ἐπικᾰλύπτ-ω G1943
to cover over, veil, conceal
A verb meaning to cover over or veil, used literally of snow covering tracks or metaphorically of concealing facts or darkening understanding. Romans 4:7 quotes Psalm 32:1: 'Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered (ἐπεκαλύφθησαν).' The passive form suggests God's action of concealing or putting sins out of sight. This is the language of atonement: sins hidden from view by divine mercy.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Paul cites David's beatitude on forgiveness. The multilingual glosses (Spanish 'fueron cubiertos,' French 'couvert') convey the covering action. This is not denial or ignorance but gracious concealment: God covers sins so they no longer accuse. The passive voice emphasizes divine initiative—God acts to hide transgressions from his own judicial gaze. This Old Testament image anticipates the fuller revelation of justification through Christ's atoning work. 1×
AR["سُتِرَت"]·ben["আবৃত-করা-হয়েছে,"]·DE["bedecken"]·EN["were-covered"]·FR["couvert"]·heb["נִכְסוּ"]·HI["ढाँके-गए"]·ID["ditutupi,"]·IT["coprire"]·jav["dipuntutupi,"]·KO["덮임-받은"]·PT["foram-cobertos"]·RU["покрыты"]·ES["fueron-cubiertos"]·SW["zimefunikwa"]·TR["örtüldü"]·urd["ڑھانپے-گئے"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐπικᾰλύπτ-ω, cover over, cover up, shroud, κακὸν δ᾽ ἐπὶ κῶμα καλύπτει variant in Refs; of snow covering a track, Refs 5th c.BC+:— passive, to be covered over, veiled, ἡ ἐπωνυμία ἐπικεκάλυπται 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Cratylus” 395b; ἐπικαλύπτεσθαι τὸν νοῦν πάθει ἢ ὕπνῳ is darkened, obscured, Refs __II. put as a covering over, βλεφάρων φᾶρος Refs 5th c.BC+ —passive, τῶν βλεφάρων -κεκαλυμμένων when the eyelids are drawn down, Refs