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Anoint

Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term

How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.

GREEK · G5547

Χριστός

Christos — Christ

χριστός (Χρ-), -ή, -όν (χρίω), [in LXX for מָשִׁיחַ and cogn. forms ;] 1. 1. as adj., (a) of things, anointing, to be used as ointment (Æsch., Eur., al.; τ. ἔλαιον τὸ χ., Lev.21:10); (b) of persons, anointed (ὁ ἰερεὺς ὁ χ., Lev.4:5; οἱ χ. ἰευρεῖς, 2Ma.1:10): ὁ χ. τοῦ κυρίου or Θεοῦ (1Ki.2:10, Psa.2:2, al.), of the Messiah (Aram., מְשִׁיחָא; cf. Dalman, Words, 289 ff.), Luk.2:11, 26 Jhn.1:41, Act.2:36 4:26, al. 2. As subst., ὁ Χριστός, the Messiah, the Christ: Mat.2:4, Mrk.8:29, Luk.2:11, Jhn.1:20, Act.2:31, Rom.7:4, al.; Ἰησοῦς, Mrk.1:1, Jhn.1:17, Act.2:38, al.; Χ. Ἰησοῦς, Mat.1:18, WH, mg. Act.5:42, Rom.6:3, al.; Χ. κύριος, Luk.2:11; Ἰησοῦς Χ. ὁ κύριος, Act.15:26, Rom.1:7, al. (AS)

497 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H8081

שֶׁ֫מֶן

she.men — oil

1) fat, oil 1a) fat, fatness 1b) oil, olive oil 1b1) as staple, medicament or unguent 1b2) for anointing 1c) fat (of fruitful land, valleys) (metaph)

161 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H4886

מָשַׁח

ma.shach — to anoint

1) to smear, anoint, spread a liquid 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to smear 1a2) to anoint (as consecration) 1a3) to anoint, consecrate 1b) (Niphal) to be anointed

66 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H6659

צָדוֹק

tsa.doq — Zadok

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.8.17; son of: Ahitub (H0285H); father of: Ahimaaz (H0290H) § Zadok = "righteous" 1) the high priest, son of Ahitub of the house of Eleazar the son of Aaron, and 11th in descent from Aaron; joined David after Saul's death and supported him against Absalom and Adonijah; anointed Solomon as king 2) a priest, son of Meraioth, father of Meshullam of the house of Ahitub; apparently a nephew of 1 3) father of Jerusha, the wife of king Uzziah and mother of king Jotham of Judah 4) son of Baana and repairer of the wall of Jerusalem in the time of Nehemiah 5) son of Immer and repairer of the wall of Jerusalem in the time of Nehemiah 6) a leader of the people in the time of Nehemiah 7) a scribe appointed by Nehemiah as one of the treasurers over the storehouse 8) a valiant warrior of the tribe of Benjamin who joined David at Hebron. Same as 1?

46 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H4899

מָשִׁיחַ

ma.shi.ach — anointed

1) anointed, anointed one 1a) of the Messiah, Messianic prince 1b) of the king of Israel 1c) of the high priest of Israel 1d) of Cyrus 1e) of the patriarchs as anointed kings

38 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H5258

נָסַךְ

na.sakh — to pour

1) to pour out, pour, offer, cast 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to pour out 1a2) to cast metal images 1a3) to anoint (a king) 1b) (Niphal) to be anointed 1c) (Piel) to pour out (as a libation) 1d) (Hiphil) to pour out libations 1e) (Hophal) to be poured out Aramaic equivalent: ne.sakh (נְסַךְ "to pour" H5260)

23 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G1637

ἔλαιον

elaion — olive oil

ἔλαιον, -ου, τό [in LXX chiefly for שֶׁמֶן ;] olive-oil: Luk.16:6, Rev.6:6 18:13; for lamps, Mat.25:3-4, 8; for healing, Mrk.6:13, Luk.10:34, Jhn.5:14; for anointing at feasts, Luk.7:46, Heb.1:9" (LXX) .† SYN.: μύρον, ointment, see Tr., Syn., 135 (AS)

11 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1878

דָּשֵׁן

da.shen — to prosper

1) to be fat, grow fat, become fat, become prosperous, anoint 1a) (Qal) of prosperity (fig.) 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to make fat, anoint 1b2) to find fat (of offering-acceptable) 1b3) to take away ashes (from altar) 1c) (Pual) to be made fat 1d) (Hothpael) to fatten oneself (of Jehovah's sword)

11 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G218

ἀλείφω

aleiphō — to anoint

ἀλείφω (cf. λίπος, oil), [in LXX: Gen.31:13, Exo.40:15, Num.3:3 (מָשַׁח), Eze.13:10 ff. (טוּחַ), Rut.3:3, 2Ki.12:20 14:2, 4Ki.4:2, 2Ch.28:15, Mic.6:15, Dan LXX TH Dan.10:3 (סוּךְ), Est.2:12, Jdth.16:8 * ;] to anoint, festally or in homage: with accusative of thing(s) or of person(s), Mat.6:17, Jhn.12:3, Mrk.16:1; before dative, ἐλαίῳ, Mrk.6:13, Jas.5:14; μύρῳ, Luk.7:38, 46, Jhn.11:2.† SYN.: χρίω, μυρίζω (against the distinction made bet. ἀ. and χ. in Tr., Syn., § 38, see MM, VGT, see word, ἀ.) (AS)

