ἡμιθανής
hēmithanḗs
G2253 substantive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Literally 'half-dead'; pertains to a state of being in which a person is near death, barely alive, or extremely weakened—so feeble or close to lifelessness as to be on the threshold between life and death. Can describe someone severely wounded, entirely exhausted, or in a critical condition but not yet deceased.
Semantic Range
half dead, nearly dead, on the verge of death, critically weakened, entirely exhausted
Root / Etymology
From ἥμισυς ('half') and θνῄσκω ('to die'); a compound adjective formed to convey the sense of being 'halfway' or 'partially' dead. The compound employs ἡμι- ('half-') prefixed to the participial stem of θνῄσκω.
Historical & Contextual Notes
ἡμιθανής is a rare word in Greek literature and does not appear in classical sources outside Koine. Its known New Testament usage is Luke 10:30 (the parable of the man beaten by robbers and left ἡμιθανῆ), describing a critical state closer to death than merely 'wounded.' The term reflects a vivid, almost clinical observation of physical near-death rather than a technical medical status. Standard English translations often render it as 'half dead' or 'nearly dead'; however, the Greek term emphasizes the precarious boundary between life and death, possibly overstating the nuance of 'halfway' to underscore the man's utter exhaustion or severity of his condition. In LXX and other Koine usage, the term remains rare and is not employed as a fixed term for medical prognosis. Compared to related adjectives (e.g., νεκρός, 'dead'; τεθνεώς, 'deceased'; ἀσθενής, 'weak'), ἡμιθανής specifically signals a transitional state, more dire than simple weakness or illness.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from a presumed compound of the base of ἥμισυ and θνήσκω; half dead, i.e. entirely exhausted:--half dead.
Root Family
ἡμιθανής (hēmithanēs) — half, to die, half-dead, near death
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2253-01 |
ἡμιθανῆ | emithane | ADJ.S ACC M SG |
half dead | half-dead one | half-dead one | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2253-01 |
Luke 10:30 | ἡμιθανῆ | emithane | ADJ.S ACC M SG |
half dead | half-dead one | half-dead one |