ἵστημι

hístēmi

G2476 verb

SILEX Entry

Root ἱστ- to cause to stand, to stand

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

primary "stand" 140 occurrences

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.

Alternatives (14 occurrences):
"set" (3x) "established" (2x) "having set" (2x) "put forward" (1x) "presented" (1x) "set up" (1x) "might set up" (1x) "appointed" (1x) "establish" (1x) "might establish" (1x)

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