Greek word · G332

ἀναθεματίζω

anathematizō

to take an oath

Built on anathema, which in the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint) translates Hebrew ḥerem: something set apart to God for destruction. BDAG glosses this use as 'bind under a curse, bind with an oath.'

Appears 4 times in 4 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἀνα-θεματίζω

(ἀνίθεμα), [in LXX chiefly for חָרַם hi. (Numbers 21:2, 1 Samuel 15:3, al.), 1Ma.5:5 ;]

to devote to destruction, declare or invoke ana­thema: absol., Mark 14:71; ἐαντόν, to bind oneself under a curse: Acts 23:12, 14 23:21 (cf. καταναθεματίζω, and on the occurrence of the word in π., see Deiss., LAE, 92 f.; MM, VGT, see word).†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Acts 23:12

Range of meaning

Built on anathema, which in the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint) translates Hebrew ḥerem: something set apart to God for destruction. The verb means (1) to devote something or someone to destruction, (2) to curse, and (3) with a reflexive object, as here, to bind oneself by calling a curse down on oneself if the oath is not kept. BDAG glosses this use as 'bind under a curse, bind with an oath.'

Against the English

KJV, WEB and YLT keep the curse ('bound themselves under a curse'; 'did anathematize themselves'). BSB, ESV, NIV and NLT say 'bound themselves with/by an oath', and NASB says 'under an oath.' That is not wrong, because this is an oath, but 'oath' alone suggests a solemn promise and hides the fact that the swearers called destruction on themselves.

How it drifted

Modern English mostly knows 'anathema' from later church use, where it meant a formal condemnation or excommunication, or from its loose sense of 'something detested.' Both are far from the first-century meaning: an appeal to God to destroy the person who swears if he fails.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Septuagint the word group is used for the ḥerem ban: Num 21:2–3; Deut 13:15–16 (the town that turns to other gods is to be 'devoted' to destruction); Josh 6:21. In Greek 1 Enoch 6:4–5 the rebel Watchers 'bind one another by curses' (anathematizō) not to back out of their plan, which is the same self-binding use as here. Mark 14:71 uses the same verb for Peter calling down curses as he denies Jesus. Old Testament curse-oaths follow the pattern 'May God do so to me, and more also, if…' (Ruth 1:17; 1 Sam 3:17). Saul's oath in 1 Sam 14:24, 'Cursed be the man who eats food until evening, before I have avenged myself', is a close parallel of a curse joined to a fast.

Similar words

Where it appears

Mark · 1

  1. Mark 14:71 ἀναθεματίζειν to curse

    But he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak!”

Acts · 3

  1. Acts 23:12 ἀνεθεμάτισαν put under an oath

    When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

    Here: 'They put themselves under a curse.' This is the decisive word. They called God's destruction down on their own heads if they did not do what they swore. It is a self-curse, not a simple promise.

  2. Acts 23:14 ἀνεθεματίσαμεν we have bound

    They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.

  3. Acts 23:21 ἀνεθεμάτισαν was put under an oath

    Do not let them persuade you, because more than forty men are waiting to ambush him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him; they are ready now, awaiting your consent.”

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.