δουλ-όω G1402
To enslave, bring into bondage; in passive, to be enslaved or made subject — used of literal, spiritual, and relational servitude.
A verb meaning to reduce someone to slavery or to be in a state of bondage. In its active uses, it describes the forceful subjection of one person by another — as in Acts 7:6 where a foreign nation will enslave Abraham's descendants, or in 2 Peter 2:19 where false teachers enslave others through corrupt promises. Paul strikingly applies it to himself in 1 Corinthians 9:19, saying he 'enslaved himself' to everyone for the gospel's sake. The passive forms describe the resulting state: believers once enslaved to sin (Rom 6:18, 22), or the Galatians formerly enslaved to elemental forces (Gal 4:3). Spanish distinguishes 'esclavizados' (enslaved, passive) from 'esclavicé' (I enslaved, active), mapping neatly onto the two senses.
Senses
1. be enslaved, become a slave (passive/stative) — To be enslaved, to exist in a state of bondage — passive and stative forms indicating subjection. In Romans 6:18 and 6:22, believers are described as having been freed from sin's enslavement and now made servants of righteousness. Galatians 4:3 recalls the time 'we were enslaved' under elemental principles, and Titus 2:3 warns against being enslaved to excessive wine. Spanish 'esclavizados/fuisteis hechos siervos' and French 'asservir' capture the condition of involuntary subjection. 4×
AR["استُعبِدتُم", "مُستَعبَداتٍ", "مُستَعبَدينَ"]·ben["তোমরা-দাস-হলে", "দাস-হয়ে", "দাসত্ব-করা", "দাসত্বে-আনা।"]·DE["versklaven"]·EN["enslaved", "having-become-slaves", "having-been-enslaved", "you-became-slaves"]·FR["asservir", "versklaven"]·heb["הִשְׁתַּעְבַּדְתֶּם", "מְשֻׁעְבָּדִים", "מְשֻׁעְבָּדוֹת,", "מְשֻעְבָּדִים"]·HI["गुलअमि-मेइन.", "दअसि,", "दास-बनाये-गए"]·ID["diperbudak", "diperbudak,", "kamu-diperbudak", "setelah-diperbudak"]·IT["dedoulōmenas", "dedoulōmenoi", "rendere-schiavo"]·jav["dados-abdi", "dipundadosaken-réncang.", "kawula,", "panjenengan-dados-abdi"]·KO["종-되어.", "종-되었으니", "종-된-자들", "종된-자들"]·PT["escravizadas,", "escravizados", "fostes-feitos-servos", "tendo-sido-feitos-servos"]·RU["-праведности", "же", "порабощены", "порабощёнными"]·ES["esclavizadas", "esclavizados", "fuisteis-hechos-siervos", "habiendo-sido-hechos-siervos"]·SW["mkawa-watumwa", "mkifanywa-watumwa", "tumefungwa-utumwani", "waliotiwa-utumwa"]·TR["köle-edildiniz", "köle-edilmiş,", "köle-edilmiş-olarak", "köleleştirilmiş"]·urd["غلام", "غلام-بنائے-ہوئے", "غلام-ہو-کر", "غلام-ہو-گئے"]
2. enslave, make a slave of (active) — To enslave actively, to bring someone into bondage or make oneself a slave to others. In Acts 7:6 God foretells that a foreign nation 'will enslave' Israel for four hundred years. Paul boldly declares in 1 Corinthians 9:19 that he 'enslaved himself' to all people for the sake of winning more to Christ — a voluntary, paradoxical self-subjection. In 2 Peter 2:19, false teachers promise freedom while themselves being slaves of corruption, and whoever is overcome by them 'is enslaved.' Spanish 'esclavicé/esclavizarán' marks the active, transitive force clearly. 4×
AR["اسْتَعْبَدْتُ", "سَيَسْتَعْبِدُونَهُ", "مُسْتَعْبَداً", "يُستَعبَدُ"]·ben["দাস-করবে", "দাস-বানালাম,", "দাস-হয়েছে", "দাসত্বে-বন্দী"]·DE["versklaven", "δουλώσουσιν"]·EN["I-enslaved", "has-been-enslaved", "he-has-been-enslaved", "they-will-enslave"]·FR["asservir", "versklaven"]·heb["הֶעֱבַדְתִּי", "יְשַׁעְבְּדוּם", "מְשֻׁעְבָּד", "מְשֻעְבָּד"]·HI["दास-बना-है", "दास-बनाएँगे", "दास-बनाया", "दास-बनाया-गया-है"]·ID["aku-memperbudak", "diperbudak", "diperbudak.", "memperbudak"]·IT["dedoulōtai", "rendere-schiavo"]·jav["dipun-kawula", "kawula.", "kula-damel-abdi,", "ngawèla-akén"]·KO["매여있다", "종-만들었다", "종-삼을-것이다", "종이-되었다."]·PT["escravizarão", "escravizei,", "foi-escravizado"]·RU["поработил,", "поработят", "порабощён"]·ES["esclavicé", "esclavizarán", "ha-sido-esclavizado"]·SW["hajafungwa", "ni-mtumwa-wake", "nilijifanya-mtumwa,", "watawafanya-watumwa"]·TR["köle yaptım", "köle-yapacaklar", "kölelenmiştir"]·urd["بندھا-ہوا-ہے", "غلام-بنائیں-گے", "غلام-بنایا", "غلام-بنایا-جاتا-ہے۔"]
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
δουλ-όω, enslave, Refs 5th c.BC+:—mostly in passive, to be enslaved, ὑπὸ Πέρσῃσι, ὑπὸ Ἁρπάγου, Refs 5th c.BC+; αἱ ψυχαὶ δεδούλωνται Refs 5th c.BC+:—middle (with perfect δεδουλῶσθαι Refs 5th c.BC+, make subject to oneself, enslave, Refs 5th c.BC+