ἀναγκ-άζω G0315
To compel or force someone to act, whether by authority, persuasion, or external pressure; in passive, to be constrained.
A verb of strong compulsion — used when someone is pressed, urged, or outright forced into action. Jesus compels his disciples into the boat (Matt 14:22), a host urges guests from the highways to come in (Luke 14:23), and Paul confesses he once tried to force believers to blaspheme (Acts 26:11). The Spanish obligar and French contraindre both capture this pressure well. In the passive, the word describes being on the receiving end of such force, as when Paul was compelled to appeal to Caesar (Acts 28:19) or when the question arose whether Titus was compelled to be circumcised (Gal 2:3).
Senses
1. to compel, force (active) — Active compulsion: to press, urge, or force someone to do something, whether through authority, social pressure, or strong persuasion. Jesus 'compelled' (ἠνάγκασεν) the disciples to get into the boat (Matt 14:22; Mark 6:45), and the master orders his servant to 'compel' people to come in from the roads (Luke 14:23). Spanish obligar, French contraindre, and German nötigen all converge on this sense of applied pressure that overrides resistance. 7×
AR["أَجْبَرْتُموني", "أَجْبَرْتُهُمْ", "أَلْزَمَ", "أَلْزِمْهُمْ", "تُلزِمُ", "يُلزِمونَكُم"]·ben["বাধ্য-কর", "বাধ্য-করলেন", "বাধ্য-করিতেছিলাম", "বাধ্য-করে", "বাধ্য-করেছিলে।"]·DE["ἀνάγκασον", "ἀναγκάζεις", "ἀναγκάζουσιν", "ἠνάγκαζον", "ἠνάγκασεν", "ἠναγκάσατε"]·EN["I-was-trying-to-force", "compel", "compelled", "he-compelled", "you-compel"]·FR["contraindre"]·heb["הִכְרִיחַ", "הִכְרַחְתִּי", "הֶכְרִיחַ", "הֶכְרַחְתֶּם", "הַכְרֵח", "מַכְרִיחִים", "מַכְרִיחַ-אַתָּה"]·HI["तु-मजबोओर-करत-है", "बाध्य-किया", "मजबूर-किया", "मजबूरकरताथा", "मजबोओर-करते-हैन", "विवश-कर", "विवश-किय"]·ID["Dia-memaksa", "kamu-memaksa", "memaksa", "paksalah"]·IT["anagkason", "anagkazeis", "anagkazousin", "costringere", "enagkasen"]·jav["kula-meksa", "meksa", "panjenengan-maksa"]·KO["강권하여", "강요하노라", "강요하는가", "강요했다", "강제하였다", "재촉하셨다"]·PT["constrangestes", "forçava", "obriga", "obrigas", "obrigou"]·RU["заставил", "побудил", "принуди", "принудили", "принуждаешь", "принуждал", "принуждают"]·ES["los-obligaba", "obligas", "obligasteis", "obligó", "oblígalos", "os-obligan"]·SW["aliwalazimisha", "mlinilazimisha.", "niliwashurutisha", "unawashurutisha", "wanawashurutisha", "wawalazimishe"]·TR["zorla", "zorla-söyledi", "zorladı", "zorlandınız", "zorluyordum", "zorluyorlar", "zorluyorsun"]·urd["مجبور-کر", "مجبور-کرتا-تھا", "مجبور-کرتے-ہو", "مجبور-کرتے-ہیں", "مجبور-کیا"]
2. to be compelled (passive) — Passive compulsion: to be forced or constrained by circumstances or another's authority. Paul was 'compelled' to appeal to Caesar (Acts 28:19), and Titus, though a Greek, was not 'compelled' to be circumcised (Gal 2:3). The passive voice shifts focus to the one experiencing the pressure rather than the one exerting it, and Spanish fue obligado and German wurde gezwungen reflect this recipient perspective clearly. 2×
AR["اضطُرِرتُ", "لَم-يُلزَم"]·ben["বাধ্য-হইলাম", "বাধ্য-হল"]·DE["ἠναγκάσθη", "ἠναγκάσθην"]·EN["I-was-compelled", "was-compelled"]·FR["contraindre"]·heb["הֻכְרַח", "נֶאֱלַצְתִּי"]·HI["मैं-विवश-हुआ", "विवश-किय-गय"]·ID["dipaksa"]·IT["costringere", "ēnagkasthē"]·jav["dipun-paksa", "kula-kepeksa"]·KO["강요받았노라", "강제되었다"]·PT["foi-compelido", "fui-forçado"]·RU["принуждён-был", "я-был-вынужден"]·ES["fue-obligado", "fui-obligado"]·SW["alilazimishwa", "nililazimishwa"]·TR["başvurmaya", "zorlandı"]·urd["مجبور-کیا-گیا", "مجبور-ہوا"]
Related Senses
G2962 1. Lord (divine title) (661×)H0136 1. Lord (divine title) (440×)H0113 1. lord, human superior (249×)G1849 1. authority, power (91×)H6485a 2. Qal: punish, bring judgment (63×)H8198 1. maidservant, female slave (63×)G2962 2. master, lord (human authority) (61×)H0034 1. needy, poor, destitute (61×)H0519 1. female servant, maidservant (56×)H6041 1. poor, needy person (55×)H0113 2. master, owner of servants (49×)H4910 1. Qal: to have dominion, exercise power over (44×)H1800 1. poor, needy (socioeconomic) (38×)H3515 1. heavy, severe, grievous (36×)G4434 1. (34×)G5092 1. honor, esteem, respect (33×)H6485a 4. Qal: visit, attend to, care for (32×)H3513 1. honor / show respect (Piel) (30×)H4910 2. Qal: to rule, govern (administrative authority) (27×)H4513 1. withhold, restrain, hold back (25×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀναγκ-άζω, future -άσωRefs 5th c.BC+ (later 2nd pers.plural -ᾶτεRefs: perfect ἠνάγκακαRefs 5th c.BC+: pluperfect -εινRefs 4th c.BC+: (ἀνάγκη):—force, compel, mostly with accusative person et infinitive, ἀ. τινὰ κτείνειν, πόλισμα, συνθήκας ποιεῖσθαι, etc., Refs 5th c.BC+; δρᾶν, λέγειν, etc., Refs 5th c.BC+: so in passive, ἠναγκάζοντο ἀμύνεσθαιRefs 5th c.BC+infinitive, κἄμ᾽ ἀναγκάζεις τάδε (i.e.…