ὑπάντ-ησις G5222
meeting, encounter; the act of going out to meet someone, especially in formal reception
This noun describes the action of going out to meet someone approaching, often with the sense of a formal reception or welcoming party. In Hellenistic culture, it was customary for citizens to go out from the city to meet and honor visiting dignitaries. The term appears in contexts of anticipation and encounter—people going out to meet Jesus, whether in hostility (Matthew 8) or honor (Matthew 25, John 12). It carries more intentionality than a chance meeting; this is purposeful movement toward an expected arrival.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Matthew 8:34 shows the whole city going out "to meet" (eis hupantēsin) Jesus after he healed the demon-possessed men—though their request was for him to leave, not stay. Matthew 25:1 depicts the ten virgins going out "to meet" (eis hupantēsin) the bridegroom, a formal wedding reception. John 12:13 describes the Jerusalem crowd going out "to meet" (eis hupantēsin) Jesus with palm branches on what we call Palm Sunday, a royal reception. The Spanish encuentro, French rencontre, and German Entgegengang all convey the going-to-meet sense. The term emphasizes active movement toward Jesus, whether in rejection, anticipation, or celebration—the one constant being that he draws people out to encounter him. 3×
AR["اسْتِقْبَالِ", "اسْتِقْبَالِهِ", "لِقاءِ"]·ben["সাক্ষাতের", "সাক্ষাতের-জন্য", "সাক্ষাৎকারে"]·DE["Entgegengang", "ὑπάντησιν"]·EN["a-meeting", "meeting"]·FR["rencontre"]·heb["קְרַאת", "קַבָּלַת־פָּנָיו"]·HI["भेंट", "मिलने-को", "स्वागत"]·ID["menemui", "menyambut"]·IT["upantesin"]·jav["mapagaken", "methuk", "methúk"]·KO["만남", "맞이하러"]·PT["encontro"]·RU["встречу"]·ES["encuentro"]·SW["kumlaki"]·TR["karşılama", "karşılamak", "karşılamaya"]·urd["استقبال", "ملاقات"]
Related Senses
H5971a 1. people, nation (1836×)H5973a 1. accompaniment, together with (956×)H0854 1. with (accompaniment) (665×)H1471a 1. nations, peoples (plural/collective) (466×)G3326 1. with (368×)H1285 1. covenant, pact, treaty (284×)G2453 1. Jewish person, Jew (194×)H4150 1. meeting (tent of meeting) (151×)G2992 1. people/nation (an ethnic or political community) (142×)G4862 1. (129×)G1484 1. Gentiles, non-Jewish nations (128×)H1471a 2. nation, people-group (singular) (98×)H3162b 1. together (97×)H1616 1. sojourner, resident alien (92×)H0567 1. Amorite (people group) (87×)H3064 1. Jew, Jewish person (81×)H3669a 1. Canaanite (ethnic designation) (70×)G1122 1. scribe / expert in the Law (63×)H2114a 1. stranger, foreigner (person) (54×)H5608b 1. scribe, royal secretary (48×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ὑπάντ-ησις, εως, ἡ, coming to meet, ἐξῆλθον εἰς ὑπάντησιν αὐτῷ NT+1st c.AD+ __2 Astrology texts, encounter of a heavenly body, in ἄφεσις, Refs 2nd c.AD+ __II metaphorically, retort, answer, Refs 2nd c.AD+; πρός τιRefs 2nd c.AD+ __II.2 counter-treatment, Refs 2nd c.AD+