ἵστημι
hístēmi
G2476 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To cause to stand, to place or set in a position (transitive); to stand, to remain standing, to stand still (intransitive). In various contexts, ἵστημι can mean to erect, establish, set up, appoint, make firm, or present, as well as to stay put, stand firm, stop, or remain. The sense oscillates between causing something or someone to be in a particular state or location, and the state of being in that position. Other contextual applications include standing fast (figuratively, i.e., remaining steadfast), establishing authority, or making a formal presentation (e.g., presenting oneself or another).
Semantic Range
to cause to stand, to make firm, to set up, to establish, to appoint, to present (formally), to place, to halt, to remain standing, to stand still, to persist, to endure, to stand by (as support), to stand fast (metaphorically), to present oneself or another in a legal or formal setting
Root / Etymology
Derived from the Greek root ἱστ- (hist-), related to the Proto-Indo-European root *steh₂- 'to stand.' Cognate with the Latin 'stare' and English 'stand.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
The verb ἵστημι is an old Indo-European word with a wide semantic range in both classical and Koine Greek. In classical Greek, it primarily meant 'to make to stand, to set, to place,' with intransitive senses (to stand, to halt) developing fully in epic and later prose. In the Koine period (including the Septuagint and New Testament), ἵστημι retains this breadth of meaning and frequently appears both transitively (causing to stand, establishing, appointing) and intransitively (standing, persisting, halting). Used metaphorically for causing something to be established or remain firm, such as a covenant or an office; in judicial or formal contexts, can denote presenting or designating a person. The perfect (ἕστηκα) regularly functions as a present, meaning 'I stand,' reflecting a long-term or ongoing state. Related verbs include τίθημι (to place) but differ in nuance: τίθημι focuses on the act of placing, while ἵστημι emphasizes uprightness or stability. English translations sometimes miss the distinction between active and stative senses; for instance, 'stand' may translate both 'cause to stand' and 'be standing,' depending on context. Cognate with terms across Indo-European languages; its metaphorical sense of establishing or upholding authority/ordinances is especially prominent in Hellenistic and New Testament texts.
Translation Consistency
Most occurrences and natural sense center on standing/remaining (intransitive) or causing to stand/set (transitive). Corpus counts favor "stand/standing/stood," and "stand" naturally covers literal and figurative uses (stand firm, stand by) while allowing context to supply transitive force (establish, appoint, set up) without awkwardness.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a prolonged form of a primary (of the same meaning, and used for it in certain tenses); to stand (transitively or intransitively), used in various applications (literally or figuratively):--abide, appoint, bring, continue, covenant, establish, hold up, lay, present, set (up), stanch, stand (by, forth, still, up). Compare τίθημι.
Root Family
ἵστημι (histēmi) — to cause to stand, to stand, to establish, to set in place
Word Forms
45 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2476-17 |
ἑστὸς | estos | V PRF ACT PTCP ACC N SG |
standing | having stood | having stood | 12 |
G2476-15 |
ἔστησαν | estesan | V AOR ACT IND 3P PL |
stood | they stood | they stood | 9 |
G2476-04 |
ἔστη | este | V AOR ACT IND 3P SG |
stood | you are | stood | 9 |
G2476-18 |
ἑστῶτα | estota | V PRF ACT PTCP ACC N PL |
standing | having stood | having stood | 8 |
G2476-10 |
ἕστηκεν | esteken | V PRF ACT IND 3P SG |
stands | stands established | stands established | 7 |
G2476-24 |
ἵστήκει | istekei | V PLPF ACT IND 3P SG |
stood | had been standing | had been standing | 7 |
G2476-25 |
ἵστήκεισαν | istekeisan | V PLPF ACT IND 3P PL |
stood | they had been standing | they had stood | 7 |
G2476-16 |
ἔστησεν | estesen | V AOR ACT IND 3P SG |
set | caused to stand | he caused to stand | 7 |
G2476-19 |
ἑστῶτας | estotas | V PRF ACT PTCP ACC M PL |
standing | having stood | standing | 6 |
G2476-30 |
σταθεὶς | statheis | V AOR PASS PTCP NOM M SG |
stood | having stood | having stood | 6 |
Occurrences in Scripture
154 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2476-02 |
Matthew 2:9 | ἐστάθη | estathe | V AOR PASS IND 3P SG |
stood | was set standing | was set standing |
G2476-16 |
Matthew 4:5 | ἔστησεν | estesen | V AOR ACT IND 3P SG |
had him stand | caused to stand | he caused to stand |
G2476-20 |
Matthew 6:5 | ἑστῶτες | estotes | V PRF ACT PTCP NOM M PL |
standing | having stood | standing |
G2476-35 |
Matthew 12:25 | σταθήσεται | stathesetai | V FUT PASS IND 3P SG |
will stand | he will be made to stand | will stand |
G2476-35 |
Matthew 12:26 | σταθήσεται | stathesetai | V FUT PASS IND 3P SG |
will stand | he will be made to stand | it will stand |
G2476-25 |
Matthew 12:46 | ἵστήκεισαν | istekeisan | V PLPF ACT IND 3P PL |
stood | they had been standing | were standing |
G2476-08 |
Matthew 12:47 | ἑστήκασιν | estekasin | V PRF ACT IND 3P PL |
are standing | they have stood | they have stood |
G2476-24 |
Matthew 13:2 | ἵστήκει | istekei | V PLPF ACT IND 3P SG |
stood | had been standing | had been standing |
G2476-21 |
Matthew 16:28 | ἑστώτων | estoton | V PRF ACT PTCP GEN M PL |
standing | of those standing | of those standing |
G2476-16 |
Matthew 18:2 | ἔστησεν | estesen | V AOR ACT IND 3P SG |
he set | caused to stand | he caused to stand |