προγιγνώσκω G4267
To foreknow, know beforehand; God's prior knowledge and relational choosing of persons or events before they unfold.
A verb meaning to know in advance, formed from πρό (before) + γινώσκω (to know). In theological usage, it carries the weight of divine foreknowledge — not mere prediction but relational, elective knowing. Romans 8:29 declares that those God 'foreknew' he also predestined, where the knowing is personal and purposive. Romans 11:2 asserts God has not rejected the people he 'foreknew.' In 1 Peter 1:20, Christ himself was 'foreknown' before the foundation of the world. The Spanish 'conocido-de-antemano' (known-in-advance) and German 'vorherkennen' (to know beforehand) both preserve the compound structure.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To foreknow or know in advance — used of both divine and human prior knowledge, though the NT overwhelmingly applies it to God's sovereign knowing. In Rom 8:29, God's foreknowing initiates the entire chain of salvation (foreknew → predestined → called → justified → glorified), suggesting a personal, elective relationship rather than bare cognitive awareness. Rom 11:2 reassures that God has not cast off the people he foreknew. First Peter 1:20 reaches back before creation: Christ was foreknown before the world's foundation. The two human uses are instructive: Acts 26:5 (Jews who 'knew Paul beforehand') and 2 Pet 3:17 ('you, knowing these things beforehand'). The German 'vorherkennen' and French 'connaître-d'avance' both mirror the Greek compound's before-knowing structure. 5×
AR["المَعروفِ", "سَبَقَ-فَعَرَفَ-هُ", "سَبَقَ-فَعَرَفَ-هُمْ", "عالِمينَ-سابِقًا", "يَعْرِفُونَنِي-مِنْ-قَبْلُ"]·ben["তিনি-পূর্ব-জানতেন", "তিনি-পূর্বে-জানতেন।", "পূর্ব-হইতে-জানিয়া", "পূর্বনির্ধারিত", "পূর্বে-জেনে"]·DE["vorherkennen", "προγινώσκοντές"]·EN["foreknown", "he-foreknew", "knowing-beforehand"]·FR["connaître-d'avance", "vorherkennen"]·heb["יָדַע-מֵרֹאשׁ", "יָדוּעַ-מֵרֹאשׁ", "יוֹדְעִים", "יוֹדְעִים-מֵרֹאשׁ"]·HI["पहले-से-जानते-हुए", "पहले-से-जाना", "पहले-से-ठहराए-गए", "पहलेसेजानतेहुए"]·ID["Ia-kenal-sebelumnya", "Ia-mengetahui-terlebih-dahulu,", "Mengetahui-sebelumnya", "mengetahui-sebelumnya,", "yang-sudah-diketahui"]·IT["preconoscere", "proegnōsmenou", "proginōskontes"]·jav["Panjenenganipun-nguningani-rumiyin", "ingkang-mangertos", "kang-dipunpirsa-rumiyin", "rumiyin-mangertos,", "sampun-dipun-pirsa."]·KO["미리-아셨다", "미리-아신", "미리-알고-있으며", "미리-알려진", "미리-알며,"]·PT["conhecendo", "conhecido-de-antemão", "de-antemão-conheceu,", "de-antemão-conheceu.", "sabendo-de-antemão"]·RU["знающие-заранее", "зная-заранее", "не-", "предузнал", "предузнанного"]·ES["conocido-de-antemano", "conociéndome", "conoció-de-antemano", "de-antemano-conoció", "sabiendo-de-antemano"]·SW["aliwajua-kabla", "aliwajua-tangu-awali.", "aliyejulikana-kabla", "mkijua-kabla", "wakinijua"]·TR["önceden-bildi", "önceden-bilerek", "önceden-bilinmiş"]·urd["اُس-نے-پہلے-سے-جانا", "پہلے-سے-جانا-گیا", "پہلے-سے-جانتا-تھا", "پہلے-سے-جانتے-ہوئے", "پہلے-سے-جانتے-ہوئے،"]
Related Senses
H3117 1. day, specific time (2231×)H5704 1. until, unto, as far as (1238×)H8141 1. year, unit of time (880×)H6258 1. and now (421×)G2250 1. day (388×)H5750 1. again, more, further (288×)H5769 1. forever, to eternity (280×)H6256 1. time, period (264×)H2320 1. month, calendar period (260×)H0310a 2. after (temporal) (258×)H3915 1. night, period of darkness (234×)H1242 1. morning (214×)H5750 2. still, yet (continuative) (166×)G5119 1. then (160×)G3568 1. now (147×)G2193 1. until (143×)G3825 1. (141×)G3752 1. (123×)H6153 1. evening, time of day (123×)H0227a 1. then (122×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
προγιγνώσκω, Ionic dialect and later προγεωργ-γῑνώσκω: future -γνώσομαι: Epic dialect aorist infinitive προγνώμεναι Refs:—know, perceive, learn, or understand beforehand, τι [same place]; τὰ στοιχεῖα Refs 5th c.BC+:—in Medicine texts, know before being told, declare unaided, τά τε παρεόντα καὶ τὰ προγεγονότα καὶ τὰ μέλλοντα ἔσεσθαι Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 prognosticate, π. χειμῶνα αἱ μέλιτται Refs 4th…