
G906-01 Matthew 18:8 βάλε bale V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG throw Throw! Throw!
G906-31 Matthew 18:8 βληθῆναι blethenai V AOR PASS INF to-be-thrown to be cast to be thrown
G906-01 Matthew 18:9 βάλε bale V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG cast Throw! Throw!
G906-31 Matthew 18:9 βληθῆναι blethenai V AOR PASS INF to be cast to be cast to be thrown
G906-36 Matthew 18:30 ἔβαλεν ebalen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG threw he/she/it threw he/she/it threw
G906-34 Matthew 21:21 βλήθητι bletheti V AOR PASS IMP 2P SG be thrown Be cast be cast
G906-03 Matthew 25:27 βαλεῖν balein V AOR ACT INF to have put to throw to put
G906-20 Matthew 26:12 βαλοῦσα balousa V AOR ACT PTCP NOM F SG poured having thrown having poured
G906-03 Matthew 27:6 βαλεῖν balein V AOR ACT INF to put to throw to throw
G906-14 Matthew 27:35 βάλλοντες ballontes V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL casting throwing casting
G906-06 Mark 2:22 βάλλει ballei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG puts throws throws
G906-01 Mark 4:26 βάλῃ bale V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG should cast Throw! should cast
G906-03 Mark 7:27 βαλεῖν balein V AOR ACT INF throw it to throw to throw
G906-24 Mark 7:30 βεβλημένον beblemenon V PRF PASS PTCP ACC N SG lying having been cast lying
G906-36 Mark 7:33 ἔβαλεν ebalen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG he put he/she/it threw he put
G906-36 Mark 9:22 ἔβαλεν ebalen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG it hath cast he/she/it threw he/she/it threw
G906-26 Mark 9:42 βέβληται bebletai V PRF PASS IND 3P SG has been thrown has been cast has been cast
G906-31 Mark 9:45 βληθῆναι blethenai V AOR PASS INF to be thrown to be cast to be thrown
G906-31 Mark 9:47 βληθῆναι blethenai V AOR PASS INF to be thrown to be cast to be thrown
G906-34 Mark 11:23 βλήθητι bletheti V AOR PASS IMP 2P SG be cast Be cast be cast
G906-06 Mark 12:41 βάλλει ballei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG puts throws throws
G906-37 Mark 12:41 ἔβαλλον eballon V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL were putting they were throwing were putting
G906-36 Mark 12:42 ἔβαλεν ebalen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG put in he/she/it threw he/she/it threw
G906-36 Mark 12:43 ἔβαλεν ebalen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG has put he/she/it threw he/she/it threw
G906-15 Mark 12:43 βαλλόντων ballonton V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M PL contributing of those casting of those casting
G906-38 Mark 12:44 ἔβαλον ebalon V AOR ACT IND 3P PL did cast they cast they threw