Luke 4:25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel

Spoken to: 

group

After Jesus says a prophet is not understood in the land of his father.

KJV: 

Luke 4:25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

NIV : 

Luke 4:25 I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land.

LISTENERS HEARD: 

By truth, however, I tell you, many widows existed during the days of Elijah in this Israel when the sky was closed up three years and six months in order that a great famine happened all over the earth. 

MY TAKE: 

The sky can be locked up for a long time for a lot of people.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

GREEK ORDER: 

ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείας δὲ           λέγω  ὑμῖν, πολλαὶ χῆραι    ἦσαν   
By truth,      however, I tell   you, many    widows existed

ἐν        ταῖς ἡμέραις Ἠλείου   ἐν τῷ  Ἰσραήλ,
during the  days        of Elijah in this Israel

ὅτε    ἐκλείσθη                οὐρανὸς ἔτη   τρία   καὶ   μῆνας   ἕξὡς                 ἐγένετο     
when it was closed up, the sky,        years three and months six  in order that happened

λιμὸς      μέγας ἐπὶ     πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν,
a famine great  over   all       the earth. 

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

Someone must have challenged Jesus's statement about his hometown, because the previous verse,this verse and the next give examples of Elijah leaving Israel to perform wonders. Jesus uses an exaggerated dramatic setup for his point, one spoiled in most translations. Jesus describes a "great famine all over the earth." This is toned down "throughout the land" in the Bible, making Jesus's statement sound more reasonable, but this misses the point: the famine extending outside Israel. This is a necessary plot point for his story. 

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

5

But I tell you of(CW) a truth, many widows were in (MW) Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven(CW) was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was(WW) throughout all the land(CW);

  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "of" does not capture the word's specific meaning in this situation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "Israel" is not shown in the English translation.
  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "heaven" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
  • WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "was" should be something more like "happen."
  • CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "land."

# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

10

I assure(CW) you (MW)(MW) that there were many widows in (MW) Israel in  (MW) Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half(CW) years and there was(WW) a severe(CW) famine throughout (MW)  the land(CW);.

  • WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "assure" should be something more like "say."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "on" is not shown in the English translation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "truth" is not shown in the English translation. 
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "Israel" is not shown in the English translation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "Elijah" is not shown in the English translation.
  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "half" does not capture the words' specific meaning in this situation.
  • WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "was" should be something more like "happen."
  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "severe" does not capture the word's specific meaning in this situation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "all" is not shown in the English translation.
  • CW --Confusing Word -- This is not the common word usually translated as "land."

EACH WORD of KJV : 

But -- The Greek word translated as "but" means "but," "however," and "on the other hand." It joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.

I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb.

tell -- The word translated as "I tell" is the most common word that means "to say," "to tell," and "to speak,"  but when used with an objective noun or pronoun, the sense is "say of" or "speak of."  When two accusative objects are used, the sense is  "say of him this," or "call him this." The form Jesus uses to describe his own speaking can be either indicative, "I say/tell" or subjunctive, "I should/could say/tell."  It also has many ancillary meanings such as "to count" ("to number" or like we might say, "to recount" a story) or "to choose for yourself."

you -- The Greek pronoun "you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you," "for you," etc. As the object of a preposition, this form implies no movement, but in a fixed position or events occur at a specified time or while the action was being performed. With the "to be," it acts as a possessive, "yours."

of  -- (CW) The word translated as "of" with a noun in the possessive, genitive, means "upon," "on" but not necessarily of Place, "by (of persons)," "deep (with numbers)," "in the presence of," "towards," "in the time of," and "over (referring to a person of authority)." "Of" is not the specific meaning of the word in this situation.

a -- There is no indefinite article in Greek, but when a noun doesn't have a definite article, the indefinite article can be added in English translation.

truth, - The literal meaning of the Greek word for "truth" is "not hidden," and it means what is real as opposed to how things seem. Applied to people, it means "truthfulness" and "sincerity." The opposite of a lie or appearance.

many -- The word translated as "many" means many in number, great in power or worth, and large in size.

widows -- "Widows" is an adjective that means "widowed" or more generally, "bereaved."  Christ uses it as a noun. 

were -- The verb "were" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.  The word also means "to exist" and where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions.

in   -- The word translated as "in" means "in," "within," "with" (an instrument), "by" (near), "by" (means of), "during" (time),  or "among"  with a dative object as the one here.  With the accusative, it means "into," "on," and "for." When referring to time, it means "during." It can mean "on," "at," or "by" in the sense of "near."

missing "the/this"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." Proper nouns do normally not take articles but they are needed when the noun ending cannot be changed to show its role in the sentence. However, the Greek article is very close to "this" so the purpose here may be demonstrative. See this article.  

