G2713 G2713
Opposite, in front of, before; a spatial preposition meaning 'directly facing' that extends to the sense of 'in the sight of'
A compound preposition (kata + enanti, 'down against') that places something directly opposite or facing another. In its spatial sense, it orients travelers and observers: the village 'opposite' you (Matt 21:2; Mark 11:2; Luke 19:30), or Jesus sitting 'opposite' the treasury (Mark 12:41) and 'opposite' the temple (Mark 13:3). In Paul's letters, the word shifts from physical to personal orientation: Abraham believed 'before' the God who gives life to the dead (Rom 4:17), and Paul speaks 'before God in Christ' (2 Cor 2:17; 12:19). Spanish captures the distinction neatly -- 'enfrente de' (facing, across from) for the spatial uses and 'delante de' (before, in the presence of) for the theological ones. French similarly moves from 'en face' to 'devant.'
Senses
1. sense 1 — Spatial: 'opposite, across from, facing' -- indicating physical position directly in front of or across from a landmark. Jesus instructs the disciples to go to the village 'opposite' them (Matt 21:2; Mark 11:2; Luke 19:30); he sits 'opposite' the temple treasury watching givers (Mark 12:41); and on the Mount of Olives he is 'opposite' the temple (Mark 13:3). Spanish 'enfrente de/frente a,' German 'gegenüber,' and French 'en face' all express this concrete, geographic facing-toward orientation. 5×
AR["أَمامَ","قُبالَةِ","قُبَالَتَكُمَا","مُقابِلَ","مُقَابِلَ"]·ben["সামনে","সামনের"]·DE["gegenueber","κατέναντι"]·EN["opposite"]·FR["en-face"]·heb["לְנֶגֶד","מִמּוּל","מִנֶּגֶד","מוּל"]·HI["सामने","सामने-के","सामनेवाले"]·ID["di-depan","di-hadapan","menghadap"]·IT["di-fronte"]·jav["ing-ngajeng"]·KO["맞은편","맞은편-","맞은편-에-있는","맞은편에"]·PT["defronte"]·RU["напротив"]·ES["enfrente","enfrente-de","frente-a"]·SW["mbele-ya","mbele-yenu","mkabala","mkabala-na","nanyi"]·TR["karşıdaki","karşısında","karşısındaki"]·urd["سامنے","سامنے-والے"]
2. sense 2 — Figurative: 'before, in the sight of, in the presence of' -- extending spatial 'facing' into the relational sense of being observed by or accountable to a person, especially God. Romans 4:17 describes Abraham's faith 'before' (katenanti) the God who raises the dead; 2 Cor 2:17 insists Paul speaks 'before God in Christ'; and 2 Cor 12:19 reaffirms 'before God we speak in Christ.' Spanish 'delante de' (in the presence of) and French 'devant' (before) shift from the spatial to the theological register, marking divine awareness and accountability rather than mere physical proximity. 3×
AR["أمامَ","أَمامَ"]·ben["সম্মুখে","সামনে-"]·DE["gegenueber"]·EN["before"]·FR["devant"]·heb["לְנֶגֶד","לְנֶגֶד-","לִפְנֵי"]·HI["सामने"]·ID["Di-hadapan","di-hadapan"]·IT["di-fronte"]·jav["wonten-ing-ngarsanipun","wonten-ngajengipun"]·KO["앞-에서","앞에"]·PT["diante-de","perante"]·RU["перед-","пред-"]·ES["Delante-de","delante-de"]·SW["mbele-ya"]·TR["karşısında","karşısında-","önünde-"]·urd["سامنے","کے-سامنے"]
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
Included with: κατ-έναντα, adverb over against, opposite, with genitive, Refs 5th c.BC+:—also κατ-έναντι LXX; πύλη ἡ κ.LXX+NT+2nd c.BC+