ἐπιπίπτω G1968
Fall upon; descend suddenly on someone (of the Spirit, fear, or emotion); embrace physically; rush at aggressively
A vivid verb of sudden, forceful descent onto a person. Most often in Acts, the Holy Spirit 'falls upon' believers at pivotal moments -- Pentecost's sequel at Cornelius's house (Acts 10:44), the Samaritan believers (Acts 8:16), and the Ephesian disciples (Acts 19:17). Fear likewise 'falls on' Zechariah at the angel's appearance (Luke 1:12). Yet the same verb captures deeply human moments: the father falling on the prodigal son's neck in embrace (Luke 15:20), Paul throwing himself on Eutychus (Acts 20:10), and the Ephesian elders weeping on Paul's neck (Acts 20:37). In Mark 3:10, crowds rush at Jesus to touch him -- the aggressive edge of this word.
Senses
1. fall upon (of Spirit, fear, or abstract force descending on someone) — Of an invisible or supernatural force -- especially the Holy Spirit or fear -- descending suddenly and overwhelmingly upon a person. Spanish 'cayeron/cayó sobre' and German 'fallen auf' preserve the spatial metaphor of something dropping from above. This is the signature verb for the Spirit's dramatic arrival in Acts (8:16, 10:44, 11:15), and for terror striking Zechariah (Luke 1:12) and the Ephesian crowd (Acts 19:17). 7×
AR["سَقَطَ", "وَقَعَ", "وَقَعَتْ"]·ben["নেমে-এল", "নেমে-এসেছিল", "পড়ল", "পড়েছিল"]·DE["fallen-auf", "fällt-auf"]·EN["fell", "having-fallen"]·FR["tomber-sur"]·heb["נָפְלָה", "נָפְלוּ", "נָפַל"]·HI["आ-पड़ा", "उतरा", "उतरा-था", "गिरा", "गिरीं", "छा-गया"]·ID["jatuh", "menimpa", "turun"]·IT["cadere-sopra", "epepesen"]·jav["dhawah", "ndhawahi", "tumiba,", "tumurun"]·KO["떨어졌다", "떨어졌으니", "임하였다", "임한-적-이", "임했다"]·PT["caiu", "caído", "caíram"]·RU["напал", "ниспал", "сошедший"]·ES["cayeron", "cayó", "cayó-sobre", "caído"]·SW["ameanguka", "ikawaangukia", "ilimwangukia", "ukaanguka", "ulianguka", "zilianguka"]·TR["düşmüş", "düştü"]·urd["آیا", "اُترا", "گرا", "گریں"]
2. fall upon (physically embrace, throw oneself on someone) — Falling upon someone's body in a physical embrace, expressing intense emotion -- joy, grief, or affection. The prodigal son's father 'fell upon his neck' (Luke 15:20), Spanish 'echándose sobre' vividly conveying the bodily weight of reunion. Paul falls on Eutychus to restore him (Acts 20:10), and the Ephesian elders fall on Paul's neck weeping at farewell (Acts 20:37). The physical urgency distinguishes this from a calm greeting. 3×
AR["وَقَعَ", "وَقَعَ-عَلَيْهِ", "وَقَعُوا-عَلَى"]·ben["জড়িয়ে-ধরে", "তার-উপর-পড়লেন", "পড়লেন"]·DE["fällt-auf"]·EN["fell-upon", "having-fallen-upon", "he-fell-upon"]·FR["tomber-sur"]·heb["נָפְלוּ", "נָפַל", "נָפַל-עָלָיו"]·HI["गिर-पड़ा", "गिरकर", "झुका"]·ID["memeluk", "menimpanya"]·IT["cadere-sopra", "epepesen"]·jav["ambruk", "dhawah-ing"]·KO["얽드렸다", "엄드려", "업드렸다"]·PT["lançando-se", "lançou-se", "lançou-se-sobre"]·RU["припав", "припал", "упал"]·ES["cayó", "cayó-sobre", "echando-se-sobre"]·SW["akamwangukia", "alimwangukia", "wakimwangukia"]·TR["düşerek", "düştü", "üzerine-düştü"]·urd["گر-پڑا", "گر-کر", "گرا"]
3. fall upon, rush at (in aggressive crowd action) — Rushing at or pressing upon someone aggressively, in a crowd or mob context. In Mark 3:10, those with afflictions 'fell upon' Jesus to touch him, where Spanish 'abalanzarse' (to lunge, rush at) captures the pressing, almost violent quality of the crowd's desperation for healing. A single occurrence but a semantically distinct use from embrace or spiritual descent. 1×
AR["يَنْقَضّوا عَلَيْهِ"]·ben["পড়ছিল"]·DE["fallen-auf"]·EN["to-fall-upon"]·FR["tomber-sur"]·heb["לִפֹּל-עָלָיו"]·HI["गिरते-थे"]·ID["mendesak"]·IT["epipiptein"]·jav["nyerbu"]·KO["달려들었다"]·PT["lançavam-se-sobre"]·RU["падать-на"]·ES["abalanzarse"]·SW["kumwangukia"]·TR["üstüne-düşmek"]·urd["گرتے-تھے"]
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
ἐπιπίπτω, fall upon or over, ἐπέπιπτον ἀλλήλοις Refs 5th c.BC+ __2. of money, accrue, τὸ μέρος ὃ εὑρίσκομες ἐπιπῖπτον ἐπὶ τὸ χρέος τὸ ὀφειλόμενον “SIG” 953.66 (Cnidus, 2nd c.BC). __II. fall upon in hostile sense, attack, assail, τινί 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 4.105 Refs; ἀφυλάκτῳ αὐτῷ ἐ. Refs 5th c.BC+; also ἐς τοὺς Ἕλληνας, variant for{ἐσ-}, Refs 5th c.BC+; of storms, τοῖσι βαρβάροισι ὁ…