Greek word · G4265

προβλέπω

problepō

to foresee/plan

To see beforehand, foresee. In the middle voice: to look out for in advance, select or provide beforehand, plan.

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

προ-βλέπω

[in LXX: Psalms 37:13 (רָאָה)* ;]

to foresee: mid., Hebrews 11:40 (see Bl., § 24, 55, 1).†

(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 Hebrews 11:40

Range of meaning

To see beforehand, foresee. In the middle voice: to look out for in advance, select or provide beforehand, plan.

Against the English

KJV/WEB/ESV/NASB say 'provided'. BSB/NIV say 'planned'. NLT says 'had … in mind'. In modern English 'provided' usually means 'supplied', which loses the sense of looking ahead.

How it drifted

'Provide' comes from Latin providere, 'to see ahead' (compare 'providence'). The Vulgate (the Latin Bible) has providente here. In 1611 'provided' still carried that 'foresaw and arranged' meaning. Today it mostly means 'supplied'.

Used elsewhere in the period

This is its only New Testament occurrence. In the Septuagint, Psalm 36:13 (Hebrew 37:13) says the Lord 'foresees (problepei) that his day will come' for the wicked. In wider Greek it means foreseeing or providing in advance.

Where it appears

Hebrews · 1

  1. Hebrews 11:40 προβλεψαμένου, having planned,

    God had planned something better for us, so that together with us they would be made perfect.

    Here: Literally 'having looked ahead'. The middle voice adds the sense of looking ahead on one's own account, that is, planning or arranging in advance. This is the only time the word appears in the New Testament. It points to God's forethought behind the order of history.

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