γενν-άω G1080
To beget (of a father), be born (passive), or give birth to (of a mother); encompasses physical lineage, spiritual rebirth, and divine generation.
A verb at the heart of biblical genealogy and theology alike. In Matthew's opening chapter alone it appears dozens of times tracing the lineage from Abraham to Christ — 'Abraham begot Isaac.' Yet the same word describes being 'born of the Spirit' in John 3 and being 'born of God' in 1 John, stretching physical begetting into the realm of spiritual rebirth. The LSJ entry notes metaphorical usage as early as the fifth century BC, but the New Testament writers press this metaphor further than any classical author. Spanish 'engendró' (begot) and 'ha nacido' (has been born) neatly mirror the active-passive distinction.
Senses
1. beget, father a child — To beget or father a child, with the male parent as agent. This is the genealogical workhorse of Matt 1:2-16, where the formula 'A begot B' chains forty-two generations. It also describes God's unique generation of the Son (Heb 1:5, quoting Ps 2:7). Spanish 'engendró' and French 'engendrer' both preserve the active paternal force. The 49 occurrences cluster heavily in genealogies and christological declarations. 49×
AR["وَلَدَ"]·ben["জন্ম-দিলেন"]·DE["zeugt"]·EN["fathered"]·FR["engendrer"]·heb["הוֹלִיד"]·HI["उत्पन्न-किया"]·ID["memperanakkan"]·IT["generare"]·jav["peputra"]·KO["낳았고"]·PT["gerou"]·RU["родил"]·ES["engendró"]·SW["alizaa"]·TR["babası-oldu"]·urd["جنم-دیا"]
2. be born, come into existence — To be born or come into existence (passive/middle), with the one born as subject. Physical birth appears in Matt 2:1 ('Jesus, having been born in Bethlehem'), while spiritual rebirth dominates in John 3 and 1 John ('born of God,' 'born of the Spirit'). German distinguishes this with 'geboren-werden,' and Spanish shifts to 'ha nacido.' The 44 occurrences span the full range from literal delivery to metaphorical regeneration. 44×
AR["بِحَسَبِ", "مَولود", "مَولودٍ", "مَولودُ", "مَولودِ", "مَوْلُودٌ", "مَوْلُودُ", "مَوْلُودِ", "وُلِدَ"]·ben["জন্ম-অন্ধের", "জন্ম-হল", "জন্মগ্রহণ-করলেন", "জন্মগ্রহণ-করা", "জন্মানো,", "জন্মেছিল;", "জন্মেছে", "যিনি-জন্মেছিলেন", "যে-জন্মেছে", "সে-জন্মেছিল"]·DE["geboren-werden", "zeugt"]·EN["has-been-born", "having-been-born", "he-has-been-born", "he-was-born", "was-born"]·FR["engendrer"]·heb["הַ-נּוֹלַד", "נוֹלַד", "נוֹלַדְתִּי", "נוֹלָד"]·HI["उत्पन्न-हुआ", "जनम-लिय,", "जनम-लिय;", "जन्मा-हुआ", "जन्मा-है", "जन्मा?", "जन्मा।", "जन्मे-हुए।"]·ID["dilahirkan", "dilahirkan,", "dilahirkan.", "ia-dilahirkan", "telah-lahir", "yang-dilahirkan"]·IT["generare"]·jav["dipun-lairaken.", "dipun-lairaken?", "ingkang-kalairaken", "kalairaken,", "kalairaken;", "lair", "miyos", "sampun-lair"]·KO["그-가-태어났다", "난-자가,", "날-때부터의", "태어난", "태어난-것", "태어난-것은", "태어난-분-이", "태어난-자", "태어난-자가", "태어났고;", "태어났다", "태어났다고"]·PT["gerado", "nasceu", "nascido", "é-nascido,", "é-nascido."]