σαλεύω
saleúō
G4531 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To cause to shake, to move with a shaking or rocking motion; by extension, to cause disturbance, unsettle, or agitate. In literal contexts, refers to physical motion such as shaking, swaying, or being moved by external force. In figurative usage, it expresses emotional disturbance, instability, or disruption, including social, spiritual, or cosmic upheaval.
Semantic Range
to shake physically, to move back and forth, to rock, to topple, to cause to waver or totter, to disturb emotionally or mentally, to unsettle or incite, to be moved or thrown into confusion, to experience upheaval
Root / Etymology
From the root σαλ- (sal-), related to σάλος (salos, 'tossing' or 'surging motion,' usually of the sea). σαλεύω is the verbal form meaning 'to cause a tossing motion,' hence 'to shake or move back and forth.' No outside borrowings; formed internally within Greek.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Known from classical Greek (used e.g., in Herodotus for the shaking of the sea or of earth), σαλεύω retains its basic meaning of physical agitation or rocking throughout Hellenistic and Koine periods. In the Septuagint, it frequently translates Hebrew verbs meaning 'to shake' (e.g., נוּעַ, רָעַשׁ), often in contexts of natural phenomena (earthquakes, storms) or metaphoric instability (kingdoms shaken, people disturbed). In the New Testament, it appears both with literal sense (physical shaking) and prominently in metaphorical senses, where it can describe emotional stirring, the destabilizing of faith, or cosmic upheavals. English Bible translations often render σαλεύω as 'shake,' 'move,' or 'stir,' but such terms do not always convey the idiomatic force—especially the sense of deep disturbance or an existential threat to stability. The word contrasts with τρέμω (tremble), which focuses on internal vibration rather than movement caused by external agitation. In apocalyptic and prophetic literature, σαλεύω is significant for imagery of things that 'cannot be shaken,' denoting what is unchangeable or enduring in the face of upheaval.
Translation Consistency
"Shake" cleanly covers the primary literal sense (to cause to move back and forth, rock, topple) and the common figurative senses (to disturb, unsettle, cause upheaval). It is natural English, widely used in Bible translation for this lemma, and can be inflected to render all forms (shake, shakes, shook, shaken, shaking) consistently across contexts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from σάλος; to waver, i.e. agitate, rock, topple or (by implication) destroy; figuratively, to disturb, incite:--move, shake (together), which can(-not) be shaken, stir up.
Root Family
σαλ- (Salamís) — surge, swell (of the sea); by extension, name of a place
Word Forms
10 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4531-04 |
σαλευόμενον | saleuomenon | V PRS PASS PTCP ACC M SG |
shaken | being shaken | being shaken | 3 |
G4531-08 |
σαλευθήσονται | saleuthesontai | V FUT PASS IND 3P PL |
will be shaken | they will be shaken | they will be shaken | 3 |
G4531-07 |
σαλευθῆναι | saleuthenai | V AOR PASS INF |
be shaken | to be shaken | to be shaken | 2 |
G4531-01 |
ἐσάλευσεν | esaleusen | V AOR ACT IND 3P SG |
shook | he shook | he shook | 1 |
G4531-02 |
ἐσαλεύθη | esaleuthe | V AOR PASS IND 3P SG |
was shaken | was shaken | was shaken | 1 |
G4531-03 |
σαλευόμενα | saleuomena | V PRS PASS PTCP NOM N PL |
being shaken | things being shaken | things being shaken | 1 |
G4531-05 |
σαλεύοντες | saleuontes | V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL |
stirring up | those shaking | stirring up | 1 |
G4531-06 |
σαλεῦσαι | saleusai | V AOR ACT INF |
shake | to shake | to shake | 1 |
G4531-09 |
σαλευθῶ | saleutho | V AOR PASS SUBJ 1P SG |
I should be shaken | I might be shaken | I might be shaken | 1 |
G4531-10 |
σεσαλευμένον | sesaleumenon | V PRF PASS PTCP ACC N SG |
shaken together | having been shaken | having been shaken | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
15 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4531-04 |
Matthew 11:7 | σαλευόμενον | saleuomenon | V PRS PASS PTCP ACC M SG |
shaken | being shaken | being shaken |
G4531-08 |
Matthew 24:29 | σαλευθήσονται | saleuthesontai | V FUT PASS IND 3P PL |
will be shaken | they will be shaken | they will be shaken |
G4531-08 |
Mark 13:25 | σαλευθήσονται | saleuthesontai | V FUT PASS IND 3P PL |
will be shaken | they will be shaken | they will be shaken |
G4531-10 |
Luke 6:38 | σεσαλευμένον | sesaleumenon | V PRF PASS PTCP ACC N SG |
shaken together | having been shaken | having been shaken |
G4531-06 |
Luke 6:48 | σαλεῦσαι | saleusai | V AOR ACT INF |
shake | to shake | to shake |
G4531-04 |
Luke 7:24 | σαλευόμενον | saleuomenon | V PRS PASS PTCP ACC M SG |
shaken | being shaken | being shaken |
G4531-08 |
Luke 21:26 | σαλευθήσονται | saleuthesontai | V FUT PASS IND 3P PL |
will be shaken | they will be shaken | they will be shaken |
G4531-09 |
Acts 2:25 | σαλευθῶ | saleutho | V AOR PASS SUBJ 1P SG |
I should be shaken | I might be shaken | I might be shaken |
G4531-02 |
Acts 4:31 | ἐσαλεύθη | esaleuthe | V AOR PASS IND 3P SG |
was shaken | was shaken | was shaken |
G4531-07 |
Acts 16:26 | σαλευθῆναι | saleuthenai | V AOR PASS INF |
to be shaken | to be shaken | to be shaken |
G4531-05 |
Acts 17:13 | σαλεύοντες | saleuontes | V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL |
stirring up | those shaking | stirring up |
G4531-07 |
2 Thessalonians 2:2 | σαλευθῆναι | saleuthenai | V AOR PASS INF |
be shaken | to be shaken | to be shaken |
G4531-01 |
Hebrews 12:26 | ἐσάλευσεν | esaleusen | V AOR ACT IND 3P SG |
shook | he shook | he shook |
G4531-04 |
Hebrews 12:27 | σαλευομένων | saleuomenon | V PRS PASS PTCP GEN N PL |
being shaken | being shaken | things being shaken |
G4531-03 |
Hebrews 12:27 | σαλευόμενα | saleuomena | V PRS PASS PTCP NOM N PL |
being shaken | things being shaken | things being shaken |