ἐγχρίω G1472
To anoint, rub with oil or ointment; to apply a substance to the surface, particularly for medicinal or ritual purposes
This verb means to anoint or rub with oil or ointment. In Revelation 3:18, Jesus counsels the Laodicean church to anoint their eyes with eye-salve so they may see—a metaphor for spiritual insight. The multilingual evidence reflects both religious anointing (English 'to anoint', Spanish 'para ungir') and medical application (French/German 'einreiben' = to rub in). Classical usage confirms both dimensions: ritual anointing and medical application, even extending to the 'stinging' sense of substances being rubbed into the skin.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Revelation 3:18's counsel to 'anoint your eyes with eye-salve' uses medical imagery for spiritual healing. While English and Spanish use 'anoint/ungir' (often religious), French and German choose 'einreiben' (rub in), highlighting the medicinal application. The classical range shows both ritual anointing and pharmaceutical rubbing-in, with even a secondary sense of 'sting/prick' from substances penetrating the skin. Here the medical sense dominates, though spiritual overtones remain. 1×
AR["اكْحَلْ"]·ben["মাখতে"]·DE["einreiben"]·EN["to-anoint"]·FR["einreiben"]·heb["לִ-מְשֹׁחַ"]·HI["लगाना"]·ID["untuk-mengurapi"]·IT["egchrisai"]·jav["olesna"]·KO["바르고"]·PT["para-ungir"]·RU["помазать"]·ES["para-ungir"]·SW["kupaka"]·TR["-o"]·urd["لگانا"]
Related Senses
H3548 1. priest, cultic officiant (750×)G5547 1. Christ, Messiah, Anointed One (540×)H5030 1. Prophet, divine spokesperson (317×)H5930a 1. burnt offering (sacrifice) (286×)H3881 1. Levites (priestly class) (283×)G4396 1. prophet, spokesperson of God (146×)H6944 1. sanctuary, holy place (129×)G0749 1. high priest, chief priest (123×)H6944 2. holiness, sacredness (abstract quality) (123×)G5330 1. Pharisee (99×)G4336 1. pray to God (86×)H6944 3. holy things, sacred offerings (plural) (86×)H3722a 1. make ritual atonement (Piel) (85×)H6912 1. bury (Qal active) (82×)H6419 1. pray (Hitpael) (80×)H6944 4. holiness (with possessive pronoun) (77×)H6942 1. sanctify, consecrate (Piel factitive) (76×)H2930a 1. Qal: be/become unclean (75×)H7819a 1. slaughter an animal (Qal active) (72×)H1486 1. lot (object cast for decisions) (71×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐγχρίω [ῑ], anoint, ἀλείμμασιν ἑαυτόν NT+4th c.BC+:—middle, anoint oneself, ἰξοῦ Refs 1st c.BC+; ἐ. τὸ πρόσωπονRefs 4th c.BC+:—passive, Refs 1st c.AD+ __II sting, prick, τινί Refs 5th c.BC+ —passive, ἰὸς ἐγχρισθείς poison injected by a sting, Refs 2nd c.AD+ __II.2 stick in, τὸ κέντρον Refs