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σαβαχθάνι

sabachtháni

G4518 Aramaic loanword

SILEX Entry

Definition

Cry of abandonment; the phrase means 'you have forsaken me' or 'you have left me.' Used as a direct address in a context of anguish when feeling deserted, particularly in prayer or lament.

Semantic Range

you have left me, you have forsaken me, expression of abandonment or desertion (specifically in prayer or lament)

Root / Etymology

Greek transcription of Aramaic/Chaldee שְׁבַקְתַּנִי (šəvaqtanī), from the root שׁבק (š-b-q, 'to leave, to abandon') with the 1st-person singular pronominal suffix ('me').

Historical & Contextual Notes

σαβαχθάνι is not a native Greek term but a transliteration into Greek letters of an Aramaic phrase preserved in New Testament quotations (notably Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34), where Jesus is depicted quoting Psalm 22:2 [LXX 21:2] in Aramaic. The word itself is not attested in classical Greek or other Koine literature apart from its scriptural setting. Modern English translations traditionally follow the Greek text in including 'sabachthani,' but may supplement it with the meaning 'why have you forsaken me?' According to the Gospel narratives, this word was likely understood as a distinctively Aramaic cry, recognizable to those familiar with scriptural Psalms but potentially misunderstood by others (see contextual narrative in the Gospels). The transliteration renders the Aramaic pronunciation for Greek-speaking audiences, marking both the linguistic and emotional context of the utterance. The word has no broader semantic range outside this cry of abandonment and thus does not develop further usages in secular or post-New Testament Greek.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of Chaldee or (שְׁבַק with pronominal suffix); thou hast left me; sabachthani (i.e. shebakthani), a cry of distress:--sabachthani.

Root Family

σαβαχθάνι (sabachthani) — to leave, to abandon, to forsake

Root σαβαχθαν- to leave, to abandon, to forsake

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G4518-01 σαβαχθάνει sabachthanei TF sabachthani you have forsaken me sabachthani 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G4518-01 Matthew 27:46 σαβαχθάνει sabachthanei TF sabachthani you have forsaken me you have forsaken me
G4518-01 Mark 15:34 σαβαχθάνει sabachthanei TF sabachthani you have forsaken me sabachthani
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