ψηλᾰφ-άω G5584
To touch, feel, grope for; to handle something physically or search for something by feeling in the dark.
A verb meaning to touch, handle, or grope about for something, often implying searching by feel rather than by sight. The word carries overtones of tentative, exploratory contact. In Luke 24:39 the risen Jesus invites the disciples to touch him and verify his corporeal reality. First John 1:1 echoes this with hands that have handled the Word of life. Acts 17:27 uses it figuratively of humanity groping after God in spiritual darkness. Hebrews 12:18 contrasts Sinai -- a mountain that could be touched -- with the heavenly Jerusalem. Spanish palpar and French palper preserve the tactile, exploratory nuance.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To touch, feel, or grope about for something, whether literally handling a physical body or figuratively searching by feel. In Luke 24:39 the risen Christ says 'touch me and see' to prove his bodily resurrection, and 1 John 1:1 recalls hands that 'handled' the incarnate Word. Acts 17:27 extends the image metaphorically: God arranged the world so that people might grope after him and find him, though he is not far away. Hebrews 12:18 speaks of a mountain that could be physically touched (Sinai), contrasting it with the spiritual realities of the new covenant. Spanish palpar and French palper both retain the exploratory, tactile quality of the verb. 4×
AR["الْمُسوني", "لَمَسَتهُ", "مَلْمُوس", "يَتَلَمَّسوهُ"]·ben["স্পর্শ-কর", "স্পর্শ-করত", "স্পর্শ-করেছে", "স্পর্শযোগ্য"]·DE["betasten", "ψηλαφήσατέ", "ψηλαφήσειαν"]·EN["they-might-grope-for", "to-being-touched", "touch", "touched"]·FR["palper", "toucher"]·heb["יְמַשְּׁשׁוּ", "לְמִשְׁמֻשׁ", "מִשְּׁשׁוּ", "מַשְׁשְׁוּ"]·HI["छुए", "छूओ", "छूने-योग्य", "टटोलें"]·ID["Rabalah", "menyentuh,", "mereka-meraba", "tersentuh"]·IT["epsēlaphēsan", "pselaphesate", "psēlaphōmenō", "toccare"]·jav["Grayangana", "ngraosaken", "saged-dipundempal", "sampun-ngraosaken"]·KO["더듬어", "만져-보라", "만졌다", "만질-수-있는"]·PT["apalparam", "de-palpável"]·RU["нащупали", "осяжите", "осязаемому", "осязали,"]·ES["a-lo-que-puede-ser-tocado", "palpad", "palparan", "palparon"]·SW["ilishika", "niguseni", "unaogusika", "wangempapasa"]·TR["Dokunun", "dokunduk", "dokunulabilene", "el-yordamıyla-arasalar"]·urd["ٹٹولیں", "چھوؤ", "چھوئے-جا-سکنے-والے", "چھوا،"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)H6213a 2. make, construct, fabricate (148×)H3772 1. cut a covenant / make a pact (97×)H5060 1. touch physically (Qal) (96×)H3615 1. complete a task (Piel) (85×)H3772 2. cut off / destroy (Hifil causative) (81×)H3920 1. capture, seize (Qal) (76×)H???? 12. (76×)H3772 3. be cut off / be eliminated (Niphal) (74×)H6213a 3. be done, be made (Niphal) (73×)G4160 2. make, construct, create (62×)H3847 1. Qal: put on, wear (60×)H8210 1. pour out (liquid/libation) (59×)G2440 1. garment or clothing (general) (54×)H4191 4. kill / put to death (Hifil causative) (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ψηλᾰφ-άω, mostly used in present: future -ήσωLXXaorist ἐψηλάφησαLXXpassive, future ψηλαφηθήσομαιLXX: aorist ἐψηλαφήθην Refs 1st c.AD+:—feel or grope about to find a thing, like a blind man or hoodman-blind, χερσὶ ψηλαφόων (Epic dialect for -άων), of the Cyclops when blinded, Refs 8th c.BC+; ψηλαφῶν οὐκ ἐδυνάμην εὑρεῖν [τὸ ἱμάτιον] Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 with accusative of things, feel about for,…