προσαιτ-έω G4319
beggar; one who asks for alms or lives by begging
This noun identifies a beggar—someone who asks for alms and lives by soliciting help from others. Classical usage included both the act of begging and the person who begs. The New Testament uses it exclusively in the Gospels to describe individuals seeking help, most notably the blind beggar Bartimaeus. The term emphasizes both the person's occupation and their dependent social status.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Identifies individuals who live by begging. Mark 10:46 introduces 'Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus.' John 9:8 twice refers to the man born blind: neighbors asked 'Is not this the one who used to sit and beg?' The Greek text contains both a noun and a participle form, both emphasizing his begging. The Spanish 'mendigo/mendigaba,' French 'mendiant,' and German 'betteln' all focus on the act and status of begging. These were not merely poor people but those whose social identity was defined by public dependency—making Jesus' attention to them and healing of them particularly significant. 3×
AR["شَحَّاذٌ", "شَحّاذ", "مُتَسَوِّل"]·ben["ভিক্ষা-করত", "ভিক্ষুক"]·DE["betteln"]·EN["a-beggar", "beggar", "begging"]·FR["mendiant"]·heb["מְקַבֵּץ", "קַבְּצָן"]·HI["भीख-माँगनेवाला?", "भीख-मांगनेवाला", "भीखारी"]·ID["mengemis", "pengemis"]·IT["prosaites", "prosaiton"]·jav["ngemis", "nyuwun?", "peminta"]·KO["구걸인", "구걸하는-자", "구걸하던"]·PT["mendigava", "mendigo"]·RU["нищий", "просивший-милостыню?", "просящий-милостыню"]·ES["mendigaba", "mendigo"]·SW["akiomba", "omba-omba", "ombaomba"]·TR["dilenci", "dilenen"]·urd["بھکاری", "بھیک-مانگتا-تھا", "بھیکاری"]
Related Senses
G2309 1. want, desire (166×)G0025 1. to love actively (133×)H0157 1. love (verb, active Qal) (129×)H8055 1. Qal: rejoice, be glad (123×)H7453 1. neighbor, fellow man (120×)G0026 1. of love (115×)H1058 1. Qal: to weep, cry (112×)H0954 1. to be ashamed, feel shame (Qal) (95×)H8057 1. joy, gladness, delight (90×)H2781 1. disgrace, shame, dishonor (68×)G2307 1. will, desire, purpose (63×)G5463 1. rejoice, be glad (63×)G0027 1. beloved (61×)H8130 1. Qal: to hate, detest (60×)G5479 1. (59×)G1680 1. (53×)H8130 2. Qal ptcp: hater, enemy (53×)H0014 1. be willing, want (51×)H0157 2. lover, friend (Qal participle substantive) (51×)H1945 1. woe (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
προσαιτ-έω, ask besides, οὐδέν Refs 5th c.BC+; αἷμα π. demand more blood, Refs 4th c.BC+; π. μισθόν demand higher pay, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 demand or require for a purpose, ὅσους.. τὰ ἔργα προσαιτοίη Refs __II ask as well as others (i.e. for a share), and so, with accusative person, ask an alms of, Refs 5th c.BC+: with accusative of things, beg for a thing, βίοτον, στρατιάν, Refs 5th c.BC+: with…