ὁρκ-ίζω G3726
to adjure, to put someone under oath, to solemnly charge by invoking God or a sacred name
This verb means to place someone under a solemn oath or to adjure them by invoking a divine or sacred name. In Mark 5:7, the demoniac adjures Jesus by God himself, showing the gravity of oath-taking even in demonic speech. The word carries legal and sacred weight, appearing when Paul adjures the Thessalonians by the Lord to have his letter read to all (1 Thess 5:27), and when Jewish exorcists attempt to invoke Jesus' name over demons (Acts 19:13). The multilingual evidence shows this is fundamentally about compelling speech or action through sacred invocation.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The evidence across languages consistently points to solemn charging or adjuring. The English 'I-adjure', Spanish 'os-conjuro/te-conjuro', and French 'adjurer/faire-jurer' all indicate compelling someone through oath or sacred invocation. The three occurrences show different contexts: a demon addressing Jesus (Mark 5:7), itinerant exorcists invoking Jesus' name (Acts 19:13), and Paul charging believers by the Lord (1 Thess 5:27). Each involves invoking a higher authority to compel or bind. 3×
AR["أُقْسِمُ عَلَيْكَ", "أُقْسِمُ-عَلَيْكُمْ"]·ben["আমি-দিব্যি-দিচ্ছি", "শপথ-দিই"]·DE["Ἐνορκίζω", "ὁρκίζω", "Ὁρκίζω"]·EN["I-adjure"]·FR["adjurer", "faire-jurer"]·heb["מַשְׁבִּיעַ", "מַשְׁבִּיעַ-אֲנִי"]·HI["तुझे", "शपथ-दिलत-होओन", "शपथ-दिलाता-हूँ"]·ID["Aku-bersumpah", "Aku-menyumpah", "aku-bersumpah"]·IT["enorkizō", "far-giurare", "orkizo"]·jav["Kula-ngangkat-sumpah", "Kula-supata", "kula-sumpah"]·KO["내가-맹세하노라", "내가-명한다", "맹세시킨다"]·PT["Conjuro", "Conjuro-vos", "Esconjuro"]·RU["Заклинаю", "заклинаю"]·ES["Os-conjuro", "te-conjuro"]·SW["Nawaapisha", "Ninakuapisha", "nakuapisha"]·TR["Yemin-ettiriyorum", "Yeminle-emrediyorum"]·urd["قسم-دیتا-ہوں", "قسم-دیتا-ہوں-میں"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ὁρκ-ίζω, Doric dialect future ὁρκιξέω Refs 4th c.BC+, make one swear, administer an oath to a person, τιν; rejected by Refs 5th c.BC+; ὁ. ἐφ᾽ ᾧ ἔσται Refs 2nd c.BC+: with double accusative, ὁ. τινὰς ὅρκον Refs 2nd c.BC+; ὁ. τινά, with infinitive, LXX; adjure, δαίμονας, with infinitive, LXX+NT+5th c.AD+:—passive, to be sworn, ὡρκισμένοι νόμῳ ἰητρικῷ Refs 5th c.BC+