βοηθ-έω G0997
To help, come to the aid of, rescue; literally 'to run at a cry for help.'
A vivid compound from βοή (cry, shout) and θέω (run), painting the picture of someone rushing to help when they hear a cry of distress. In the Gospels, it appears in desperate pleas: the Syrophoenician woman crying 'Lord, help me!' (Matt 15:25), and the father of the demon-possessed boy begging 'help us!' and then 'help my unbelief!' (Mark 9:22, 24). In Acts, it surfaces in both a visionary summons — 'Come over to Macedonia and help us' (Acts 16:9) — and a violent mob scene (Acts 21:28). The multilingual glosses are remarkably consistent: Spanish 'ayudar,' French 'aider/secourir,' German 'helfen,' Arabic 'أعان,' all centering on urgent assistance.
Senses
1. help, come to aid — To come to the aid of someone in need, to help or rescue. The compound etymology (βοή 'cry' + θέω 'run') vividly conveys rushing to someone's cry for help. It appears in healing pleas — the Canaanite woman's urgent 'help me!' (Matt 15:25) and the father's 'help my unbelief!' (Mark 9:24) — as well as in the Macedonian call vision (Acts 16:9) and Hebrews' encouragement to approach the throne of grace for timely help (Heb 4:16). Spanish 'ayudar,' French 'secourir,' and German 'helfen' consistently reflect the immediacy and urgency of the aid rendered. 8×
AR["أَعانَت", "أَعَنتُ", "أَعِنّا", "أَعِنْ", "أَعِنْنَا", "أَعِنْنِي", "أَعِينُوا", "أَنْ-يُعينَ"]·ben["আমি-সাহায্য-করেছিলাম", "সাহায্য-কর", "সাহায্য-করতে", "সাহায্য-করল", "সাহায্য-করুন", "সাহায্য-করো"]·DE["helfen", "βοήθει", "βοήθησον", "βοηθεῖτε"]·EN["I-helped", "help", "helped", "to-help"]·FR["aider", "secourir"]·heb["הַצִּילוּ", "לַעֲזֹר", "עֲזַרְתִּיךָ", "עֲזֹר", "עָזְרֵנִי", "עָזְרֵנוּ", "עָזְרָה"]·HI["मदद-कर", "मदद-करो", "सहायता-कर", "सहायता-करने", "सहायता-की"]·ID["Aku-menolong", "menolong", "tolonglah"]·IT["aiutare", "boethei", "boetheson", "boēthēsai", "eboēthēsen"]·jav["Kawula-nulungi", "nulungi", "tulung!", "tulungana"]·KO["도와-주소서", "도와다오", "도와주소서", "도왔다", "도왔으니", "도우라", "도우시기를"]·PT["ajuda", "ajuda-", "ajudai!", "ajudou", "socorrer", "socorri"]·RU["помог", "помоги", "помогите!", "помогла", "помочь"]·ES["ayuda", "ayudad", "ayudó", "ayúdame", "ayúdanos", "socorrer", "te-ayudé"]·SW["ikamsaidia", "kuwasaidia", "nilikusaidia", "nisaidie", "saidieni", "tusaidie"]·TR["yardım ettim", "yardım-edin", "yardım-et", "yardım-etmeye", "yardım-etti"]·urd["مدد-کر", "مدد-کرنے-میں", "مدد-کرو", "مدد-کی"]
Related Senses
H8104 1. Qal: keep, observe (law/covenant) (399×)G3101 1. disciple, learner (263×)H5826 1. Qal: to help, aid (53×)H8334 1. to minister, serve (52×)H8334 2. minister, servant, attendant (46×)G5083 1. observe or obey commands (41×)H8104 2. Niphal: beware, take heed (34×)G1247 1. to serve or minister to (32×)H3256 1. discipline, chastise (Piel active) (27×)H5833 1. help, aid, assistance (26×)H8104 3. Qal: watch, look out (26×)H5341 1. keep, observe (commandments) (24×)G5083 2. guard or protect someone (23×)H5647 2. serve, minister to (a person) (21×)H5826 2. Qal participle: helper (21×)G5219 1. obey, be obedient to (20×)H5341 2. guard, protect, preserve (a person) (20×)G1398 1. serve, render service to (19×)H5828 1. help, assistance (19×)H5411 1. Nethinim, temple servants (18×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
βοηθ-έω (sometimes written βοιηθέω, Refs 4th c.BC+, Ionic dialect βωθέω, only Refs 5th c.BC+, compare βοηθήσω Refs 4th c.BC+; Doric dialect βοᾱθοέω Refs; Aeolic dialect βαθόημι (which see):—middle, future -ήσομαιRefs 4th c.AD+:—come to aid, succour, assist, aid, with dative, τῇ σφετέρῃ Refs 5th c.BC+; ναυσὶ β. τινί πολιορκουμένῳRefs; β. τοῖς τῶν προγόνων ἀτυχήμασιν Refs 5th c.BC+; β. τῷ θεῷ…