Israel -- The word translated as "Israel" comes from the Hebrew, not the Greek.

in -- The word translated as "in" means "in," "within," "with" (an instrument), "by" (near), "by" (means of), "during" (time),  or "among"  with a dative object as the one here.  When referring to time, it means "during." This should be "during" with the word "days."

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, "the," which usually precedes a noun. Without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

days  -- The Greek word translated as "day" also means "time," in general, and refers specifically to the "daytime."

of -- This word "of"  comes from the genitive case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English.  The most common is the "of" of possession.

Elias, -- "Elias" is the Greek form of the name of the prophet we call "Elijah." Jesus refers to Elijah only here and in Mark as a forerunner or harbinger of the Christ. However, he also appears with Jesus along with Moses. More about Jesus's use of OT figures in this article.

when  - "When" is from an adverb/conjunction that means "when," "as when," "at the time when," and "sometimes."

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, "the," which usually precedes a noun. Without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

heaven -- (CW) The word translated as "heaven" means simply the "sky," but it can also mean the "climate," or the "universe." It also meant the home of the gods in a physical sense: the sun, moon, and planets were named for the gods. More about the word in this article.

was -- This helping verb "was" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English. It is not quite the past tense, but one that has the sense, "at some time."

shut up -- The word translated as "shut up" means "to close" or "to shut in." 

three - "Three" is the Greek word that means the number three.

years - The word translated as "years" means "year" but this is the first time Christ uses it in the Gospels. It is not the word used in Luke 4:19, which has more the sense of "cycle" or "anniversary". This is the word used to count a person's age.

and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

six  -  "Six" is the Greek number "six."

months, - The word translated as "month" means "month", "moon" and the shape a crescent moon. This is not the common word for "moon" or "month." It is more of a medical term.

when -- The word translated as "when" has a very broad meaning, translated as "when," "where," "just as," "like," and related words. However, it is not a common word for "when."

great -- The word translated as "great" means "big," "high" "great," and "impressive."

famine -- "Famine" is the Greek word for "hunger," and "famine."

was -- (WW) The word translated as "be" means "to become," that is, to enter into a new state. When applied to events, this word means "to happen," "to occur," or "take place." For things, it can be "to be produced." When the participle takes a predicate, the sense is "coming into" something. The form of the verb's object can indicate the time or to whom it "happens." This is not the specific meaning of the word in this situation.

throughout -- The word translated as "throughout" means "on," "over," "upon," "for,"  "against," "before," "after," "during," "by" "in the case of."

all -- The word translated as "all" is the Greek adjective meaning "all," "the whole," "every," and similar ideas. When it is used as a noun, we would say "everything." As an adverb, it means "in every way," "on every side," and "altogether."

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, "the," which usually precedes a noun. Without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

land; -- (CW) The word translated as "earth" means "ground," "land," "country," and "dirt." Translated as "earth," it refers to the physical planet, not society, which Jesus describes as the world. See this article for more on these words. This is not the word usually translated as "land."

EACH WORD of NIV : 

missing "however"  -- (MW) The untranslated word  MW - Missing Word -- The word "however" is not shown in the English translation. "however" means "but," "however," and "on the other hand." It joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.

