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κάθημαι

káthēmai

G2521 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To be seated, to sit (in a place or on something); to take a seated position; in extended or figurative senses, to remain in a place, to dwell, to reside, or to be situated. The primary sense is physical sitting or being seated, with extensions to figurative or settled presence (as in residing or dwelling in a place).

Semantic Range

to sit, to be seated, to take one's seat, to reside, to dwell, to remain, to be situated

Root / Etymology

Compound verb formed from κατά (kata, 'down' or 'according to') and the root ἧμαι (hēmai, 'to be seated, to sit'). Related to the base of ἑδραῖος ('sitting, steadfast') and ἕδρα ('seat'). ἧμαι itself is a stative verb from Proto-Indo-European *sed- (‘to sit, to settle’).

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, κάθημαι typically denotes the simple act of sitting, either in a physical location or on an object. In Hellenistic and Koine Greek, including the Septuagint and New Testament, the verb maintains its literal meaning but can also signify 'to remain,' 'to reside,' or 'to dwell,' depending on context (especially in participation in a place or a group, e.g., sitting among teachers, Luke 2:46, or sitting at a city gate). The figurative sense of 'dwelling' or 'residing' arises especially in LXX translation of Hebrew יָשַׁב (yashav), broadening the semantic range beyond the strictly physical act of sitting. The English translation 'sit' generally captures the literal meaning, but can miss contexts where a more extended sense ('reside,' 'be present,' or 'dwell') is intended, particularly in Semitic-influenced Greek of the LXX and New Testament.

Translation Consistency

primary "sit" 80 occurrences

The primary and most natural sense of κάθημαι is to take a seated position or to be seated; ‘sit’ is the simple, common English verb that covers physical sitting and easily extends to idiomatic/figurative uses (e.g., sit as remain or be situated). It is concise, natural-sounding, and fits the typical usage across the semantic range.

Alternatives (11 occurrences):
"those being seated" (6x) "seated" (5x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from κατά; and (to sit; akin to the base of ἑδραῖος); to sit down; figuratively, to remain, reside:--dwell, sit (by, down).

Root Family

κάθημαι (kathēmai) — to sit, to be seated, to remain

Root καθ- to sit, to be seated, to remain

Word Forms

18 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2521-11 καθήμενος kathemenos V PRS MID PTCP NOM M SG sitting the one being seated the one sitting 16
G2521-10 καθήμενον kathemenon V PRS MID PTCP ACC M SG sitting being seated sitting 12
G2521-01 ἐκάθητο ekatheto V IMPF MID IND 3P SG sat was sitting he was sitting 11
G2521-12 καθημένου kathemenou V PRS MID PTCP GEN M SG sitting of the one sitting of the one sitting 9
G2521-07 καθημένῳ kathemeno V PRS MID PTCP DAT M SG sitting to the one seated to the one sitting 8
G2521-18 κάθου kathou V PRS MID IMP 2P SG Sit Be seated Sit down 7
G2521-08 καθήμενοι kathemenoi V PRS MID PTCP NOM M PL sitting those sitting those sitting 7
G2521-13 καθημένους kathemenous V PRS MID PTCP ACC M PL sitting those being seated those being seated 6
G2521-09 καθημένοις kathemenois V PRS MID PTCP DAT M PL sitting to those seated to those sitting 4
G2521-17 κάθηται kathetai V PRS MID IND 3P SG sits is seated is seated 2

Occurrences in Scripture

91 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2521-11 Matthew 4:16 καθήμενος kathemenos V PRS MID PTCP NOM M SG were sitting the one being seated the one sitting
G2521-09 Matthew 4:16 καθημένοις kathemenois V PRS MID PTCP DAT M PL who were sitting to those seated to those sitting
G2521-10 Matthew 9:9 καθήμενον kathemenon V PRS MID PTCP ACC M SG sitting being seated sitting
G2521-09 Matthew 11:16 καθημένοις kathemenois V PRS MID PTCP DAT N PL sitting to those seated to those sitting
G2521-01 Matthew 13:1 ἐκάθητο ekatheto V IMPF MID IND 3P SG sat was sitting he was sitting
G2521-15 Matthew 13:2 καθῆσθαι kathesthai V PRS MID INF sat to be seated to sit
G2521-01 Matthew 15:29 ἐκάθητο ekatheto V IMPF MID IND 3P SG sat down was sitting he was sitting
G2521-14 Matthew 19:28 καθήσεσθε kathesesthe V FUT MID IND 2P PL you will sit you will be seated you will sit
G2521-08 Matthew 20:30 καθήμενοι kathemenoi V PRS MID PTCP NOM M PL sitting those sitting those sitting
G2521-18 Matthew 22:44 κάθου kathou V PRS MID IMP 2P SG Sit Be seated Sit down
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