ἐπέρχομαι G1904
To come upon, arrive, overtake — describing both divine visitation and the onset of events or calamities
The verb ἐπέρχομαι (eperchomai) means to come upon, arrive at, or overtake someone or something. Its compound structure (ἐπί + ἔρχομαι) conveys movement directed toward and arriving upon a target. In Luke 1:35 the Holy Spirit 'will come upon' Mary, and in Acts 1:8 power 'will come upon' the disciples — both describing divine visitation from above. Luke 21:26 warns of terrors 'coming upon' the inhabited world, and Luke 11:22 speaks of a stronger man 'coming upon' an armed opponent. Acts 14:19 records Jews 'arriving from' Antioch and Iconium. Spanish uses 'venir sobre/sobrevenir,' Arabic يَأْتِي عَلَى, Korean 임하다 ('come upon'), Hindi आना ('come'), and Swahili -jia ('come to'), all converging on the notion of directed arrival.
Senses
1. come upon, arrive — To come upon, arrive at, or overtake — encompassing divine visitation, the onset of events, and physical arrival. The Holy Spirit 'comes upon' Mary (Luke 1:35) and power 'comes upon' the disciples (Acts 1:8), representing supernatural advent. Eschatological terrors 'come upon' the world (Luke 21:26; Jas 5:1), and a stronger adversary 'comes upon' the armed man (Luke 11:22). Participial forms convey 'the coming/next' (Eph 2:7; Acts 7:18). All forms share one core meaning of directed approach and arrival, with variation only in grammatical inflection. 10×
AR["آتِياً", "أَتى", "الآتيَةِ", "الآتِيَةِ", "حِينَ-يَأْتِي", "سَيَأْتِي", "يَأتِيَ", "يَأْتي", "يَأْتِي"]·ben["আসছে", "আসছে-যা", "আসবে", "আসিলে", "আসুক", "আসে", "এলেন", "এসে"]·DE["kommt-über", "ἐπερχομέναις", "ἐπερχομένοις"]·EN["came", "come", "coming", "having-come", "having-come-upon", "it-will-come-upon", "may-come", "will-come"]·FR["survenir", "venir-sur"]·heb["בְּבוֹא", "בָּא", "בָּאִים", "בָּאוּ", "הַבָּאִים", "הַבָּאוֹת", "יָבוֹא", "תָּבוֹא"]·HI["अअने-वलोन", "आ-पड़े", "आए", "आएगा", "आकर", "आने-पर", "आने-वाली-बातों-की", "आनेवाली-हैं"]·ID["Datang", "akan-datang", "datang", "datang-menyerang", "menimpa", "setelah-datang", "yang-akan-datang", "yang-akan-datang.", "yang-menimpa"]·IT["epeiseleusetai", "epeleusetai", "epelthon", "eperchomenais", "eperchomenois", "eperchomenon", "venire-sopra"]·jav["Rawuh", "badhé-rawuh", "ingkang-badhe-dhateng", "kang-rawuh.", "ndhateng", "rawuh", "rawuh,", "sasampunipun-rawuh", "tumrap-ingkang-badhé-rawuh"]·KO["능력-을", "닥쳐오는.", "오고-있는-것들의", "오는", "올-것이다", "와서", "왔다", "임하지", "임할-것이다", "임할-수-없도록"]·PT["Vieram", "que-vêm", "tendo-vindo", "venha", "venha,", "vindouros", "virá"]·RU["Пришли", "грядущего", "грядущих", "ибо-найдёт", "когда-сойдёт", "найдёт", "напав", "не-пришло", "приходящих.", "пришло"]·ES["Vinieron", "habiendo-venido", "que-vienen", "vendrá", "venga", "venideros", "viniendo"]·SW["Walikuja", "akija", "atakapokuja", "atakujilia", "itakuja", "kisije", "likaja,", "yanayokuja", "zijazo", "zinazokuja"]·TR["Geldiler", "gelecek", "gelecek-olanların", "geleceklerden", "gelecektir", "gelen", "gelerek", "gelince", "gelmesin", "gelsin"]·urd["آ-پڑے-گا", "آ-کر", "آئے", "آئے-گا", "آنے-والی", "آنے-والی۔", "آنے-والے", "آنے-پر"]
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
ἐπέρχομαι, imperfect Refs 5th c.BC+ (unless from ἐπάρχομαι: Attic dialect imperfect is ἐπῇα (but see at {ἔρχομαι}) and future ἔπειμι): aorist 2 ἐπῆλθον, Epic dialect -ήλῠθον: perfect -ελήλυθα: __I come upon: __I.1 of persons, approach, with dative, Refs 8th c.BC+, etc.; especially come suddenly upon, Refs 8th c.BC+ codices (nisi to be read ἐσ-); come to for advice, μάντεις, μοῦσαν, Refs 8th…