ῥαβδίζω
rhabdízō
G4463 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To strike or beat with a stick, rod, or staff; to administer a physical blow using a rod. The word denotes the act of striking someone or something with a rod, often in the context of punishment or disciplinary action. Other contextual senses include judicial flogging, corporal punishment, or ceremonial striking, depending on the setting.
Semantic Range
to beat with a rod, to strike with a stick, to administer corporal punishment (with rods), to flog judicially, to strike ceremonially
Root / Etymology
From ῥάβδος (rhabdos), meaning 'rod' or 'staff', combined with the verbal ending -ίζω which forms action verbs, denoting the act of using a rod. The verb is transparently derived from the noun.
Historical & Contextual Notes
ῥαβδίζω is rare in extant Greek literature, with attestations primarily in later Hellenistic and Koine texts. In the New Testament, it occurs in the context of judicial discipline or punishment, often administered by authorities (e.g., Acts 16:22). The act of striking with a rod was a common form of corporal punishment in the Roman world, used both in judicial and informal settings. In Greek, this verb is distinct from other verbs for striking (e.g., παίω, δέρω) by emphasizing the instrument (a rod or staff) rather than the act in general. English translations often render it as 'beat' or 'flog with rods', but these can obscure the specific reference to the rod as the instrument. The term reflects both the tool and the punitive or disciplinary context, and, in some settings, could be ritual or symbolic rather than strictly punitive. The related noun ῥάβδος is more common and can refer broadly to staff, scepter, or rod.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ῥάβδος; to strike with a stick, i.e. bastinado:--beat (with rods).
Root Family
ῥαβδίζω (rhabdizō) — rod, staff, strike, beat
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4463-02 |
ῥαβδίζειν | rabdizein | V PRS ACT INF |
to beat | to strike with a rod | to strike with a rod | 1 |
G4463-01 |
ἐραβδίσθην | erabdisthen | V AOR PASS IND 1P SG |
I was beaten with rods | I was beaten with rods | I was beaten with rods | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4463-02 |
Acts 16:22 | ῥαβδίζειν | rabdizein | V PRS ACT INF |
to beat | to strike with a rod | to strike with a rod |
G4463-01 |
2 Corinthians 11:25 | ἐραβδίσθην | erabdisthen | V AOR PASS IND 1P SG |
I was beaten with rods | I was beaten with rods | I was beaten with rods |