ἕλκω G1670
To draw, drag, pull — physical hauling by force, or divine spiritual attraction
The verb ἕλκω covers the full spectrum from brute physical force to mysterious divine initiative. In its concrete sense, nets heavy with fish are 'dragged' to shore (John 21:6, 11), Peter 'draws' a sword (John 18:10), and Paul and Silas are 'dragged' before the magistrates (Acts 16:19). But in two theologically momentous passages, Jesus declares 'No one can come to me unless the Father draws him' (John 6:44) and 'I, when I am lifted up, will draw all people to myself' (John 12:32). The multilingual evidence confirms the split: Spanish uses 'arrastrar' (drag) for physical force but 'atraer' (attract) for the spiritual sense, and Arabic similarly distinguishes 'jarr' (جرّ) from 'ajdhibu' (أجذب).
Senses
1. draw, drag (physically) — To drag, haul, or pull physically, often with connotations of force or compulsion. Peter draws his sword in Gethsemane (John 18:10), the disciples drag the net full of fish ashore (John 21:6, 11), Paul and Silas are dragged into the marketplace before rulers (Acts 16:19), and Paul is dragged out of the temple in Jerusalem (Acts 21:30). Spanish consistently uses 'arrastrar/arrastraron' (drag), Arabic 'jarr' (جرّ, pull), and Korean 'kkeulda' (끌다, drag) — all physical-force vocabulary with no connotation of gentle attraction. 6×
AR["جَذَبَ","جَرُّوهُ","جَرّوهُما","سَلَّ","يَجُرّونَ","يَجْذِبونَها"]·ben["টানতে","টেনে-তুললেন","টেনে-নিয়ে-গেল","টেনে-নিয়ে-যায়","টেনে-বের-করলেন","তারা-টেনে-নিল"]·DE["ziehen","εἵλκυσαν","εἷλκον"]·EN["drag","dragged","drew","to-draw","were-dragging"]·FR["attirer","tirer"]·heb["לִמְשֹׁךְ","מָשַׁךְ","סָחֲבוּ","סוֹחֲבִים","שָׁלַף"]·HI["खींचते-हैं","खींचने","खींचा","घसीटते-थे","घसीटा"]·ID["menarik","menyeret"]·IT["attirare","attrarre","elkousin"]·jav["narik","nyeret","nyèrèd"]·KO["그들이-끌어냈다","끌어가느냐","끌어갔다","끌어당겼다","끌어당기다","뽑았다"]·PT["arrastaram","arrastavam","desembainhou","puxar","puxou","vos-arrastam"]·RU["влекут","вытащил","вытащить","извлёк","потащили","тащили"]·ES["arrastrar","arrastraron","arrastró","desenvainó","lo-arrastraban","os-arrastran"]·SW["akavuta","aliuchomoa","kuweza-kuvuta","walimburuta","waliwakokota","wanawakokota"]·TR["sürüklediler","sürükler","sürüklüyorlardı","çekmeye","çekti"]·urd["کھینچا","کھینچنے","کھینچی","گھسیٹا","گھسیٹتے-ہیں"]
2. draw, attract (spiritually/metaphorically) — To draw or attract someone in a spiritual or metaphorical sense, used exclusively of divine action drawing people toward God or Christ. In John 6:44 Jesus says no one comes to him 'unless the Father who sent me draws him,' and in John 12:32 the crucified and exalted Christ promises to 'draw all people' to himself. The multilingual evidence registers this shift precisely: Spanish moves from 'arrastrar' to 'atraer' (attract), Arabic from 'jarr' to 'ajdhibu' (أجذب, I attract), and Korean from 'kkeulda' to 'ikkeulda' — all marking the transition from coercive physical force to compelling spiritual magnetism. 2×
AR["سَـ-أَجْذِبُ","يَجْذِبَهُ"]·ben["টানব","টানেন"]·DE["ziehen"]·EN["I-will-draw","draws"]·FR["tirer"]·heb["אֶמְשֹׁךְ","יִמְשֹׁךְ"]·HI["खींचूँगा","खींचे"]·ID["akan-menarik","menarik"]·IT["attirare"]·jav["Kula-badh醤arik","narik"]·KO["끌어당기겠다","이끄시면"]·RU["привлеку","привлечёт"]·ES["atraeré","atrajere"]·SW["amvute","nitawavuta"]·TR["çekeceğim","çekerse"]·urd["کھینچوں-گا","کھینچے"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)G1525 1. enter a place physically (179×)H7812 1. prostrate oneself, bow down, worship (173×)H3318 2. Hifil: bring out, lead out, take out (persons) (172×)H7725 2. to bring back, restore (Hifil) (151×)H5674a 2. Qal: cross over (134×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἕλκω (ἑλκύω late, Refs 8th c.BC+, imperfect __A εἷλκον Refs 4th c.BC+, Epic dialect ἕλκον Refs 8th c.BC+: future ἕλξω Refs 5th c.BC+: aorist εἵλκῠσα Refs 5th c.BC+, Trag. and Attic dialect, Refs 5th c.BC+; later εἷλξα, poetry ἕλξα Refs 2nd c.AD+: perfect εἵλκῠκα Refs 4th c.BC+; perfect participle ἑολκώς probably in Refs 5th c.BC+ —middle, future -ύσομαι (ἐφ-) Refs 2nd c.AD+aorist εἱλκυσάμην (ἀφ-)…