ὄπισθεν G3693
Behind, from behind, at the back; a spatial adverb/preposition indicating position or approach from the rear.
Opisthen indicates position or motion from behind, and nearly every NT occurrence involves someone approaching Jesus from the rear. The hemorrhaging woman touches the fringe of his garment 'from behind' in all three Synoptic accounts (Matt 9:20, Mark 5:27, Luke 8:44), a detail suggesting her reluctance and ritual shame. In Matt 15:23 the Canaanite woman cries out 'behind' Jesus and the disciples. In Luke 23:26 Simon of Cyrene carries the cross 'behind' Jesus. Spanish 'detras/por detras' and German 'hinten' consistently render this spatial meaning.
Senses
1. behind — At or from the back, behind a person or object, describing spatial position or the direction of approach. The word has a narrative vividness in the Gospels: the woman with a hemorrhage approaches Jesus 'from behind' (Matt 9:20, Mark 5:27, Luke 8:44), her approach from the rear conveying social stigma and desperate faith simultaneously. In Revelation 4:6 the living creatures are described as 'full of eyes in front and behind' (opisthen), indicating comprehensive perception. Spanish 'detras' and French 'derriere' map directly to this spatial sense of being positioned at the rear. 7×
AR["مِن-خَلفٍ", "مِن-وَراءٍ", "مِن-وَراءِ", "مِنْ خَلْفٍ", "مِنْ-خَلْفٍ", "وَراءَ", "وَرَاءَ"]·ben["পিছন-থেকে", "পিছনে", "পেছন-থেকে", "পেছনে", "পেছনে,", "পেছনে;"]·DE["hinten", "ὄπισθεν"]·EN["behind", "from-behind", "on-the-back"]·FR["derrière"]·heb["מֵ-אָחוֹר", "מֵאַחֲרֵי", "מֵאַחֲרֵינוּ", "מֵאָחוֹר"]·HI["पीछे", "पीछे,", "पीछे-से", "पीछे;", "पेएचे"]·ID["belakang;", "dari-belakang", "di-belakang", "di-belakang,"]·IT["opisthen"]·jav["ing-wingking", "saking-wingking,", "sawisé,", "wingking", "wonten-wingkingipun"]·KO["뒤-에", "뒤-에서", "뒤에서", "뒤에서,", "밖-에"]·PT["atrás-de", "por-detrás,", "por-trás"]·RU["позади", "позади-", "сзади", "сзади;", "снаружи,"]·ES["detrás", "detrás-de", "por-detrás"]·SW["akija-nyuma,", "nyuma", "nyuma,", "nyuma;"]·TR["ardımızdan", "ardında", "arkada", "arkadan", "arkadan,"]·urd["باہر", "پیچھے", "پیچھے-سے"]
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
ὄπισθεν, in Ionic dialect Refs 5th c.BC+ and late Attic dialect Refs 2nd c.AD+ ὄπισθε before a consonant, as also in Poets, Refs 5th c.BC+: poetry also ὄπῐθεν Refs 8th c.BC+:— adverb: __I of Place, behind, at the back, opposed to πρόσθε, Refs 8th c.BC+; ὄπιθεν κομόωντες with long back-hair, Refs 8th c.BC+; ὄ. ἕπεσθαι, ἀκολουθεῖν, Refs 4th c.BC+ [same place], etc.; οἱ ὄπιθεν those who are left…