Greek word · G4917

συνθλάω

synthlaō

to shatter

To crush together, smash, shatter to pieces (BDAG: 'crush, dash to pieces'). It is used for breaking hard, brittle things such as pottery, bones or skulls. It is physical and destructive.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

συν-θλάω, -ῶ

[in LXX for מָחַץ etc. ;]

to crush together, crush: Matthew 21:44 ([WH], R, mg., om.), Luke 20:18.†

(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 21:44

Range of meaning

To crush together, smash, shatter to pieces (BDAG: 'crush, dash to pieces'). It is used for breaking hard, brittle things such as pottery, bones or skulls. It is physical and destructive.

Against the English

BSB, NIV and ESV say 'broken to pieces', which keeps the violence. KJV and YLT say only 'broken'. In church language that word now often means humbled or contrite ('a broken spirit'). The Greek does not carry that sense.

How it drifted

Modern devotional speech uses 'brokenness' as a good spiritual state of humility. Psalm 51:17's 'broken and contrite heart' is in the background, but that verse uses a different Hebrew and Greek word. So a reader who meets 'broken' here can mistake a word for shattering for a word for repentance.

Used elsewhere in the period

Septuagint Psalm 109(110):6: the Lord 'will shatter (συνθλάσει) heads over a wide land'. Septuagint Judges 9:53: the millstone 'crushed' Abimelech's skull. Micah 3:3 (LXX) uses it of breaking bones. In every case it means violent destruction.

Similar words

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 21:44 συνθλασθήσεται· will be broken;

    He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”

    Here: 'Will be shattered'. It is a violent word, used for smashing pottery or skulls. The future tense states what will certainly happen. It is a disaster, not a healing.

Luke · 1

  1. Luke 20:18 συνθλασθήσεται· will be broken;

    Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”

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