Greek word · G1234
διαγογγύζω
diagongyzō
to murmur
To murmur, grumble or mutter in discontent, usually as a group and half under the breath. The prefix δια- suggests the complaint running 'through' or 'among' a crowd, or it simply intensifies the verb. It is a complaint made against someone rather than to them.
Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
δια-γογγύζω
[in LXX chiefly for לין, לון, as Exodus 16:2, and cf. Si 34(31):24 ;]
of a number, to murmur or mutter among themselves: Luke 15:2 19:7.†
(AS)
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
- Range of meaning
To murmur, grumble or mutter in discontent, usually as a group and half under the breath. The prefix δια- suggests the complaint running 'through' or 'among' a crowd, or it simply intensifies the verb. It is a complaint made against someone rather than to them.
- Against the English
'Grumble' and 'mutter' (BSB, NIV, ESV) are accurate. KJV's 'murmured' keeps the biblical echo best, because 'murmuring' is the classic English word for Israel's wilderness complaints. 'Complained' (NLT) is flatter.
- Used elsewhere in the period
In the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint, or LXX) this compound is the word for Israel grumbling against Moses, Aaron and ultimately God in the wilderness: Exod 16:7–8 and Num 14:2, where the exact form διεγόγγυζον appears. In the NT it occurs only here and at Luke 19:7, where the crowd grumbles that Jesus has gone to be the guest of Zacchaeus, 'a sinful man'. The simple verb γογγύζω also appears at Luke 5:30 over the same issue.
- Range of meaning
To murmur, complain or grumble in low voices, usually as a group and usually against someone in authority. The base verb gongyzō imitates the sound of muttering. The prefix dia- adds the sense of grumbling spreading 'through' a group, or going on between its members.
- Against the English
'Murmured' (KJV, WEB, YLT) keeps the low, half-hidden sound. 'Grumble' (BSB, ESV, NASB) and 'mutter' (NIV) are accurate. 'Were displeased' (NLT) gives the feeling but loses the picture of a crowd talking among itself.
- Used elsewhere in the period
In the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint) this compound is used for Israel's complaints in the wilderness: against Moses and Aaron over food (Exod 16:2, 7–8) and at the spies' report (Num 14:2). The rare compound appears only twice in the New Testament, both times in Luke: here and in Luke 15:2 ('This man welcomes sinners and eats with them'). There the complaint sets off the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son.
Where it appears
Luke · 2
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Luke 15:2 διεγόγγυζον were grumbling
So the Pharisees and scribes began to grumble: “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
Here: The imperfect tense pictures an ongoing, spreading murmur ('kept muttering', 'began to grumble'). It is not one remark. The same verb, in this exact form, describes Israel grumbling against Moses in the wilderness in the Greek Old Testament (Num 14:2).
-
Luke 19:7 διεγόγγυζον were grumbling
And all who saw this began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinful man!”
Here: The imperfect tense pictures an ongoing buzz of complaint that started up and kept going (BSB: 'began to grumble'). The prefix dia- suggests the grumbling spread through the crowd. It is the same verb the Greek Old Testament uses for Israel's complaining in the wilderness.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.