8 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H5480

סוּךְ

sukh — to anoint

1) to anoint, pour in anointing 1a) (Qal) to anoint 1a1) to anoint oneself 1a2) to anoint (another) 1a3) to be poured 1b) (Hiphil) to anoint

7 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G5548

χρίω

chriō — to anoint

χρίω to anoint (Hom., al.); [in LXX chiefly for מָשַׁח of consecration to a sacred office: priest, Exo.28:41; prophet, 3Ki.19:16; king, 1Ki.10:1; of things, Exo.40:9, Lev.8:10, al.]. In NT, metaphorically, of God's anointing, (a) Christ: Act.4:27; with inf., Luk.4:18 (LXX); with dupl. accusative (see B1., § 34, 4), Heb.1:9 (LXX); πνεύματι ἁγίῳ, Act.10:38; (b) Christians: 2Co.1:21 (cf. Westc., Epp. Jo., 73) (cf. ἐν-, ἐπι-Χριω).† SYN: see: ἀλείφω (AS)

5 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G2025

ἐπιχρίω

epichriō — to rub on

ἐπι-χρίω [in Sm.: Eze.13:10 22:28 * ;] to spread on, anoint: with accusative, Jhn.9:11; id. before hi-I, with accusative, Jhn.9:6 (cf. MM, Exp., xiv).† (AS)

2 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G5545

χρῖσμα

chrisma — anointing

χρίσμα (T, χρῖσμα, as in cl.; see Tdf., Pr., 102; Bl., § 4, 2), -τος, το (χρίω), later form of χρῖμα (Æsch., al.), [in LXX for מִשְׁחָה and cogn. forms (Exo.29:7, al.) ;] an anointing, unction (the result of the action χρίειν; ICC, in l; but cf. Westc., in l, for the view that the oil, not the act, is meant): 1Jn.2:20 Jn 2:27.† (AS)

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GREEK · G1472

ἐγχρίω

egchriō — to rub on

ἐγχρίω, [in LXX: Jer.4:30 (קרע). Tob.2:10 6:8 11:7 * ;] to rub in, anoint: mid., with dupl. accusative, Rev.3:18.† (AS)

1 tagged verse occurrence · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G3462

μυρίζω

murizō — to anoint

μυρίζω (μύρον), Ionic and poët. (comic), to anoint: Mrk.14:8.† SYN.: see: ἀλείφω, and cf. μύρον (AS)

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GREEK · G6241

ἀλοιφή

aloiphē — ointment

1. anything used for anointing, hog's-lard, grease, unguent , (Homer) 2. laying on of unguents or paint, ἀλ. μύρων (Plato Philosophus) (ML)

0 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G8202

λιπαίνω

lipainō — to anoint

1. to oil, anoint : Mid. to anoint oneself , [variant datesAnthology Palantina 2. of rivers, to make fat, enrich , (Euripides) (ML)

0 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

Historical dictionary entry

The practice of anointing with perfumed oil was common among the Hebrews. (1.) The act of anointing was significant of consecration to a holy or sacred use; hence the anointing of the high priest (Ex. 29:29; Lev. 4:3) and of the sacred vessels (Ex. 30:26). The high priest and the king are thus called “the anointed” (Lev. 4:3, 5, 16; 6:20; Ps. 132:10). Anointing a king was equivalent to crowning him (1 Sam. 16:13; 2 Sam. 2:4, etc.). Prophets were also anointed (1 Kings 19:16; 1 Chr. 16:22; Ps. 105:15). The expression, “anoint the shield” (Isa. 21:5), refers to the custom of rubbing oil on the leather of the shield so as to make it supple and fit for use in war. (2.) Anointing was also an act of hospitality (Luke 7:38, 46). It was the custom of the Jews in like manner to anoint themselves with oil, as a means of refreshing or invigorating their bodies (Deut. 28:40; Ruth 3:3; 2 Sam. 14:2; Ps. 104:15, etc.). This custom is continued among the Arabians to the present day. (3.) Oil was used also for medicinal purposes. It was applied to the sick, and also to wounds (Ps. 109:18; Isa. 1:6; Mark 6:13; James 5:14). (4.) The bodies of the dead were sometimes anointed (Mark 14:8; Luke 23:56). (5.) The promised Deliverer is twice called the “Anointed” or Messiah (Ps. 2:2; Dan. 9:25, 26), because he was anointed with the Holy Ghost (Isa. 61:1), figuratively styled the “oil of gladness” (Ps. 45:7; Heb. 1:9). Jesus of Nazareth is this anointed One (John 1:41; Acts 9:22; 17:2, 3; 18:5, 28), the Messiah of the Old Testament.

Scripture references

Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.

Compare other reference traditions

Look up Anoint in Smith’s Bible Dictionary and ISBE →