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ἐπιῤῥίπτω

epirrhíptō

G1977 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To throw, cast, or hurl something upon or onto another object or person; to cause an object to land with some force or intent upon a surface, whether literally—as in physically tossing something onto something else—or figuratively, as in transferring a burden, responsibility, or concern onto another entity. The primary lexical meaning is the physical action of throwing, with emergent figurative extension to transferring abstract burdens or cares.

Semantic Range

to throw upon, to cast upon, to hurl onto, to place decisively upon another (figurative: to shift or entrust responsibility or burden onto another)

Root / Etymology

Formed from the preposition ἐπί (“on, upon”) and the verb ῥίπτω (“to throw, cast, hurl”). This compound construction is typical of Koine Greek for creating verbs of directed action. The basic meaning follows straightforwardly from its constituent parts: 'to throw upon.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical and Hellenistic Greek, ἐπιῤῥίπτω is a compound with a clear spatial sense, used for both throwing physical objects (stones, cloaks, or burdens) onto people or things, and for metaphorical uses—especially in literary or rhetorical contexts—for placing or transferring nonphysical burdens or attributes onto a person or deity. In the Septuagint and New Testament, the figurative sense is especially prominent, as in 1 Peter 5:7 (ἐπιρίψαντες πᾶσαν τὴν μέριμναν ὑμῶν ἐπ' αὐτόν), where it means 'to entrust' or 'transfer anxiety or care onto' God. The nuance is not merely to hand over, but to decisively place or shift the burden. Standard English translations usually render it 'cast upon', but the sense of fully relinquishing or transferring the thing cast may be stronger in Greek than 'cast' necessarily conveys in modern English.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἐπί and ῥίπτω; to throw upon (literally or figuratively):--cast upon.

Root Family

ἐπιῤῥίπτω (epirrhiptō) — to throw, to cast, to hurl upon

Root ῥιπτ- to throw, to cast, to hurl

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G1977-01 ἐπιρίψαντες epiripsantes V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL casting having cast upon having cast upon 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G1977-01 Luke 19:35 ἐπιρίψαντες epiripsantes V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL having thrown having cast upon having thrown
G1977-01 1 Peter 5:7 ἐπιρίψαντες epiripsantes V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL casting having cast upon having cast upon
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