ἐξᾰλείφω G1813
To wipe away, blot out, erase; to obliterate something written or to remove tears and suffering.
Combines the prefix ex- ('out, away') with aleiphō ('to anoint, smear'), yielding the core idea of wiping or smearing something out of existence. In the New Testament it carries two vivid applications: erasing a record of guilt or a name -- blotting out sins (Acts 3:19), canceling the written code of ordinances (Col 2:14), threatening to blot out a name from the book of life (Rev 3:5) -- and the tender image of God wiping away every tear (Rev 7:17, 21:4). Spanish borrar ('to erase') and French effacer ('to efface') together cover this spectrum from legal cancellation to compassionate comfort.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To blot out, erase, or cancel a written record, particularly of sin or legal obligation. Peter calls hearers to repent so that their sins may be blotted out (Acts 3:19), and Paul declares that Christ erased the handwriting of ordinances against us (Col 2:14). The warning in Rev 3:5 about blotting a name from the book of life inverts the image -- erasure as judgment rather than mercy. Spanish borrando/borraré and French effacer reinforce the metaphor of wiping clean a written surface. In Rev 7:17 and 21:4, the same verb takes on a tender, physical sense: God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, extending the 'erasure' from documents to grief itself. 5×
AR["أَمْحوَ", "أَنْ-تُمْحَى", "سَيَمسَحُ", "سَيَمْسَحُ", "ماحِيًا"]·ben["আমি-মুছে-দেব", "মুছে-দেবেন", "মুছে-ফেলা", "মুছে-ফেলে"]·DE["ausloeschen", "ἐξαλειφθῆναι"]·EN["I-will-blot-out", "having-blotted-out", "he-will-wipe-away", "to-be-wiped-out", "will-wipe-away"]·FR["effacer", "éteindre"]·heb["אֶמְחֶה", "יִמְחֶה", "לְהִמָּחוֹת", "מוֹחֵק"]·HI["पोंछेगा", "मिटाऊँगा", "मितकर"]·ID["Aku-hapus", "Dia-akan-menghapus", "akan-menghapus", "dihapuskan", "menghapus"]·IT["cancellare", "exaleipsas", "exaleipsei", "exaleipsō"]·jav["Kawula-badhé-mbusak", "Panjenenganipun-badhe-ngusapi", "badhé-ngusap", "kabusak", "sampun-ngilangi"]·KO["결코", "닦아-주실-것이다", "닦으실-것이다", "지우시면서", "지워지는-것-을"]·PT["apagando", "apagarei", "enxugará", "serem-apagados"]·RU["изгладив", "изгладиться", "изглажу", "отрёт"]·ES["borrando", "borraré", "enjugará", "ser-borrados"]·SW["akifuta", "atafuta", "kufutwa", "sitafuta"]·TR["-o", "silecek", "silen", "silinmesine"]·urd["مٹاؤں-گا", "مٹائے-جانا", "مٹاتے-ہوئے", "پونچھے-گا"]
Related Senses
H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)H8313 1. burn, set fire to (94×)H2734 1. anger was kindled (82×)G5204 1. water (80×)H2822 1. darkness, absence of light (80×)G5457 1. light (illumination) (71×)G0450 1. rise, stand up (physical) (69×)H6965b 2. Qal: to stand firm, endure, be valid (50×)H6999a 2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) (45×)H5553 1. rock, cliff (physical feature) (43×)H6965b 4. Hifil: to establish, confirm (covenant/kingdom/word) (40×)H1197a 1. burn, be on fire (39×)H4306 1. rain, showers (38×)H1653 1. rain, precipitation (34×)G4655 1. darkness (30×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐξᾰλείφω, perfect passive ἐξαλήλιμμαι (see. below): subjunctive aorist 2 passive ἐξαλῐφῇ variant in Refs 5th c.BC+:— plaster or wash over, τοῦ σώματος τὸ ἥμισυ ἐξηλείφοντο γύψῳ Refs 5th c.BC+; ᾗ ἔτυχε.. οὐκ ἐξαληλιμμένον τὸ τεῖχος where it was not whitewashed, Refs 5th c.BC+:—middle, anoint, μύρῳ βρενθείῳ ἐξαλείψαο Refs 7th c.BC+ __II wipe out, obliterate, ἐξαλειφθεῖσ᾽ ὡς ἄγαλμα Refs 5th c.BC+:…