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βοάω

boáō

G994 verb

SILEX Entry

Root βοά- to cry out, to shout, to call loudly

Definition

To cry out loudly, to call or shout with a strong voice; used for making a loud vocal appeal, especially in urgent or emotional situations. The term signifies raising one's voice to draw attention, whether for help, proclamation, or to express strong feeling. Contextually, can denote an emotional plea, an urgent summons, or simply loud vocalization intended to be heard by others.

Semantic Range

to cry out loudly, to shout, to call or exclaim with a raised voice, to appeal vocally in distress or summons, to make a public proclamation in a loud voice

Root / Etymology

Rooted in the stem βοά-, which conveys the idea of loud vocalization or a powerful shout. No certain further derivation; possibly imitative of sound.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, βοάω is attested from Homeric times and refers broadly to crying out, shouting, or calling loudly, often in battle, public address, or urgent need. It commonly appears in epic poetry to describe heroes or deities voicing powerful calls. In the Septuagint, it frequently translates Hebrew verbs for crying out to God or in distress (such as צָעַק, זָעַק), thereby acquiring a nuance of prayerful lament or urgent supplication. In the New Testament, βοάω is used for both literal loud cries (e.g., Bartimaeus calling for Jesus in Mark 10:47) and figurative proclamation. Standard English translations (e.g., 'cry', 'shout', 'call out') often do not capture the word’s emotional and physical force in context. The verb frequently carries a sense of desperation, urgence, or announcement. Distinguished from κράζω (krazō; 'to cry out, scream'), which can describe more intense or disorderly vocalization; βοάω emphasizes volume and intent for others to hear.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

apparently a prolonged form of a primary verb; to halloo, i.e. shout (for help or in a tumultuous way):--cry.

Root Family

βοάω (boaō) — cry out, shout, call loudly

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
G994-05 βοῶντος boontos V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M SG of one crying of one crying out loudly 4
G994-06 ἐβόησεν eboesen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG cried out he cried out 3
G994-03 βοῶντες boontes V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL crying those crying out loudly 2
G994-01 βόησον boeson V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG cry aloud Cry out! 1
G994-04 βοώντων boonton V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M PL crying out of those crying out 1
G994-02 βοῶντα boonta V PRS ACT PTCP ACC N PL crying out crying out loudly 1

Occurrences in Scripture

12 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
G994-05 Matthew 3:3 βοῶντος boontos V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M SG crying of one crying out loudly
G994-05 Mark 1:3 βοῶντος boontos V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M SG of one crying of one crying out loudly
G994-06 Mark 15:34 ἐβόησεν eboesen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG cried out he cried out
G994-05 Luke 3:4 βοῶντος boontos V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M SG of one crying of one crying out loudly
G994-06 Luke 9:38 ἐβόησεν eboesen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG cried out he cried out
G994-04 Luke 18:7 βοώντων boonton V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M PL crying out of those crying out
G994-06 Luke 18:38 ἐβόησεν eboesen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG he called out he cried out
G994-05 John 1:23 βοῶντος boontos V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M SG of one crying of one crying out loudly
G994-02 Acts 8:7 βοῶντα boonta V PRS ACT PTCP ACC N PL crying out crying out loudly
G994-03 Acts 17:6 βοῶντες boontes V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL shouting those crying out loudly
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