I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb.

assure -- (WW) The word translated as "I tell" is the most common word that means "to say," "to tell," and "to speak,"  but when used with an objective noun or pronoun, the sense is "say of" or "speak of."  When two accusative objects are used, the sense is  "say of him this," or "call him this." The form Jesus uses to describe his own speaking can be either indicative, "I say/tell" or subjunctive, "I should/could say/tell."  It also has many ancillary meanings such as "to count" ("to number" or like we might say, "to recount" a story) or "to choose for yourself." This word does not mean "assure." That idea come from untranslated words below.

you -- The Greek pronoun "you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you," "for you," etc. As the object of a preposition, this form implies no movement, but in a fixed position or events occur at a specified time or while the action was being performed. With the "to be," it acts as a possessive, "yours."

missing "on"  -- (MW) The untranslated word  "by" with a noun in the possessive, genitive, means "upon," "on" but not necessarily of Place, "by (of persons)," "deep (with numbers)," "in the presence of," "towards," "in the time of," and "over (referring to a person of authority)."

missing "truth"  -- (MW) The untranslated word  "truth" is "not hidden," and it means what is real as opposed to how things seem. Applied to people, it means "truthfulness" and "sincerity." The opposite of a lie or appearance.

there - "There" is from the plural form of the word "to be."

were -- The verb "were" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.  The word also means "to exist" and where it doesn't connect to characteristics or conditions.

many -- The word translated as "many" means many in number, great in power or worth, and large in size.

widows -- "Widows" is an adjective that means "widowed" or more generally, "bereaved."  Christ uses it as a noun.

in   -- The word translated as "in" means "in," "within," "with" (an instrument), "by" (near), "by" (means of), "during" (time),  or "among"  with a dative object as the one here.  With the accusative, it means "into," "on," and "for." When referring to time, it means "during." It can mean "on," "at," or "by" in the sense of "near."

missing "the/this"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one."  Proper nouns do normally not take articles but they are needed when the noun ending cannot be changed to show its role in the sentence. However, the Greek article is very close to "this" so the purpose here may be demonstrative. See this article.  

Israel -- The word translated as "Israel" comes from the Hebrew, not the Greek.

in -- The word translated as "in" means "in," "within," "with" (an instrument), "by" (near), "by" (means of), "during" (time),  or "among"  with a dative object as the one here.    When referring to time, it means "during." This should be "during" with the word "days."

missing "the/this"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more. MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "time" is not shown in the English translation.

Elijah’s -- "Elias" is the Greek form of the name of the prophet we call "Elijah." Jesus refers to Elijah only here and in Mark as a forerunner or harbinger of the Christ. However, he also appears with Jesus along with Moses. More about Jesus's use of OT figures in this article.

time, -- The Greek word translated as "day" also means "time," in general, and refers specifically to the "daytime."

when  - "When" is from an adverb/conjunction that means "when," "as when," "at the time when," and "sometimes."

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, "the," which usually precedes a noun. Without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

sky --  The word translated as "sky" means simply the "sky," but it can also mean the "climate," or the "universe." It also meant the home of the gods in a physical sense: the sun, moon, and planets were named for the gods. More about the word in this article.

was -- This helping verb "was" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English. It is not quite the past tense, but one that has the sense, "at some time."

shut -- The word translated as "shut" means "to close" or "to shut in." 

three - "Three" is the Greek word that means the number three.

and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

half -- (CW) This is from two Greek words meaning "six months." "Six" is the Greek number "six." The word translated as "month" means "month", "moon" and the shape a crescent moon. This is not the common word for "moon" or "month." It is more of a medical term.

years - The word translated as "years" means "year" but this is the first time Christ uses it in the Gospels. It is not the word used in Luke 4:19, which has more the sense of "cycle" or "anniversary". This is the word used to count a person's age.

and -- The word translated as "and" has a very broad meaning, translated as "when," "where," "just as," "like," and related words. However, it is not a common word for "when."

there - "There" is from the plural form of the word "to be."

was -- (WW) The word translated as "be" means "to become," that is, to enter into a new state. When applied to events, this word means "to happen," "to occur," or "take place." For things, it can be "to be produced." When the participle takes a predicate, the sense is "coming into" something. The form of the verb's object can indicate the time or to whom it "happens." This is not the specific meaning of the word in this situation

severe -- (CW) The word translated as "severe " means "big," "high" "great," and "impressive."  This is not the specific meaning of the word in this situation.

famine -- "Famine" is the Greek word for "hunger," and "famine."

throughout -- The word translated as "throughout" means "on," "over," "upon," "for,"  "against," "before," "after," "during," "by" "in the case of."

missing "all"  -- (MW) The untranslated word  "all" is the Greek adjective meaning "all," "the whole," "every," and similar ideas. When it is used as a noun, we would say "everything." As an adverb, it means "in every way," "on every side," and "altogether."

