περίκειμαι G4029
To lie around, be placed around; to have something surrounding one, hence to wear or be encumbered with.
A middle/passive verb meaning to lie around or be placed around something — used as the passive of περιτίθημι (to place around). In the NT it appears in two striking contexts: wearing something physically, and being surrounded or beset by something. In Mark 9:42 and Luke 17:2, a millstone 'is placed around' someone's neck — a vivid image of judgment. Acts 28:20 has Paul saying 'I am wearing this chain,' while Heb 12:1 speaks of the cloud of witnesses that 'surrounds' believers. The Spanish 'está rodeado' (is surrounded) and French 'ceindre' (to gird around) both capture the encircling sense.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To lie around, be placed around, or wear — describing something that encircles or is fastened upon a person. The word functions as the passive of περιτίθημι and conveys the state of being surrounded or encumbered. In Mark 9:42 and Luke 17:2, a millstone 'is hung around' the neck as an image of catastrophic judgment. Paul uses it in Acts 28:20 to describe the chain binding him: 'this chain lies around me.' Hebrews 5:2 speaks of weakness that 'surrounds' the high priest, and Heb 12:1 memorably describes sin that 'clings so closely.' The multilingual evidence — English 'I am wearing,' Spanish 'está rodeado' (is surrounded), French 'être placé autour' (to be placed around) — converges on the core spatial metaphor of encirclement. 5×
AR["ألبَسُ", "مُحَاطٌ", "مُحِيطَة", "يُوضَعُ"]·ben["ঘেরা", "নিয়ে-আছে", "পরা-থাকে", "পরানো-হয়", "বেষ্টিত-আছি"]·DE["umgeben", "περίκειμαι", "περίκειται"]·EN["I-am-wearing", "is-clothed-with", "is-placed", "is-placed-around", "surrounding"]·FR["ceindre", "être-placé-autour"]·heb["מֻנָּח", "מֻקָּף", "סוֹבֵב", "תָּלוּי"]·HI["घिरा-हुआ-है", "घेरे-हुए", "मैं-पहना-हूँ।", "लटका-हुआ-हो", "लटकाया-हो"]·ID["digantungkan", "dikenakan.", "dilingkupi", "mengelilingi"]·IT["cingere", "circondare", "perikeimenon", "perikeitai"]·jav["dipun-gantungaken", "dipun-kalungaken", "kawregèd", "kula-kabalenggu.", "ngubengi"]·KO["걸려-있으면", "달려-있고", "두르고-있다", "둘러싸여-있으니", "둘러싸인"]·PT["estou-cingido.", "está-cercado", "está-pendurada", "fosse-posta-ao-redor", "que-nos-rodeia"]·RU["висит", "обвязан", "обложен", "окружающее", "я-обложен."]·ES["está-colocada", "está-rodeado", "llevo", "rodeando", "se-le-cuelga"]·SW["amefungwa", "amezungukwa", "kinachotuzunguka", "limefungwa", "ninaufunga"]·TR["asılırsa", "kuşatılmıştır", "çevreleyen"]·urd["لٹکا-ہو", "لٹکائی-جائے", "پہنا-ہوں", "گھرا-ہوا", "گھرا-ہوا-ہے"]
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
περίκειμαι, infinitive -κεῖσθαι: future -κείσομαι: —used as passive of περιτίθημι, lie round about, with dative, εὗρε σὲ Πατρόκλῳ περικείμενον ὃν φίλον νἱόν lying with his arms round him, Refs 8th c.BC+; [γωρυτὸς τόξῳ] περίκειτο] there was a case round the bow, Refs 8th c.BC+; πασσάλοις (accusative plural) κρύπτοισιν περικείμεναι.. κνάμισες Refs 7th c.BC+; τὸ σχῆμα καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τῆς βασιλείας τινὶ…