ἐπιφαύσκω G2017
to shine upon, illuminate, give light
This verb means to shine upon or give light to something. In Ephesians 5:14, Paul quotes what may be an early Christian hymn: 'Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.' The image is of light dawning on those who emerge from darkness. The Septuagint used this for the sun shining out, and the passive form suggests light breaking forth. The multilingual evidence is consistent: shine upon, illuminate, give light—all emphasizing the source of illumination acting upon a recipient.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The hymnic fragment in Ephesians 5:14 promises that Christ will shine upon those who wake from spiritual death—light flooding the one who rises from darkness. The cross-linguistic unanimity (all languages: shine/illuminate/enlighten) reflects the straightforward photological metaphor. The passive form suggests light actively reaching out to illumine the recipient: Christ as sun dawning on the sleeper, not merely available light but light that shines forth to dispel darkness and wake the dead. 1×
AR["يُضيءُ-لَكَ"]·ben["আলোকিত-করবেন"]·DE["erleuchten"]·EN["will-shine-on"]·FR["ἐπιφαύσει"]·heb["יָאִיר"]·HI["चमकेग"]·ID["akan-menyinari"]·IT["epiphausei"]·jav["badhé-madhangi"]·KO["비추시리라"]·PT["te-iluminará"]·RU["осветит"]·ES["te-alumbrará"]·SW["atakuangazia"]·TR["parlayacak"]·urd["چمکے-گا"]
Related Senses
H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)H8313 1. burn, set fire to (94×)H2734 1. anger was kindled (82×)G5204 1. water (80×)H2822 1. darkness, absence of light (80×)G5457 1. light (illumination) (71×)G0450 1. rise, stand up (physical) (69×)H6965b 2. Qal: to stand firm, endure, be valid (50×)H6999a 2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) (45×)H5553 1. rock, cliff (physical feature) (43×)H6965b 4. Hifil: to establish, confirm (covenant/kingdom/word) (40×)H1197a 1. burn, be on fire (39×)H4306 1. rain, showers (38×)H1653 1. rain, precipitation (34×)G4655 1. darkness (30×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐπιφαύσκω, future -φαύσω (see. below):— shine out, of the sun or moon, LXX: also in passive form,Refs; ἐπιφαύσει σοι ὁ Χριστός will shine out for thee,NT