κατάνυξις
katányxis
G2659 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A state of numbness or deep insensibility; primarily denotes a condition of being stunned, rendered insensitive, or in a spiritual context, a condition of moral or spiritual stupor. Its primary sense is of a literal or figurative numbness—an unresponsive, dazed, or dulled state that may result in missed understanding or lack of perception, particularly concerning divine matters.
Semantic Range
numbness, insensibility, stunned or dazed condition, spiritual or moral stupor, state of dulled perception
Root / Etymology
Derived from the verb κατανύσσω (katanýssō, 'to prick sharply, to pierce through'), itself from κατά ('down, thoroughly') + νύσσω ('to prick, to pierce'). Some confusion may exist in later Greek with words relating to νέυω ('to nod') or νύξ ('night'), but these are not the primary roots.
Historical & Contextual Notes
First found in later Hellenistic Greek and especially in the Septuagint and New Testament Greek. In LXX and NT usage, often signifies a God-induced state of insensibility or apathy toward spiritual truth. The metaphor shifts from a physical sensation 'pricking' (and then becoming numb) to a mental or spiritual condition of dullness or inability to perceive. In Romans 11:8, Paul employs it in reference to the insensibility attributed to certain Israelites, quoting Isaiah 29:10 LXX. English translations typically render it 'slumber' or 'stupor', but this can obscure the nuanced sense of spiritual or cognitive numbing. It differs from ὕπνος ('sleep') in emphasizing impaired perception or responsiveness, not simply physical sleep. The term does not appear in classical Attic Greek literature; its usage emerges in the context of biblical Greek as a technical term for a divinely-permitted or imposed dulling of faculties.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from κατανύσσω; a prickling (sensation, as of the limbs asleep), i.e. (by implication, (perhaps by some confusion with νεύω or even with νύξ)) stupor (lethargy):--slumber.
Root Family
κατανυξ- (katányxis) — to pierce, to prick sharply, to stun
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2659-01 |
κατανύξεως | katanuxeos | N GEN F SG |
of stupor | of numbing insensibility | of stupor | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2659-01 |
Romans 11:8 | κατανύξεως | katanuxeos | N GEN F SG |
of stupor | of numbing insensibility | of stupor |