βάλλω G0906
To throw, cast, hurl; to put or place into; passive: to be thrown, cast out; also to lie prostrate, pour out, or strike upon
A remarkably versatile verb of propulsion and placement that pervades the Gospels and Revelation. At its most forceful it describes violent casting—into fire, into the sea, into Gehenna—carrying the weight of divine judgment throughout Revelation's apocalyptic imagery. Yet the same word quietly serves for placing money in the treasury (Mark 12:41-44) or putting wine into wineskins (Matt 9:17). Spanish distinguishes arrojar (hurl) from echar (put/cast), while Arabic uses both طَرَحَ (throw forcefully) and وَضَعَ (place), revealing the semantic stretch that a single Greek verb covers. The passive forms are especially prominent in judgment contexts, where 'being cast into' outer darkness or the lake of fire becomes a recurring image of eschatological doom.
Senses
1. throw, cast, hurl — Active throwing, casting, or hurling with physical force. The broadest and most frequent sense, covering stones cast, nets thrown into the sea (Matt 4:18), pearls thrown before swine (Matt 7:6), and the dramatic 'cast yourself down' of the temptation narrative (Matt 4:6). Spanish arrojó/echó, Arabic طَرَحَ/أَلْقَى, and Swahili kutupa all capture the forceful propulsion. Jesus' saying 'I did not come to bring peace but a sword' (Matt 10:34) uses this verb metaphorically for casting conflict into the world. 57×
AR["أَلقاها", "أَلقاهُ", "أَلقاهُما", "أَلقى", "أَلقَوا", "أَلْقاهُ", "أَلْقَاهَا", "أَلْقَاهُ", "أَلْقَوْا", "أَلْقَى", "طَرَحُوا"]·ben["ছুঁড়ে-দিল", "দিল", "নিক্ষেপ-করলেন", "ফেলল", "ফেললেন", "ফেলে-দিল", "ফেলেছিল", "ফেলেছে", "রাখল", "ἔβαλον-তারা-ফেললেন"]·DE["werfen", "wirft"]·EN["cast", "it-has-thrown", "put", "they-cast", "they-threw", "threw"]·FR["jeter"]·heb["הִפִּיל-וּ", "הִפִּילוּ", "הִשְׁלִיךְ", "הִשְׁלִיכָם", "הִשְׁלִיכוּ", "זָרַק"]·HI["उन्होंने-डाला", "चलाया", "डाला", "डाली", "डाले", "दअल", "फेंक-दिया", "फेंका", "फेनकअ"]·ID["ia-melemparkan", "melemparkan", "melemparkannya", "melompat", "memasukkan", "membuang", "menaruh", "mereka-membuang"]·IT["gettare"]·jav["ambyur", "dipun-bucal", "lebetaken", "mbucal", "mbucal.", "nebak", "nebih", "piyambakipun-mbucal", "sami-mbucal", "sami-nglebetaken"]·KO["넣었다", "던졌다", "던졌습니다", "던졌으니"]·PT["lançaram", "lançou"]·RU["бросал", "бросали", "бросил", "бросили", "бросился", "выбросил", "выбросили", "положили"]·ES["arrojó", "echaron", "echó", "la-arrojó", "se-echó"]·SW["akajitupa", "akalitupa", "akamtupa", "akatupa", "akazitupa", "aliitupa", "alimtupa", "alitupa", "aliwatupa", "wakatupa", "walipiga", "walitupa"]·TR["attı", "attılar"]·urd["نکالا", "پھینک-دیا", "پھینکا", "ڈالا", "ڈالا-اُس-نے", "ڈالا-ہے", "ڈالی", "ڈالے"]
Matt 4:6, Matt 5:29, Matt 5:30, Matt 7:6, Matt 10:34, Matt 10:34, Matt 13:42, Matt 13:48, Matt 13:50, Matt 15:26, Matt 17:27, Matt 18:8 (+38 more)
