ἐκλανθάνω G1585
To forget utterly, forget completely; to lose all memory or awareness of something previously known
This verb means to forget utterly or completely—an intensified form of 'forget.' In Hebrews 12:5, the author asks if they have 'forgotten entirely' the exhortation that addresses them as sons. The prefix strengthens basic forgetting to complete forgetfulness or escape of memory. Classical usage confirms meanings of escaping notice utterly or forgetting entirely. The multilingual evidence (Spanish 'habéis olvidado' = you have forgotten, French 'oublier' = forget, German 'vergessen' = forget) consistently conveys complete loss of memory or awareness of something once known.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Hebrews 12:5 asks rhetorically whether readers 'have forgotten entirely (ἐκλέλησθε)' God's fatherly exhortation that addresses them as sons. Spanish 'habéis olvidado' (you have forgotten) and German 'vergessen' (forget) render the completed forgetfulness. The perfect tense suggests a state of having forgotten that continues. The intensified prefix (ἐκ-) strengthens basic 'forget' to 'forget utterly/completely.' Classical usage included both active causing-to-forget and middle/passive forgetting entirely. The author implies this crucial word about divine discipline has slipped from their consciousness. 1×
AR["نَسِيتُمْ"]·ben["তোমরা-ভুলে-গেছ"]·DE["vergessen"]·EN["you-have-forgotten"]·FR["oublier"]·heb["שְׁכַחְתֶּם"]·HI["भूल-गए-हो"]·ID["kamu-lupa"]·IT["eklelēsthe"]·jav["panjenengan-sampun-kesupen"]·KO["너희가-잊었다"]·PT["vos-esquecestes"]·RU["забыли"]·ES["habéis-olvidado"]·SW["mmesahau"]·TR["unuttunuz"]·urd["بھول-گئے-ہو"]
Related Senses
H3045 1. Qal: to know, perceive, understand (829×)H5315 1. soul, inner being (647×)H3820a 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (572×)H4672 1. Qal: find, discover (289×)G1492 1. know facts or truths (285×)H3824 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (250×)H1245 1. seek, search for (200×)G1097 1. know, be acquainted with (196×)H2142 1. Qal: remember, recall (173×)G2588 1. heart (inner self, mind, will) (158×)H0977 1. choose, select (Qal active) (145×)G2147 1. find, discover (144×)G5590 1. soul, inner self (100×)H4672 2. Niphal: be found, be discovered (99×)H1875 1. seek, search for (96×)H5315 2. life, vitality (94×)H1847 1. knowledge, discernment (90×)H2450 1. wise, prudent (84×)H7911 1. Qal: to forget (83×)H3684 1. fool, dullard (70×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐκλανθάνω, escape notice utterly:—middle, forget utterly, with genitive of things, ἐκ χόλω τῶδε λαθοίμεθα Refs 7th c.BC+; τοῦδ᾽ ἐκλανθάνει thou forgettest this entirely, Refs 5th c.BC+ __II causal in present ἐκληθάνω, with aorist 1 ἐξέλησα, Aeolic dialect ἐξέλᾱσα (see. below): Epic dialect reduplicate aorist 2 ἐκλέλᾰθον: __II.1 active, make one quite forgetful of a thing, c.genitive of things, ἐκ…