ὀρχέομαι G3738
To dance; rhythmic bodily movement in celebration, performance, or grief's counterpart.
This verb describes dancing in both festive and parabolic contexts. In Jesus' marketplace parable (Matt 11:17; Luke 7:32), children complain 'We played the flute for you and you did not dance'—dancing here represents the joyful response people refused to give. At Herod's banquet, the daughter of Herodias 'danced' provocatively enough to secure John the Baptist's execution (Matt 14:6; Mark 6:22). Spanish distinguishes the tenses vividly—'bailasteis' (you danced) versus 'danzó' (she danced)—while French uses the simple 'danser.' The word carries the full range from innocent play to dangerous spectacle.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To dance — rhythmic, expressive bodily movement, whether in celebration, entertainment, or as a metaphor for responsive joy. Jesus' parable of the children in the marketplace (Matt 11:17; Luke 7:32) uses dancing as the expected joyful response to music, contrasting it with mourning. At Herod's feast (Matt 14:6; Mark 6:22), the same verb describes a performance with deadly consequences. Spanish distinguishes 'danzando' (participial) from 'bailasteis' (second person plural), while French simply renders 'danser,' reflecting the verb's broad application. 4×
AR["تَرقُصوا", "رَقَصَتْ"]·ben["নাচল", "নাচলে", "নেচে"]·DE["ὀρχησαμένης", "ὠρχήσασθε", "ὠρχήσατο"]·EN["danced", "dancing", "you-danced"]·FR["danser"]·heb["רְקַדְתֶּם", "רָקְדָה"]·HI["नअचे", "नचि", "नाचकर", "नाचे"]·ID["kalian-menari", "kamu-menari", "menari"]·IT["orchesamenes", "orchesasthe", "orchesato"]·jav["jogetan", "jogèd", "panjenengan-sami-beksa;", "sasampunipun-njoged,"]·KO["추지", "춤추니,", "춤추었다", "춤추지"]·PT["dançastes", "dançou"]·RU["плясавшей", "плясала", "плясали", "плясали-вы"]·ES["bailasteis", "danzando", "danzó"]·SW["akicheza", "alicheza", "cheza;", "hamkucheza"]·TR["dans-edince", "dans-etmediniz", "dans-etti", "dans-ettiniz;"]·urd["اور", "ناچ-کر", "ناچی", "ناچے"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)G1525 1. enter a place physically (179×)H7812 1. prostrate oneself, bow down, worship (173×)H3318 2. Hifil: bring out, lead out, take out (persons) (172×)H7725 2. to bring back, restore (Hifil) (151×)H5674a 2. Qal: cross over (134×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ὀρχέομαι, imperfect ὠρχούμην: Epic dialect 3rd.pers. plural present ὀρχεῦνται, imperfect ὠρχεῦντο (see. below): future ὀρχήσομαι Refs 5th c.BC+: aorist ὠρχησάμην Refs 6th c.BC+; infinitive ὀρχήσασθαι Refs 8th c.BC+:—passive, aorist ὠρχήθην Refs 3rd c.BC+:—dance, ἠΐθεοι καὶ παρθένοι.. ὠρχεῦντ᾽ Refs 8th c.BC+; ὀ. πρὸς ὅπλα, of the Pyrrhic dance, Demetr.Sceps. cited in Refs 5th c.BC+; ὀρχεῖσθαι ταῖς…