Greek word · G3332
μεταίρω
metairō
to leave
Literally 'to lift across', so to remove something from one place to another. Used intransitively (without an object), it means to move on, depart or set out. In the Greek Old Testament it is used of moving or removing things.
Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
μετ-αίρω
[in LXX: 4Ki.16:17 25:11, Psalms 80:8, Proverbs 22:28 (סוּר hi., גָּלָה hi., etc.)* ;]
1. trans., to remove (LXX, ll. with).
2. (not cl.) to depart: Matthew 13:53 19:1 (cf. Aq.: Genesis 12:9).†
(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 Matthew 19:1
- Range of meaning
Literally 'to lift across', so to remove something from one place to another. Used intransitively (without an object), it means to move on, depart or set out. In the Greek Old Testament it is used of moving or removing things.
- Against the English
BSB/NIV 'left', WEB/KJV 'departed', YLT 'removed'. YLT keeps the literal 'removed', which sounds odd in modern English but shows how vivid the verb is. 'Left' is accurate but flatter.
- Used elsewhere in the period
In the New Testament it appears only in Matthew 13:53 and 19:1, both straight after a 'when Jesus had finished' formula. That suggests it belongs to Matthew's own transitional wording. Mark 10:1, the parallel, has 'rising up from there' (ekeithen anastas).
Where it appears
Matthew · 2
-
Matthew 13:53 μετῆρεν He withdrew
When Jesus had finished these parables, He withdrew from that place.
-
Matthew 19:1 μετῆρεν He withdrew
When Jesus had finished saying these things, He left Galilee and went into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.
Here: Literally 'lifted off' or 'moved away', used of setting out from one place for another. In the New Testament the verb appears only in Matthew (13:53 and here), both times right after one of his 'finished' closings.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.