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ἀνατολή

anatolḗ

G395 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ἀνατ- to rise, spring up, appear (as celestial body)

Definition

Primary meaning: the act or place of rising; specifically, the rising of the sun or other celestial body (dawn, daybreak). By extension, the direction from which the sun rises — the east, or eastern regions. Figuratively, it can denote the source or origin of something, especially in poetic, prophetic, or metaphorical language (e.g. a new beginning, the rise of a prominent figure, or the emergence of a new era).

Semantic Range

rising (of sun, stars, or celestial body), dawn, daybreak, the east (direction or region), origin or source (figuratively), a rising one (metaphorical or messianic title)

Root / Etymology

From the Greek verb ἀνατέλλω (anatellō, 'to rise up, to cause to spring up'), formed from ἀνά (ana, 'up') + τέλλω (tellō, 'to accomplish, bring to completion'). Ultimately related to proto-Indo-European *telh₂- ('to bear, bring forth').

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, ἀνατολή primarily refers to the act of rising, especially the rising sun, hence 'dawn' or 'daybreak.' By the Hellenistic and Koine periods, it also denoted the east or eastern regions, due to their association with the sunrise. In the Septuagint, ἀνατολή is frequently used to translate Hebrew מִזְרָח (mizrach, 'east') and צָמַח (tsemach, 'branch, shoot, sprout') in prophetic and Messianic contexts (e.g., Zech 3:8; 6:12), where it takes on the sense of 'shoot' or 'rising one' as a title for an awaited figure. In the New Testament, ἀνατολή refers both to direction ('east,' e.g. Matt 2:1; Luke 1:78) and, figuratively, to the dawn or rising light (e.g. metaphorical 'dayspring,' as in Luke 1:78, where it alludes to the coming salvation as the rise of light after darkness). English translations range from 'east' to 'dawn' or 'daybreak,' and in some traditional renderings, 'Dayspring.' Standard English 'east' adequately conveys the geographical meaning, but figurative usages are sometimes rendered less fully, depending on context.

Translation Consistency

primary "east" 9 occurrences

Most natural and frequent English rendering of ἀνατολή across uses (direction/region and the sunrise image). 'East' is simple, idiomatic, and can cover literal geographical senses and many figurative senses (origin, rising) in context while keeping a single consistent base word for all forms.

Alternatives (1 occurrence):
"dayspring" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἀνατέλλω; a rising of light, i.e. dawn (figuratively); by implication, the east (also in plural):--dayspring, east, rising.

Root Family

ἀνατολή (anatolē) — rising, springing up, dawn, east, origin

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G395-03 ἀνατολῶν anatolon N GEN F PL east of the risings the east 4
G395-01 ἀνατολῇ anatole N DAT F SG east to the rising to the east 3
G395-02 ἀνατολῆς anatoles N GEN F SG the rising of the rising of the east 3

Occurrences in Scripture

10 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G395-03 Matthew 2:1 ἀνατολῶν anatolon N GEN F PL the east of the risings the east
G395-01 Matthew 2:2 ἀνατολῇ anatole N DAT F SG east to the rising to the east
G395-01 Matthew 2:9 ἀνατολῇ anatole N DAT F SG east to the rising to the east
G395-03 Matthew 8:11 ἀνατολῶν anatolon N GEN F PL east of the risings the east
G395-03 Matthew 24:27 ἀνατολῶν anatolon N GEN F PL east of the risings of the east
G395-01 Luke 1:78 ἀνατολὴ anatole N NOM F SG Dayspring to the rising Dayspring
G395-03 Luke 13:29 ἀνατολῶν anatolon N GEN F PL east of the risings east
G395-02 Revelation 7:2 ἀνατολῆς anatoles N GEN F SG the rising of the rising of the east
G395-02 Revelation 16:12 ἀνατολῆς anatoles N GEN F SG east of the rising of the east
G395-02 Revelation 21:13 ἀνατολῆς anatoles N GEN F SG the east of the rising of the east
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