προσκυνέω,
προσκύνω; imperfect
προσεκύνουν; future
προσκυνήσω; 1 aorist
προσεκύνησα; from
Aeschylus and
Herodotus down; the
Sept. very often for
הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה (to prostrate oneself); properly,
to kiss the hand to (toward) one, in token of reverence:
Herodotus 1, 134; (cf. K. F. Hermann, Gottesdienstl. Alterthümer d. Griech. § 21; especially Hoelemann, Die Biblical Gestalt. d. Anbetung in his 'Bibelstudien' i., 106ff); hence, among the Orientals, especially the Persians,
to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence ("to make a 'salam'"); Latin
veneror (
Nepos, Conon. 3, 3),
adoro (
Pliny, h. n. 28, 5, 25;
Suetonius, Vitell. 2); hence, in the N. T.
by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make obeisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication. It is used
a. of homage shown to men of superior rank: absolutely,
Matthew 20:20 (the Jewish high-priests are spoken of in
Josephus,
b. j. 4, 5, 2 as
προσκυνούμενοι);
πεσών ἐπί τούς πόδας προσεκύνησεν,
Acts 10:25;
τίνι (according to the usage of later writings; cf.
Winers Grammar, 36, 210 (197); (
Buttmann, § 131, 4);
Lob. ad Phryn., p. 463),
Matthew 2:2,
8;
Matthew 8:2;
Matthew 9:18;
Matthew 14:33;
Matthew 15:25; (
Matthew 18:26);
Matthew 28:9,
17 (
R G);
Mark 5:6 (here
WH Tr marginal reading have the accusative);
Mark 15:19;
John 9:38; with
πεσών preceding,
Matthew 2:11;
Matthew 4:9;
ἐνώπιον τῶν ποδῶν τίνος,
Revelation 3:9; (it may perhaps be mentioned that some would bring in here
Hebrews 11:21 προσεκύνησεν ἐπί τό ἄκρον τῆς ῤάβδου αὐτοῦ, explaining it by the (Egyptian) custom of bowing upon the magistrate's staff of office in taking an oath; cf. Chabas, Melanges Egypt. III. i., p. 80, cf. p. 91f; but see below).
b. of homage rendered to God and the ascended Christ, to heavenly beings, and to demons: absolutely (our
to worship) (cf.
Winer's Grammar, 593 (552)),
John 4:20;
John 12:20;
Acts 8:27;
Acts 24:11;
Hebrews 11:21 (cf. above);
Revelation 11:1;
πίπτειν καί προσκυνεῖν,
Revelation 5:14;
τίνι,
John 4:21,
23;
Acts 7:43;
Hebrews 1:6;
Revelation 4:10;
Revelation 7:11;
Revelation 11:16;
Revelation 14:7;
Revelation 16:2;
Revelation 19:4,
20;
Revelation 22:8;
Revelation 13:4 G L T Tr WH (twice (the 2nd time
WH text only));
Rev. 13:15 G T Tr WH text;
Revelation 20:4 Rec.;
πεσών ἐπί πρόσωπον προσκυνήσει τῷ Θεῷ,
1 Corinthians 14:25;
πίπτειν ἐπί τά πρόσωπα καί προσκυνεῖν τῷ Θεῷ,
Revelation 11:16; preceded by
πίπτειν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ποδῶν τίνος,
Revelation 19:10. in accordance with the usage of the older and better writings with
τινα or
τί (cf.
Matthiae, § 412):
Matthew 4:10;
Luke 4:8;
Revelation 9:20;
Revelation 13:12;
Revelation 14:9,
11; also
Revelation 13:4 (
Rec. twice; (
WH marginal reading once)), 8 (where
Rec. dative), 15
R L WH marginal reading; 20:4a (where
Rec. dative), 4b (where
Relz dative);
Luke 24:52 R G L Tr brackets
WH reject; (the
Sept. also connects the word far more frequent with the dative than with the accusative (cf. Hoelemann as above, p. 116ff));
ἐνώπιον τίνος,
Luke 4:7;
Revelation 15:4.
THAYER’S GREEK LEXICON, Electronic Database.
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2006, 2011 by Biblesoft, Inc.
All rights reserved. Used by permission. BibleSoft.com
BLB Scripture Index of Thayer's