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, "the," which usually precedes a noun. Without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

land; -- (CW) The word translated as "earth" means "ground," "land," "country," and "dirt." Translated as "earth," it refers to the physical planet, not society, which Jesus describes as the world. See this article for more on these words. This is not the word usually translated as "land."

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

ἐπὶ [138 verses](prep) "On" is from epi which means "on," "upon," "at," "by," "before," "across," and "against." With a noun in the possessive, genitive, it means "upon," "on" but not necessarily of Place, "by (of persons)," "deep (with numbers)," "in the presence of," "towards," "in the time of," and "over (referring to a person of authority)."

ἀληθείας[19 verses]  (noun sg fem gen) "Truth" is aletheia, which means literally "the state of not being hidden," "truth," and "reality." It was also applied to "real events" and "the realization of a dream." Applied to people, it means "truthfulness" and "sincerity." The opposite of a lie or appearance.  The Greek concept of truth was that it was defined by its opposition to that which is concealed. This goes back to a daughter of Zeus, Aletheia, whose opposites were Dolos (Trickery), Apate (Deception) and the Pseudologoi (Lies).-

δὲ [446 verses](conj) "But" is de which means "but" and "on the other hand." It is the particle that joins sentences in an adversarial way but can also be an explanation of indirect cause ("so"). In an  "if" (εἰ ) clause or temporal "when" (ὅταν) clause the sense is "if/when... then." In a series begun by men, its means "on the other hand." In a listing, the sense is "then" or "yet." After an interruption, "so then."

λέγω [264 verses] (1st sg pres ind act) "Say" is lego, which means "to recount," "to tell over," "to say," "to speak," "to teach," "to mean," "boast of," "tell of," "recite," nominate," and "command." When used with an object is has the sense of "call by name."  It has a secondary meaning "pick out," "choose for oneself," "pick up," "gather," "count," and "recount." A less common word that is spelled the same means "to lay," "to lay asleep" and "to lull asleep." This word is more about making a statement than participating in a discussion. Translating is as "stated" might distinguish it better. 

ὑμῖν [289 verses](pron 2nd pl dat) "To you" is humin the plural form of su the pronoun of the second person, "you." to -- This word "to" comes from the dative case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object.

πολλαὶ [61 verses](adj pl fem nom) "Many" is polys, which means "many (in number)," "great (in size or power or worth)," and "large (of space)." As an adverb, it means "far," "very much," "a great way," and "long."

χῆραι [9 verses](adj pl fem nom) "Widows" is from chera, which means "widow" and "bereaved."

ἦσαν  [614 verses](verb 3rd pl imperf ind act) "Were" is eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," of circumstance and events "to happen,"  and "is possible." With the genitive object, the sense is "belongs to." With the dative object, the object acts like a possessive and "it is to him" becomes "it is his."  With the preposition, εἰς, the sense is "consist of."

ἐν [413 verses](prep) "In" is en, which means, with an usual indirect (dative) object, "in," "on," "at," "by," "among," "within," "surrounded by," "in one's hands," "in one's power," "during,"  and "with." With a direct (accusative) object, it means "into," "on," and "for." Referring to time, it means. "in the course of" or "during."

ταῖς [821 verses](article pl fem dat)  "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). 

ἡμέραις [96 verses](noun pl fem dat) "The days" is hemera, which, as a noun, means "day" "a state or time of life," "a time (poetic)," "day break" and "day time." It is also and also has a second meaning, of "quiet," "tame (animals)," "cultivated (crops)," and "civilized (people)."

Ἠλείου [10 verses] (Hebrew Name) - "Elias" is Elias, the Greek form of the biblical name for Elijah.  -

ἐν [413 verses](prep) "In" is en, which means, with an usual indirect (dative) object, "in," "on," "at," "by," "among," "within," "surrounded by," "in one's hands," "in one's power," "during,"  and "with." With a direct (accusative) object, it means "into," "on," and "for." Referring to time, it means. "in the course of" or "during." 