·RU["Рождённое", "Рождённый", "родился", "родился.", "родился?", "рождён", "рождён,", "рождён.", "рождённого.", "рождённое", "рождённый"]·ES["engendrado", "fue-engendrado", "ha-nacido", "ha-sido-engendrado", "nacido", "nació"]·SW["aliyezaliwa", "alizaliwa", "amezaliwa", "kilichozaliwa", "niliyezaliwa", "zaliwa"]·TR["doğan", "doğdu", "doğmuş", "doğmuş-olan", "doğmuş-olanın", "doğmuştu", "doğmuştur"]·urd["پیدا ہوا", "پیدا-ہوا", "پیدا-ہوا-ہے،", "پیدا-ہوا-ہے۔", "پیدائشی"]
Matt 1:16, Matt 1:20, Matt 2:1, Matt 2:4, Matt 19:12, Matt 26:24, Mark 14:21, Luke 1:35, John 1:13, John 3:3, John 3:4, John 3:4 (+32 more)
3. give birth to, bear — To give birth to or bear a child, with the mother as agent. Luke 1:13 ('Elizabeth will bear you a son') and John 16:21 ('a woman giving birth') foreground the maternal role. Spanish 'dará-a-luz' and 'dio-a-luz' (literally 'will give to light / gave to light') beautifully capture the imagery of bringing a child into the light of day. Only four occurrences carry this specifically maternal sense. 4×
AR["تَلِدُ", "سَتَلِدُ", "وَلَدَتْ", "يَلِدُ"]·ben["জন্ম-দিলেন", "জন্ম-দেবে", "জন্ম-দেয়", "জন্মদানকারী,"]·DE["geboren-werden", "zeugt"]·EN["giving-birth", "she-bears", "she-bore", "will-bear"]·FR["engendrer"]·heb["יָלְדָה", "יוֹלֶדֶת", "תֵּלֵד"]·HI["जनम-देति,", "जन्म-दिया", "जन्म-दे", "जन्म-देगी"]·ID["akan-melahirkan", "dia-melahirkan", "melahirkan"]·IT["generare"]·jav["badhé-nglairaken", "mbabaraken,", "nglairaken"]·KO["낳는,", "낳았다", "낳으면", "낳을-것이다"]·PT["der-à-luz", "gerando", "gerará", "gerou"]·RU["родила", "родит", "рождающий"]·ES["dará-a-luz", "dio-a-luz", "engendrando", "ha-dado-a-luz"]·SW["akazaa", "ameshazaa", "atazaa", "inazaa"]·TR["doğuracak", "doğuran", "doğurdu", "doğurunca"]·urd["جنا", "جنتی-ہوئی", "جنم دے", "جنے-گی"]
Related Senses
H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H0398 1. eat (consume food) (697×)H4191 1. die (Qal: natural/general death) (645×)G3708 1. see, perceive visually (419×)G0191 1. hear, perceive sound (360×)H???? 3. (352×)G3708 2. behold, look (exclamatory) (256×)H7272 1. foot (body part) (236×)H8354 1. drink, consume liquid (209×)H3205 1. Qal active: bear/give birth (female subject) (204×)H3205 2. Qal active: beget/father (male subject) (198×)H2421 1. Qal: live, be alive (177×)H8085 2. Qal: listen, heed, pay attention (172×)H2416a 1. alive, living (state/attribute) (146×)H2416e 1. life, lifespan, lifetime (145×)G2198 1. be alive, have life (133×)H8193 1. lip, lips (body part) (123×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
γενν-άω, future middle γεννήσομαι in passive sense, Refs 1st c.BC+ (but -ηθήσομαιRefs: (γέννα):—causal of γίγνομαι (compare γείνομαι), mostly of the father, beget, ὁ γεννήσας πατήρ Refs 5th c.BC+; οἱ γεννήσαντές σε your parents, Refs 5th c.BC+; ὅθεν γεγενναμένοι sprung, Refs 5th c.BC+; of the mother, bring forth, bear, Refs 5th c.BC+:—middle, produce from oneself, create, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2…