ἀνεμ-ίζομαι G0416
wind-driven, tossed by wind, blown about
This passive verb describes being driven or tossed by wind. James uses it in James 1:6 to illustrate the instability of the doubter who waivers in faith. The imagery comes from seafaring—waves whipped up and driven by changing winds have no settled direction. Classical Greek used it in both literal maritime contexts and metaphorical descriptions of instability. The Spanish 'agitada-por-viento' (agitated by wind) and German 'hin-und-her-geworfen' (thrown back and forth) both capture the violent, directionless motion James has in mind.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Driven by wind, tossed about (Jas 1:6). James compares the doubter to a wave 'driven and tossed by the wind.' The passive form emphasizes that external forces control the motion—the wave has no inherent direction. The German translation's choice of 'thrown back and forth' highlights the instability: just as wind-driven waves surge first one direction then another, so the doubter vacillates between faith and unbelief. The French maintains the Greek form, perhaps indicating difficulty finding a single French word capturing both the passive state and violent motion. 1×
AR["تُحَرِّكُهُ-الرِّيحُ"]·ben["বাতাসে-চালিত"]·DE["hin-und-her-geworfen"]·EN["wind-driven"]·FR["ἀνεμιζομένῳ"]·heb["מְנֻפָּח"]·HI["हवा-से-उड़ाई"]·ID["yang-ditiup-angin"]·IT["anemizomenō"]·jav["kang-katiup-angin"]·KO["바람에-밀리고"]·PT["agitada-pelo-vento"]·RU["ветром-гонимой"]·ES["agitada-por-viento"]·SW["linalopepelushwa-na-upepo"]·TR["rüzgârla-savrulan"]·urd["ہوا-سے-چلائی-جاتی"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀνεμ-ίζομαι, passive, to be driven with the wind, NT+8th c.BC+: active in Refs 5th c.AD+