Greek word · G4928

συνοχή

synochē

anguish

Literally a 'holding together', a contraction or constriction. By extension: confinement, siege, being hemmed in, and the inner distress of being pressed with no escape.

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

What it means

συν-οχή, -ῆς, ή

(συνέχω), [in LXX: Judges 2:3 (?), Job 30:3 (שׁוֹא), Job 38:28 A; Micah 5:1 (4:14), Jeremiah 52:5 (מָצוֹר) * ;]

1. a holding or being held together.

2. a narrow place (Hom., al.). Metaphorical, straits, distress: Luke 21:25; καρδίας, 2 Corinthians 2:4.†

(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 Luke 21:25

Range of meaning

Literally a 'holding together', a contraction or constriction. By extension: confinement, siege, being hemmed in, and the inner distress of being pressed with no escape.

Against the English

'Distress' (KJV, ESV), 'dismay' (BSB, NASB), 'anguish' (NIV), 'anxiety' (WEB). All catch the emotion. None catches the picture of being squeezed, the claustrophobic sense of a city ringed by enemies.

Used elsewhere in the period

It appears only twice in the New Testament: here and in 2 Corinthians 2:4 ('anguish of heart'). In the Greek Old Testament it is used for siege, e.g. Micah 4:14 (English 5:1) and Jeremiah 52:5, where Jerusalem 'came into siege'. The related verb synechō appears in Luke 19:43, where Jesus says Jerusalem's enemies will 'hem you in on every side', and in Luke 12:50 ('how I am constrained').

From the study of 2 Corinthians 2:4

Range of meaning

Literally a 'holding together', a narrowing or constriction. It was used of a siege, when a city is hemmed in, and of distress, dismay, anguish.

Against the English

Most English versions say 'anguish', which is accurate but loses the picture of being squeezed and hemmed in. YLT's 'pressure of heart' keeps the physical sense better. The Latin Vulgate's angustia ('narrowness') carries it exactly.

Used elsewhere in the period

Only twice in the New Testament: here and Luke 21:25 ('distress of nations'). In the Septuagint it is used of siege: Jeremiah 52:5, where the city 'came into siege', and Micah 5:1 (4:14 in Hebrew). Greek medical and everyday writing also used it for constriction and anxiety.

Where it appears

Luke · 1

  1. Luke 21:25 συνοχὴ distress

    There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among the nations, bewildered by the roaring of the sea and the surging of the waves.

    Here: Literally a 'holding-together' or squeezing: the feeling of being hemmed in with no room to move. The Greek Old Testament uses it for a city under siege. Here whole peoples feel trapped.

2 Corinthians · 1

  1. 2 Corinthians 2:4 συνοχῆς anguish

    For through many tears I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart, not to grieve you but to let you know how much I love you.

    Here: Literally a 'holding together' or narrowing, the word used for a city under siege. A heart hemmed in, with no room to breathe.

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