2. be thrown, be cast — Passive voice: to be thrown, cast, or hurled, typically into a place of destruction or confinement. Dominates judgment language—every tree not bearing fruit 'is thrown into the fire' (Matt 3:10), the worthless servant 'is cast into outer darkness' (Matt 25:30), and the beast 'was thrown into the lake of fire' (Rev 19:20). Spanish es echado/fue arrojado, Arabic يُلْقَى/طُرِحَ, and Korean 던져지다 all preserve the passive voice. The theological weight of this sense is enormous in eschatological contexts. 32×
AR["أُلقوا", "أُلقِيَ", "أُلْقِيَ", "أُلْقِيَتْ", "تُلقى", "تُلْقَى", "طُرِحا", "طُرِحَ", "يُلْقَى"]·ben["নিক্ষিপ্ত-হল", "নিক্ষেপ-করা-হল", "ফেলা-হওয়া", "ফেলা-হতে", "ফেলা-হয়", "ফেলা-হয়।", "ফেলা-হল"]·DE["werfen", "wirft"]·EN["be-thrown", "he-was-cast", "he-was-thrown", "is-thrown", "to-be-thrown", "was-cast", "was-cast-down", "was-thrown", "were-cast", "were-thrown"]·FR["jeter"]·heb["הֻשְׁלְכוּ", "הֻשְׁלַךְ", "יֻשְׁלַךְ", "לְהִשָּׁלֵךְ", "מֻשְׁלָךְ", "נִשְׁלָךְ"]·HI["डाला-गया", "डाला-जाए", "डाला-जाता-है", "डाला-जाना", "डाले-गए", "फ़ेकअ-जअन", "फेंका-गया", "फेंके-गए", "फेंके-गए।"]·ID["dilemparkan", "dilemparkan.", "ia-dibuang", "ia-dilemparkan"]·IT["gettare"]·jav["dipun-bucal", "dipun-uncalaken.", "dipunbucal", "kabucal", "kabucal."]·KO["던져졌느니라", "던져졌다", "던져졌으니", "던져지기", "던져지는-것-보다", "던져지도록", "던져진다"]·PT["foi-lançada", "foi-lançado", "foram-lançados", "seja-lançado", "ser-lançado", "é-lançada"]·RU["бросается", "был-брошен", "был-низвержен", "была-брошена", "были-брошены", "были-низвержены.", "было-брошено", "быть-брошенным", "извергается"]·ES["es-echado", "es‒echado", "fue-arrojado", "fue-echado", "fueron-arrojados", "sea-echado", "ser-echado"]·SW["akatupwa", "ametupwa", "hu-tupwa.", "kutupwa", "ukatupwa", "unatupwa", "utupwe", "vikatupwa", "wakatupwa", "wakatupwa.", "walitupwa"]·TR["atıldı", "atıldılar", "atılmak", "atılsın", "atılır"]·urd["پھینکا جائے گا", "پھینکا-گیا", "پھینکے-گئے", "ڈالا-جائے", "ڈالا-جاتا-ہے", "ڈالا-جانا", "ڈالا-گیا", "ڈالی-گئی", "ڈالے-گئے", "گرائے-گئے", "گرایا-گیا"]
3. put, place, deposit — To put, place, or deposit without violent force—a gentler semantic register. The widow puts her coins into the treasury (Mark 12:41-44), new wine is put into fresh wineskins (Matt 9:17), and money is deposited with bankers (Matt 25:27). Spanish meter/depositar and Arabic وَضَعَ (place) distinguish this from forceful throwing. James 3:3 uses it for putting a bit in a horse's mouth. The same verb covers both hurling into Gehenna and quietly dropping coins—a striking polysemy. 27×
