μοιχ-άω G3429
To commit adultery; used of both men and women who break the marriage covenant through sexual unfaithfulness.
A form closely related to moicheuo but appearing in Jesus' teaching on divorce and remarriage. In the Sermon on the Mount and the later dialogue on divorce, Jesus declares that whoever divorces and remarries 'commits adultery,' applying this equally to husbands (Matt 5:32, 19:9; Mark 10:11) and wives (Mark 10:12). Every language surveyed translates with the same direct phrase: Spanish 'comete adulterio,' French 'commettre l'adultere,' German 'Ehebruch begehen.' The word carries unambiguous moral weight, naming the violation of the marriage covenant.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To commit adultery, specifically in the context of unlawful remarriage after divorce. Jesus uses this verb to declare that a man who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery (Matt 19:9, Mark 10:11), and likewise a woman who does the same (Mark 10:12). In Matt 5:32 the wrongfully divorced woman is said to be caused to commit adultery. The uniform translation across languages — Spanish 'comete adulterio,' French 'commettre l'adultere' — reflects the directness and gravity of the term. 5×
AR["تَزْنِي", "يَزْنِي"]·ben["ব্যভিচার-করে", "ব্যভিচার-করে।"]·DE["Ehebruch-begehen", "μοιχᾶται", "μοιχᾶται›"]·EN["commits-adultery"]·FR["commettre-l'adultère"]·heb["נוֹאֵף", "נוֹאָפֶת"]·HI["व्यभिचअर-करत-है", "व्यभिचार-करता-है", "व्यभिचार-करती-है"]·ID["berzina", "berzinah", "ia-berzinah"]·IT["commettere-adulterio"]·jav["laku-jina", "tumindak-laku-jina"]·KO["간음한다"]·PT["adultera", "comete-adultério", "comete-adultério.", "comete-adultério;"]·RU["прелюбодействует", "прелюбодействует.", "прелюбодействует;"]·ES["comete-adulterio"]·SW["Wanasema", "anazini", "na"]·TR["zina-eder"]·urd["زنا-کرتا-ہے", "زنا-کرتی-ہے"]
Related Senses
H2896a 1. good (quality or moral) (305×)H7563 1. wicked person (259×)H7451c 1. moral evil or wickedness (234×)H5771 1. iniquity, sin, wrongdoing (222×)H6662 1. righteous person (substantive) (195×)G0266 1. sin, failure, transgression (173×)H2403b 1. sin, transgression (170×)H2617a 1. Covenant faithfulness, steadfast love (167×)H2398 1. Qal: to sin, commit sin (165×)H6666 1. righteousness, moral uprightness (145×)G5485 1. grace, divine favor (141×)H7451a 1. morally evil, wicked (129×)H2403b 2. sin-offering, sacrifice for sin (120×)G2570 1. good, right, excellent (98×)H6588 1. transgression, offense against God (88×)G0018 1. good (moral quality) (85×)H2896b 1. good, what is good (85×)H7451b 1. evil, wickedness (moral) (83×)H7451a 2. evil, harm, calamity (80×)G1342 1. righteous, upright (of persons) (70×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
μοιχ-άω, ={μοιχεύω} 1: metaphorically, μοιχᾶν τὴν θάλατταν have dalliance with the sea, applied by Callicratidas to Refs 5th c.BC+:— passive, commit adultery, of a man, NT; of a woman, NT: metaphorically, to be unfaithful to God, LXX __2 falsify, Refs 2nd c.AD+