English · KJV
G2284

θαμβέω

thambéō /tham-beh'-o/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom θάμβος
Meaningto stupefy (with surprise), i.e. astound
KJV usageamaze, astonish.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of thambéō — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word thambéō, represented by G2284, is used to describe a state of being stupefied with surprise, to be astounded or amazed. It appears 5 times across 4 unique verses, capturing a powerful reaction to divine power or confounding events. Its definition is to stupefy (with surprise), i.e. astound:--amaze, astonish.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G2284 is used to illustrate profound reactions to Jesus's ministry and presence. When Jesus commanded an unclean spirit to leave a man, the crowd was all amazed at his new doctrine and authority Mark 1:27. Similarly, the disciples were astonished at his words regarding the difficulty for the rich to enter the kingdom of God Mark 10:24. The term also captures a sense of foreboding and awe; as Jesus set out for Jerusalem, the disciples following him were amazed and afraid Mark 10:32. This same word describes Saul's state on the road to Damascus, where he was trembling and astonished after his encounter with the Lord Acts 9:6.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the emotional state associated with G2284:

  • G5141 trémō: Defined as to "tremble" or fear. This word is paired directly with G2284 in Acts 9:6, where a trembling and astonished Saul responds to the Lord.
  • G5399 phobéō: This term means to frighten, or passively, to be alarmed or be in awe of. It is used in parallel with G2284 in Mark 10:32, where the disciples were amazed and then became afraid as they followed Jesus.

Theological Significance

The significance of G2284 is found in the types of events that provoke such a reaction. It highlights moments when human understanding is confronted by the divine.

  • Awe at Supernatural Authority: The word is used to describe the crowd's reaction to Jesus's power over unclean spirits, demonstrating that his authority was utterly astounding to onlookers Mark 1:27.
  • Confrontation with Divine Teaching: The disciples' astonishment shows that Jesus's words were often as powerful and world-altering as his deeds, challenging their fundamental assumptions about wealth and salvation Mark 10:24.
  • Response to a Divine Encounter: The term is central to Saul's conversion, where being astonished is the immediate response to a direct, overwhelming revelation from the Lord Acts 9:6.

Summary

In summary, G2284 is more than simple surprise; it denotes a level of astonishment that leaves one stupefied. It consistently marks a human response to an encounter with the power, authority, or direct presence of God, whether through miraculous acts, challenging teachings, or a life-altering vision. It is an emotion that sits at the intersection of awe and shock, often paired with fear and trembling.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 4 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

  • Imperfect Passive Indicative 3rd Plural 2×
  • Aorist Passive Indicative 3rd Plural 1×
  • Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 1×
Nominative
The subject of the verb.
Singular
One.
Plural
More than one.
Masculine
Masculine grammatical gender.
3rd
Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present
Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Imperfect
Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Aorist
Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Active
The subject performs the action.
Passive
The subject is acted upon.
Indicative
A plain statement of fact.
Participle
A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

G5141 τρέμω strengthened from a primary (to "dread", "terrify"); to "tremble" or fear:--be afraid, trembling. G5399 φοβέω from φόβος; to frighten, i.e. (passively) to be alarmed; by analogy, to be in awe of, i.e. revere:--be (+ sore) afraid,

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 4 verses across 2 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Mark (3 verses); never once in the other 25.

3
Mark
1
Acts

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.