AR["أَضَعْ", "أَعِدْ", "أَلقَت", "أَنْ-تُودِعَ", "المُلقينَ", "تُلقي", "ضَعْ", "كانوا-يُلقونَ", "نَضَعُ", "وَضَعَ", "يَضَعونَ", "يَضَعُ", "يُلْقِيَانِ"]·ben["ঢালে", "দিই", "দিল", "ফেলছিল", "ফেলছে", "ফেলল", "রাখ", "রাখলেন", "রাখা", "রাখি", "রাখে"]·DE["werfen", "wirft"]·EN["casting", "do-they-put", "he-put", "put", "put-in", "puts", "putting", "they-put", "to-put", "we-put", "were-putting"]·FR["jeter"]·heb["אָשִׂים", "הִשְׁלִיכָה", "הִשְׁלִיכוּ", "הַ-מַשְׁלִיכִים", "לָשִׂים", "מַטִּיל", "מַטִּילִים", "מַשְׁלִיכִים", "מַשְׁלֶכֶת", "נַשִׂים", "שִׂים", "שָׂם", "שׁוֹפֵךְ"]·HI["कहा", "डाल", "डाल-रहे-थे", "डालता-है", "डालती-हुई", "डालते-हुए", "डालते-हैं", "डालने-वालों-को", "डाला", "डालूँ", "देना"]·ID["Masukkan", "ia-masukkan", "kita-taruh,", "masukkan", "melemparkan", "memasukkan", "menaruh", "menuang", "telah-memasukkan", "yang-memasukkan"]·IT["gettare"]·jav["Lebetna", "kula-nempelaken", "masang,", "mbucal", "nempelaken", "ngesok", "ngisèni", "nglebetaken", "nyebar", "nyimpen", "nyiram", "nyèlèhaken", "sami-mbucal", "sampun-nglebetaken.", "sampun-nglebetaken;", "tiyang-ingkang-sami-nglebetaken"]·KO["넣고-있는", "넣고-있었다", "넣다", "넣어라", "넣었다", "넣으면", "넣으면,", "넣지-않는다", "던지고-있는", "맡겼어야-했다"]·PT["Mete", "coloca", "colocamos", "colocar", "depositar", "lançando", "lançavam", "lançou", "pôs", "põe", "põem", "que-lançavam"]·RU["Вложи", "бросали", "бросающих", "бросающую", "бросила", "вкладываем,", "вложи", "вложил", "вложу", "наливают", "не-льёт", "не-наливает", "отнести", "положила"]·ES["Mete", "depositar", "echa", "echaban", "echan", "echando", "echó", "metió", "pon", "ponemos", "ponga"]·SW["Rudisha", "akaweka", "akitupa", "alitupa", "ametupa", "anaweka", "anayetia", "hawatii", "hutia", "kuweka", "nitie", "tunaweka", "utie", "wakitupa", "walitupa"]·TR["Koy", "atan", "atanları", "attı", "atıyorlardı", "koy", "koyarlar", "koyarız", "koymaz", "koymuyor", "koysam", "soktu", "vermek"]·urd["رکھ دے", "رکھنا", "ڈال", "ڈالا", "ڈالتا", "ڈالتا-ہے", "ڈالتے-ہوئے", "ڈالتے-ہیں", "ڈالتے-ہیں٬", "ڈالوں", "ڈالیں"]
Matt 4:18, Matt 9:17, Matt 9:17, Matt 25:27, Matt 27:6, Mark 2:22, Mark 7:33, Mark 12:41, Mark 12:41, Mark 12:42, Mark 12:43, Mark 12:43 (+15 more)
4. lie sick, be laid down — Perfect or pluperfect passive describing a resultant state of lying down, typically of someone sick or bedridden. The centurion's servant 'lies' paralyzed at home (Matt 8:6), Peter's mother-in-law 'was lying' with a fever (Matt 8:14), and Lazarus 'was laid' at the rich man's gate (Luke 16:20). Spanish echado/estaba echado and Arabic مَطْرُوح (thrown down, prostrate) confirm the stative-resultative reading. This sense represents the endpoint of the throwing action—once cast down, one lies there. 5×
