ἐμ-πτύω G1716
To spit upon someone, expressing contempt, mockery, or abuse.
A visceral verb of public degradation, used exclusively in the Gospels to describe the humiliation of Jesus during his passion. The Sanhedrin members spit in his face after the trial (Matt 26:67), the Roman soldiers do the same during their mockery (Matt 27:30; Mark 15:19), and Jesus himself predicts this treatment beforehand (Mark 10:34). Spitting on someone was among the most degrading acts in the ancient Mediterranean world -- an assault on honor that crossed every cultural boundary. The Spanish 'escupir,' French 'cracher sur,' and English 'spit upon' all preserve the raw physicality of the act.
Senses
1. spit on/upon — To spit upon someone as a deliberate act of contempt, mockery, or physical abuse. All six NT occurrences are concentrated in the Passion narratives and Jesus's predictions thereof. At the Sanhedrin trial, members of the council spit in Jesus's face (Matt 26:67; Mark 14:65). Roman soldiers repeat the insult during the scourging and mockery (Matt 27:30; Mark 15:19). Jesus himself foretells this treatment in Mark 10:34 and Luke 18:32. The act carried intense cultural weight in the ancient world as an assault on personal honor, and every translation tradition renders it with corresponding directness: Spanish 'escupir,' French 'cracher sur.' 6×
AR["بَصَقُوا", "كَانُوا-يَبْصُقُونَ-عَلَيْهِ", "يَبْصُقُونَ", "يَبْصُقُونَ-عَلَى", "يُبصَقُ-عَلَيهِ"]·ben["থুতু-দিচ্ছিলেন", "থুতু-দিতে", "থুথু-দিয়ে", "থুথু-দিল", "থুথু-দেওয়া-হবে", "থুথু-দেবেন"]·DE["ἐμπτυσθήσεται", "ἐμπτύειν", "ἐμπτύσαντες", "ἐμπτύσουσιν", "ἐνέπτυον", "ἐνέπτυσαν"]·EN["having-spat", "he-will-be-spit-upon", "they-spat", "to-spit-on", "were-spitting-on", "will-spit-on"]·FR["cracher-sur"]·heb["יְרֻקַּק", "יִרְקוּ", "יָרְק-וּ", "יָרְקוּ", "לִ-רֹק"]·HI["थूककर", "थूकते-थे", "थूकने", "थूका", "थूका-जाएगा", "थूकेंगे"]·ID["diludahi", "meludahi", "mereka-akan-meludahi", "mereka-meludahi"]·IT["sputare"]·jav["badhe-dipun-idoni.", "ngidoni", "sami-ngidoni", "sasampunipun-ngidoni"]·KO["침-백었다", "침-뱉고", "침-뱉기를", "침-뱉었다", "침-뱉으리라", "침-뱉음-당할-것이다"]·PT["a-cuspir-nele", "cuspiam-nele", "cuspiram", "cuspirão", "tendo-cuspido"]·RU["оплюют", "оплёван-будет", "плевали", "плевать", "плюнув", "плюнули"]·ES["a-escupir", "escupieron", "escupirán", "escupían", "habiendo-escupido", "será-escupido"]·SW["atatemewa-mate", "wakaanza-kumtemea", "wakamtemea", "wakimtemea-mate", "walimtemea-mate", "watamtemea-mate"]·TR["tükürdüler", "tükürecekler", "tükürmeye", "tükürülecek", "tükürüp", "tükürüyorlardı"]·urd["تھوک-کر", "تھوکا", "تھوکا-جائے-گا", "تھوکتے-تھے", "تھوکنا", "تھوکیں-گے"]
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
ἐμ-πτύω, spit into, ἐς ποταμόν Refs 5th c.BC+ __II spit upon, εἴς τι NT+4th c.BC+:—middle, LXX:—passive, to be spat upon, Refs 1st c.AD+