παχύν-ω G3975
to make fat, thicken; metaphorically to make dull or insensitive
This verb means to fatten or make thick. Passive forms mean 'to grow fat' or 'become thick.' Metaphorically, it describes making the mind or heart gross, dull, or insensitive—coarsened and unresponsive. Both New Testament uses are identical, quoting Isaiah 6:10 about Israel's hardness. Matthew 13:15 and Acts 28:27 both say 'the heart of this people has grown dull' or 'become fat'—describing spiritual insensitivity and unresponsiveness to God's word. The image is of a heart so fattened or thickened that it cannot perceive or respond.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Both uses are aorist passive indicative ('has become dull/grown fat') in the Isaiah quotation about judicial hardening. The translations render the metaphorical dulling: English 'has-become-dull, has-grown-dull,' Spanish 'Se-ha-engrosado, se-ha-engrosado' (has grown thick), French 'épaissir.' The image draws on physical fattening—excess that makes sluggish and insensitive—and applies it to spiritual perception. The heart fattened by prosperity, pride, or resistance becomes too gross to perceive divine truth, fulfilling God's word about judicial hardening. 2×
AR["غَلُظَ"]·ben["পুষ্ট-হইয়াছে", "মোটা-হয়েছে"]·DE["ἐπαχύνθη"]·EN["has-become-dull", "has-grown-dull"]·FR["épaissir"]·heb["הֻשְׁמַן"]·HI["मोटा-हो-गया", "मोदअ-हो-गयअ"]·ID["Menebal", "menjadi-gemuk"]·IT["epachunthe", "ingrossare"]·jav["dados-kandel"]·KO["둔해졌다", "둘감해졌다"]·PT["Engrossou", "endureceu-se"]·RU["Огрубело"]·ES["Se-ha-engrosado", "se-ha-engrosado"]·SW["Imekuwa-nzito", "umetiwa-unene"]·TR["kalınlaştı"]·urd["موٹا-ہو-گیا", "موٹا-ہو-گیا-ہے"]
Related Senses
H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H0398 1. eat (consume food) (697×)H4191 1. die (Qal: natural/general death) (645×)G3708 1. see, perceive visually (419×)G0191 1. hear, perceive sound (360×)H???? 3. (352×)G3708 2. behold, look (exclamatory) (256×)H7272 1. foot (body part) (236×)H8354 1. drink, consume liquid (209×)H3205 1. Qal active: bear/give birth (female subject) (204×)H3205 2. Qal active: beget/father (male subject) (198×)H2421 1. Qal: live, be alive (177×)H8085 2. Qal: listen, heed, pay attention (172×)H2416a 1. alive, living (state/attribute) (146×)H2416e 1. life, lifespan, lifetime (145×)G2198 1. be alive, have life (133×)H8193 1. lip, lips (body part) (123×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
παχύν-ω, perfect passive πεπάχυσμαι Refs 4th c.BC+:—fatten, τὰ σώματα Refs 5th c.BC+:—passive, grow fat, LXX+5th c.BC+ __b thicken, strengthen, δεσμόν Refs 3rd c.AD+ __2 metaphorically, cause to wax fat, increase, κότον π. Refs 4th c.BC+:—passive, ὄλβος ἄγαν παχυνθείς Refs __2.b metaphorically, make gross or dull, τὰς ψυχὰς ὑπὸ πλης μονῆς π. Refs 1st c.AD+; βρώσεις τὸν νοῦν π. Refs 2nd c.AD+“V A”…