ἐπισκῐ-άζω G1982
To overshadow, cast a shadow upon; used of divine presence enveloping or covering with power and protection.
Literally means to throw a shadow over something, but in the NT it carries profound theological weight. At the Transfiguration, the cloud of God's glory overshadows the disciples (Matt 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:34). Most strikingly, the angel tells Mary that the power of the Most High will 'overshadow' her (Luke 1:35), echoing the Shekinah glory hovering over the tabernacle. Even Peter's shadow healing the sick in Acts 5:15 draws on this imagery. Spanish 'cubrir de sombra' and French 'couvrir d'ombre' preserve the literal shadow metaphor while pointing to divine covering.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To overshadow, envelop with a shadow — especially of the divine presence covering, protecting, or manifesting power. The lexical entry notes both literal shading and the specialized theological sense of God's protective overshadowing. The Synoptic Transfiguration accounts (Matt 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:34) describe the cloud of glory overshadowing the disciples. In Luke 1:35 the term carries its most theologically charged usage: the Holy Spirit's power overshadowing Mary at the Incarnation. Spanish 'cubriendo/les hizo sombra' and French 'couvrir d'ombre' preserve the shadow imagery central to the word's force. 5×
AR["تُظَلِّلَ", "سَتُظَلِّلُكِ", "ظَلَّلَتْ", "ظَلَّلَتْهُمْ", "مُظَلِّلَةٌ"]·ben["ছায়া-দিচ্ছে", "ছায়া-দিল", "ছায়া-দেবে", "ঢেকে-দিচ্ছিল", "পড়ে"]·DE["ἐπεσκίαζεν", "ἐπεσκίασεν", "ἐπισκιάζουσα", "ἐπισκιάσει", "ἐπισκιάσῃ"]·EN["might-overshadow", "overshadowed", "overshadowing", "was-overshadowing", "will-overshadow"]·FR["couvrir-d'ombre", "ombrager"]·heb["הֵצֵל", "הֵצֵלָּה", "יַצֵּל", "מֵצִל", "תָּצֵל"]·HI["छअय", "छा-रहा-था", "छाया-करता-हुआ", "छाया-करेगी"]·ID["akan-menaungi", "menaungi"]·IT["epeskiasen", "epeskiazen", "episkiasei", "episkiazousa", "oscurare"]·jav["badhé-ngayomi", "ngaubi", "ngemuli", "ngeyupi"]·KO["그능졌다", "덤는", "덮었다", "덮을-것이다", "어떤-이-에게"]·PT["cobrindo", "cobrirá-com-sombra", "os-cobria", "os-cobriu"]·RU["осенила", "осенило", "осенит", "осеняло", "осеняющее"]·ES["cubriendo", "cubriese", "les-hizo-sombra", "los-cubrió", "te-cubrirá-con-sombra"]·SW["itakufunika", "kiwafunike", "likawafunika", "liliwafunika"]·TR["gölgeledi", "gölgelesin", "gölgeleyecek", "gölgeleyen", "gölgeliyordu"]·urd["سایہ-کرتے-ہوئے", "سایہ-کرے-گی", "سایہ-کیا", "پڑے", "چھا-گیا"]
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
ἐπισκῐ-άζω, throw a shade upon, overshadow, τῇ [πτέρυγι] τὴν Ἀσίην NT+5th c.BC+:—passive, Refs 1st c.AD+; opposed to φωτίζειν, Refs 2nd c.AD+ —middle, -σκιάζεσθαι τὸν ἥλιον to ward off the sun's rays, Refs: metaphorically, conceal, obscure, ἀλήθειαν πλάσμασι μυθικοῖς Refs 1st c.AD+; τὰ δεινὰ ἑτέροις ὀνόμασιν ἐ. Refs 2nd c.AD+; τὴν θωπείαν, τὸν βίον, Refs 2nd c.AD+:—passive, τῇ εὐγενεία Refs 2nd…