τῷ [821 verses](article sg masc dat)  Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). Proper nouns do normally not take articles but they are needed when the noun ending cannot be changed to show the noun's role in the sentence as an object, indirect object, or genitive (possessive) form. However, the Greek article is very close to "this" so the purpose of an article like this can also be demonstrative. See this article.  

Ἰσραήλ, [11 verses](noun sg masc dat) "Israel" is Israel, which means "Israel."

ὅτε [19 verses](adv/conj) "When" is hote, which means "when," "as when," "at the time when," and "sometimes."

ἐκλείσθη  [5 verses] (verb 3rd sg aor ind pass) "Was shut up"can be one of two words. One is kleio, which means "to shut," "to close," "to bar," "to block up," "to shut in," "to confine," and "to shut up." It is a metaphor for causing the heavens to withhold rain. However, this form of the word is also a form of the verb kleo, which means to "tell of," "make famous," and" "celebrate."

 [821 verses](article sg masc nom)  "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). 

οὐρανὸς [111 verses] (noun sg masc nom) "Heaven" is the Greek ouranos, which means "heaven as in the vault of the sky," "heaven as the seat of the gods," "the sky," "the universe," and "the climate."

ἔτη [6 verses] (noun pl neut acc) "Years" is from etos, which means "year", "yearly", and "annually".

τρία   [5 verses] (noun pl neut acc) "Three" is from treis, which means the number three. 

καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."

μῆνας [1 verse](noun pl fem acc ) "Moon" is from men, which means "month," "moon", and "crescent moon".

ἕξ,  [1 verse](numeral) "Six" is from hex, which is the number "six."

ὡς (167 verses](adv/conj) "When" is hos, an adverb which means to "thus," "as," "how," "when," "where," "like," "just as," "so far as," "as much as can be," "that," "in order that," "nearly (with numbers)," and "know that."

ἐγένετο[117 verses] (verb 3rd sg aor ind mid) "Was" is ginomai, which means "to become," "to come into being," "to happen," of things "to be produced," of events "happen," (passive) "take place," "come to pass," "to be engaged in," math "to be multiplied into," "become one of," "turn into." It means changing into a new state of being. When the participle takes a predicate, the sense is "coming into" something. This verb also has a number of special meanings with different prepositions. It is the complementary opposite of the verb "to be" (eimi) which indicates existence in the same state. A genitive object indicates the time during which it "happens" or a date on which it "falls." A dative object indicates to whom it happens.

λιμὸς [6 verse] (noun sg masc nom) "Famine"is limos, which means "hunger," "famine," and "a hungry wrench."

μέγας[47 verses] (adj sg masc nom indeclform) "Great"is megas, which means "big," "full-grown," "vast," "high," "great," "mighty," "strong (of the elements),""loud" (of sounds), "over-great (with a bad sense), "impressive" (of style), and "long" ( of days).

ἐπὶ [138 verses](prep) "Throughout" is from epi which means "on," "upon," "at," "by," "before," "across," and "against." With the objective noun, an accusative, it means of place: "upon or on to a height," "up to," "as far as," "a little way," "a little," "towards," "to," in hostile sense: "against," of extension: "over," "over (a space)," of time: "for," "during," "up to" or "till," in a causal sense: "of (the object)," for (this purpose)," "as regards," "according to," and "by (this cause)." With verbs of perceiving, observing, and judging, it means "in the case of."

πᾶσαν [212 verses](adj sg fem acc) "All" is pas, which means "all," "the whole," "every," "anyone," "all kinds," and "anything." In the adverbial form, it means "every way," "on every side," "in every way," and "altogether."

τὴν [821 verses](article sg fem acc)  "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). 

γῆν, [59 verses](noun sg fem acc) "Earth" is ge, which means "the element of earth," "land (country)," "arable land," "the ground," and "the world" as the opposite of the sky. Like our English word "earth," it means both dirt and the planet.

Related Verses: 

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Nov 17 2023