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Greek · G402 · unreviewed

ἀναχωρέω

To retire

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ἀναχωρέω G402
Pronunciation anachōréō

What does ἀναχωρέω (anachōréō) mean in the Bible?

ἀναχωρέω (anachōréō) is a Greek word meaning "to retire". ἀνα-χωρέω, -ῶ [in LXX for בָּרַח, נוּם, etc.

Full entry for ἀναχωρέω (G402) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to retire
Extended definition

To withdraw or retreat, often implying escape from danger or threat rather than mere retirement

1to go back.
2to withdraw: Mat.9:24; frequently in sense of avoiding danger (MM, VGT, see word), Mat.2:12 (but see Thayer), Mat.2:13-14, 22 4:12 12:15 14:13 15:21 27:5, Mrk.3:7, Jhn.6:15, Act.23:19 26:31.
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses
Aorist Present
Voices
Active
Indicative states a fact or reality 10×
Aorist Active Matt 2:14 · Matt 2:22 · Matt 4:12 · Matt 12:15 · Matt 14:13 · Matt 15:21 · Matt 27:5 · Mark 3:7 · John 6:15 · Matt 2:12 10×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 3×
Aorist Active Matt 2:13 · Acts 23:19 · Acts 26:31 3×
Imperative command or strong request 1×
Present Active Matt 9:24 1×
14 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 14 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
completed 10 imperative 1 participle 3
Tense
aorist 13 present 1
Voice
active 14
Mood
indicative 10 participle 3 imperative 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 2:12 ἀνεχώρησαν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 2:13 Ἀναχωρησάντων aorist active participle participle Matthew 2:14 ἀνεχώρησεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 2:22 ἀνεχώρησεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 4:12 ἀνεχώρησεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 9:24 Ἀναχωρεῖτε present active imperative imperative Matthew 12:15 ἀνεχώρησεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 14:13 ἀνεχώρησεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 15:21 ἀνεχώρησεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 27:5 ἀνεχώρησεν aorist active indicative completed Mark 3:7 ἀνεχώρησεν aorist active indicative completed John 6:15 ἀνεχώρησεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 23:19 ἀναχωρήσας aorist active participle participle Acts 26:31 ἀναχωρήσαντες aorist active participle participle

Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.

Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

Biblical Witnesses
Matthew 2:12 warned anachōréō Indicative · Aorist Active
to withdraw or depart to avoid danger, specifically Herod's threat
Matthew 2:13-14 flee anachōréō Indicative · Aorist Active
to withdraw and escape to Egypt, avoiding imminent threat to the child
Matthew 4:12 withdrew anachōréō Indicative · Aorist Active
to retire or withdraw upon hearing of John's arrest
Matthew 12:15 withdrew anachōréō Indicative · Aorist Active
to retire from a location to avoid conflict with the Pharisees
Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

Matthew 12 — The Lord of the Sabbath, the Servant of the Lord, and the Crisis of Unbelief Matthew 14 — The Death of John, the Compassion of Jesus, and the Son of God over Bread, Sea, and Fear Matthew 4 — The Tested Son, the Kingdom Proclaimed, and the First Disciples Called

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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