AR["كَانَ-مُلْقًى", "مَطروحًا", "مَطروحٌ", "مَطروحَةً", "مُلْقَاةً"]·ben["ফেলা-ছিল", "শুয়ে-আছে", "শুয়ে-থাকা", "শোয়ানো"]·DE["werfen", "wirft"]·EN["has-been-laid", "having-been-laid", "laid", "was-laid"]·FR["jeter"]·heb["הוּשְׁלַךְ", "מֻטֶּלֶת", "מֻטָּל", "מֻשְׁכָּב"]·HI["डाला-गया-था", "पड़ा-है", "में", "लेटी-हुई", "लेटे-हुए"]·ID["diletakkan", "terbaring"]·IT["gettare"]·jav["dipun-selehaken;", "dipun-sèlèhakaken", "sampun-dipun-sèlèhaken", "tilem"]·KO["누어-있었다", "누운", "누워-있다", "눕혀진-것을"]·PT["deitada", "deitado", "era-posto", "está-prostrado", "prostrada"]·RU["был-положен", "лежащего", "лежащую", "лежит"]·ES["echada", "echado", "estaba-echado", "ha-sido-echado", "habiendo-sido-postrada"]·SW["aliwekwa", "amelala", "amelazwa", "amelazwa;"]·TR["bırakılmıştı", "yatan", "yatırılmış", "yatıyor"]·urd["لیٹی-ہوئی", "پڑا-ہوا", "پڑا-ہوا-تھا", "پڑا-ہے", "پڑی-ہوئی"]
5. pour, pour out — To pour a liquid substance onto or into something. Mary pours ointment on Jesus' body for burial (Matt 26:12), and Jesus pours water into a basin to wash feet (John 13:5). Spanish echar (in its liquid-pouring register) and Arabic صَبَّ (pour) both accommodate this specialized use. Though only two occurrences, it represents a genuine semantic extension from solid projectiles to liquid streams, unified by the directionality of transfer. 2×
AR["سَكَبَتْ", "يَصُبُّ"]·ben["ডালেন", "ঢেলে"]·DE["werfen", "wirft"]·EN["having-put", "he-puts"]·FR["jeter"]·heb["שָׁפְכָה", "שָׁפַךְ"]·HI["डालकर", "डालता-है"]·ID["menuangkan"]·IT["gettare"]·jav["ngesokaken", "nyiram"]·KO["붓는다", "붓었으니"]·PT["lança", "tendo-derramado"]·RU["возлив", "наливает"]·ES["echa", "habiendo-echado"]·SW["akimimina", "anamimina"]·TR["dökerek", "koyar"]·urd["ڈال-کر", "ڈالتا-ہے"]
6. strike, beat upon — Of natural forces striking or beating against something. A single occurrence in Acts 27:14 where a violent wind (Εὐρακύλων) 'struck down against' the ship. Spanish se lanzó (launched itself) and Arabic هَاجَتْ (raged/struck) capture the meteorological violence. This peripheral sense preserves the oldest Greek usage of βάλλω as impersonal force striking a target, attested in Homer but nearly extinct in NT Koine. 1×
AR["هَبَّتْ"]·ben["ঝাপিয়া-পড়িল"]·DE["wirft"]·EN["struck-down"]·FR["jeter"]·heb["הִכְּתָה"]·HI["चला"]·ID["menerpa"]·IT["gettare"]·jav["nempuh"]·KO["던졌다"]·PT["lançou-se"]·RU["ударил"]·ES["se-lanzó"]·SW["ulivuma"]·TR["esti"]·urd["چلا"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)G1525 1. enter a place physically (179×)H7812 1. prostrate oneself, bow down, worship (173×)H3318 2. Hifil: bring out, lead out, take out (persons) (172×)H7725 2. to bring back, restore (Hifil) (151×)H5674a 2. Qal: cross over (134×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
βάλλω, future βᾰλῶ (in Attic dialect Prose only in compounds), Ionic dialect βαλέω Refs 8th c.BC+aorist 2 ἔβᾰλον, Ionic dialect προ-βάλεσκε Refs 8th c.BC+; later aorist 1 ἔβαλα LXX; Epic dialect and Ionic dialect infinitive βαλέειν Refs 8th c.BC+; optative βλείης in Refs 5th c.BC+, participle βλείς Refsperfect βέβληκα: pluperfect ἐβεβλήκειν, Epic dialect βεβλήκειν Refs 8th c.BC+:—middle, Ionic…