περιπίπτω
peripiptō
to fall upon
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Greek word περιπίπτω (peripiptō) is a verb that means "to fall upon." This action can be physical, such as falling upon someone or something, or it can be metaphorical, like falling upon a situation or a problem. The word appears three times in the Bible, indicating its relatively limited but significant usage. The semantic domain of Movement & Travel suggests that the word περιπίπτω is often used in contexts involving movement or arrival. This could imply that the word is used to describe a sudden or unexpected arrival, or a situation where someone or something falls into a particular circumstance. The fact that the word has a physical connotation also implies that it may be used to describe a sense of impact or collision. Given its limited but specific usage, the word περιπίπτω is likely a precise and evocative term in the Greek language. Its meaning and connotations can add depth and nuance to the texts in which it appears, and its relatively rare usage may make it a notable and memorable element in the biblical narrative.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences across the text
Jesus answered, “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
Acts 27:41But coming to a place where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground. The bow struck and remained immovable, but the stern began to break up by the violence of the waves.
James 1:2Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations,