Greek word · G4650

σκορπίζω

skorpizō

to scatter

"To scatter, disperse", used of a flock being driven apart, of people fleeing, of seed or goods being spread out; once in a positive sense, "to distribute freely" to the poor (2 Cor 9:9, quoting Ps 112:9).

Appears 5 times in 5 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

σκορπίζω

[in LXX for פּוּץ hi., etc. ;]

in vernac. and in Ion, and late writers for σκεδάννυμι (see MM, xxiii; Rutherford, NPhr., 295), to scatter: ὁ λύκος, John 10:12; ὁ μὴ συνάγων μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ σκορπίζει, Matthew 12:30, Luke 11:23; pass., before εἰς, with accusative loc., John 16:32; of one who dispenses blessings, 2 Corinthians 9:9 (LXX) (of. δια-σκορπίζομαι).†

(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 12:30

Range of meaning

"To scatter, disperse", used of a flock being driven apart, of people fleeing, of seed or goods being spread out; once in a positive sense, "to distribute freely" to the poor (2 Cor 9:9, quoting Ps 112:9). Its stronger form diaskorpizō is common in the Septuagint for the scattering of Israel as judgment.

Against the English

KJV "scattereth abroad" adds a sense of direction (outward, away) that the single Greek verb implies. Modern "scatters" is fine, but without the shepherd background readers may not see that scattering is the act of an enemy of the flock.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX Jer 23:1 "woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter (diaskorpizontes) the sheep of my pasture"; Ezek 34:5-6 (the sheep scattered for lack of a shepherd); Zech 13:7, quoted in Matt 26:31 ("the sheep of the flock will be scattered"). John 10:12: the wolf "snatches and scatters" the sheep. John 11:52: Jesus dies to "gather into one the scattered children of God".

From the study of 2 Corinthians 9:9

Range of meaning

To scatter or disperse. It can be negative (a wolf scatters sheep, John 10:12; 'whoever does not gather with me scatters,' Matthew 12:30). It can also be positive: distributing widely or lavishly. In the Greek Psalm it translates Hebrew pizzar, 'to scatter, distribute.'

Against the English

KJV 'dispersed abroad' and BSB 'scattered abroad' keep the picture. ESV 'distributed freely' and NIV 'freely scattered' bring out the generosity. 'Abroad' is not geographical. It means widely, all around.

Used elsewhere in the period

Greek Psalm 111:9 (Hebrew 112:9) has exactly this form. It is used of dispersing people or possessions in other Greek Old Testament texts.

From the study of John 16:32

Range of meaning

To scatter or disperse: a flock, a crowd, an army, seed, or money given away (2 Corinthians 9:9 quoting Psalm 112:9). It is a word of later, everyday Greek.

Against the English

Every major version has 'scattered'. That is accurate, but on its own it does not bring to mind sheep, a shepherd and a beaten army the way the Greek does in this context.

Used elsewhere in the period

John 10:12: when the hired man runs away, the wolf 'snatches and scatters' the sheep. John 11:52: Jesus dies 'to gather into one the scattered (dieskorpismena) children of God'. Mark 14:27 and Matthew 26:31 quote Zechariah 13:7, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered', on this same night. 1 Kings 22:17 pictures Israel 'scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd', each told to go home. The Septuagint, the Greek Old Testament, uses scattering language often for the breakup of Israel.

Similar words

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 12:30 σκορπίζει. scatters.

    He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

    Here: Present tense, "is scattering". It is what wolves and bad shepherds do to a flock. Not helping the gathering is not neutral: it works against it. The verb is the last word of the sentence, so the line lands on that charge.

Luke · 1

  1. Luke 11:23 σκορπίζει.¶ scatters.

    He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

    Here: 'Scatters, disperses.' It is what the wolf does to the flock (John 10:12). Not helping to gather actually works for the scattering.

John · 2

  1. John 10:12 σκορπίζει. scatters —.

    The hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock.

    Here: The rest bolt in every direction, so the flock stops being a flock. This was the prophets' word for Israel without true leadership (Ezek 34; Jer 23).

  2. John 16:32 σκορπισθῆτε you may be scattered

    “Look, an hour is coming and has already come when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and you will leave Me all alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.

    Here: Passive, 'you will be scattered'. It is the word for a flock driven apart (John 10:12, the wolf 'scatters' the sheep). Behind it stands Zechariah 13:7: strike the shepherd and the sheep scatter.

2 Corinthians · 1

  1. 2 Corinthians 9:9 ἐσκόρπισεν, He has scattered abroad,

    As it is written: “He has scattered abroad His gifts to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.”

    Here: Pictures giving flung out widely, like a farmer casting seed by hand. It picks up the sowing image of verses 6 and 10. No object is stated; the Greek simply says 'he scattered.'

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