ἐπιπίπτω G1968
fall upon (of Spirit, fear, or abstract force descending on someone); fall upon (physically embrace, throw oneself on someone); fall upon, rush at (in aggressive crowd action)
3. fall upon, rush at (in aggressive crowd action) — The aggressive physical sense of ἐπιπίπτω meaning to rush at, press upon, or crowd against someone, typically in a mob or healing-crowd context. Used in Mark 3:10 where those with afflictions were falling upon / pressing against Jesus to touch him (ἐπιπίπτειν αὐτῷ). The present infinitive suggests repeated, ongoing action by the crowd. Multilingual glosses reflect aggressive pressing: Arabic يَنْقَضّوا عَلَيْهِ (they rushed upon him), Korean 달려들었다 (rushed at), Spanish abalanzarse (to throw oneself at), Hindi गिरते थे (were falling upon), Hebrew לִפֹּל עָלָיו (to fall upon him). While related to the physical embrace sense, the crowd-pressing context and the lack of emotional intimacy distinguish this as a separate semantic frame -- it conveys urgency and sometimes desperation rather than affection. 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"]
▼ 2 more senses below
Senses
1. fall upon (of Spirit, fear, or abstract force descending on someone) — The primary figurative sense of ἐπιπίπτω describing an invisible or abstract force -- especially the Holy Spirit or fear -- coming upon a person or group with sudden, overwhelming effect. This is the dominant NT usage, covering: fear falling upon Zechariah at the angelic visitation (Luke 1:12), the Holy Spirit falling upon Cornelius's household (Acts 10:44), the Holy Spirit falling upon the Samaritan believers (Acts 8:16, perfect ἐπιπεπτωκός indicating prior state), the Holy Spirit falling at the beginning of Peter's ministry (Acts 11:15), fear falling upon all Jews and Greeks in Ephesus (Acts 19:17), the reproaches of God's enemies falling upon Christ (Rom 15:3, quoting Ps 69:9), and great fear falling upon those who witnessed the two prophets' resurrection (Rev 11:11). Multilingual glosses reflect descent/imposition: Arabic وَقَعَ/سَقَطَ (fell), Hebrew נָפַל/נָפְלָה (fell upon), Korean 임했다/떨어졌다 (descended upon/fell), Spanish cayó (fell), French tomber sur (to fall upon), Hindi आ पड़ा/उतरा/छा गया (came upon/descended/spread over). 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) — The physical sense of ἐπιπίπτω meaning to fall upon someone's neck in embrace or to throw oneself upon a person's body, expressing intense emotion -- joy, grief, or affection. Used of the prodigal son's father who ran and fell upon his son's neck and kissed him (Luke 15:20), Paul falling upon the young man Eutychus who had fallen from the window (Acts 20:10, an act of physical contact associated with restoration), and the Ephesian elders falling upon Paul's neck weeping at their farewell (Acts 20:37). Multilingual glosses reflect physical action: Korean 얽드렸다/업드렸다/엄드려 (embraced/threw oneself upon), Hindi गिर पड़ा/झुका/गिरकर (fell upon/leaned/falling), Spanish cayó sobre/echándose sobre (fell upon/throwing oneself upon), Arabic وَقَعَ عَلَيْهِ (fell upon him). This sense is distinguished from the abstract 'fall upon' by its physical, interpersonal character and its emotional context of reunion or farewell. 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"]
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…