Word Study for G242 (ἅλλομαι)

hállomai /hal'-lom-ahee/ Ask about this word

Meaningmiddle voice of apparently a primary verb; to jump; figuratively, to gush

KJV usageleap, spring up.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of hállomai — 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 hállomai, represented by G242, describes an energetic action meaning to jump or, figuratively, to gush. It appears only 3 times in 3 unique verses, where it is translated as leap or spring up. Though rare, its usage points to a sudden burst of life or movement, either from physical healing or a divine, internal source.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G242 is used in two distinct contexts. Literally, it depicts the powerful, joyous result of miraculous healing. In one instance, a man commanded to stand upright on his feet immediately leaped and walked Acts 14:10. Similarly, another healed man entered the temple walking and leaping, and praising God, demonstrating his complete restoration Acts 3:8. Figuratively, the word is used by Jesus to describe the effect of the living water He gives, which becomes in a person "a well of water springing up into everlasting life" John 4:14.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning and context of G242:

G1814 exállomai (to spring forth): This compound verb is used alongside G242 to describe the initial, explosive jump of a man who was miraculously healed, as he was "leaping up" Acts 3:8.
G4043 peripatéō (to walk at large): This action often follows the leap, signifying the completeness of the healing. In both accounts in Acts, the men who leaped also began to walk, proving their newfound ability Acts 14:10.
G1372 dipsáō (to thirst for): This word provides the spiritual context for the figurative use of G242. The water that is "springing up" is the permanent answer to the soul that will never thirst again John 4:14.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of G242 is demonstrated in its powerful applications:

Miraculous Restoration: The act of leaping is a clear and visible sign of God's power to heal. It represents an instantaneous transformation from a state of infirmity to one of strength and wholeness Acts 14:10.
Joyful Expression: Leaping is not just a proof of healing but also an outward expression of overwhelming joy and praise. The restored man's leaping is directly connected to his act of "praising God" Acts 3:8.
Source of Eternal Life: Figuratively, the "springing up" water points to the indwelling source of spiritual life given by Jesus. It is not a stagnant pool but a dynamic, gushing well that leads to everlasting life John 4:14.

Summary

In summary, G242 is a dynamic verb that, while used sparingly, carries significant meaning. It captures moments of sudden, life-affirming action. Whether depicting the physical leap of a healed man or the figurative gushing of living water, hállomai powerfully illustrates the active and transformative power of God to bring restoration and eternal life.

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 3 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Aorist Middle Deponent Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Present Middle Or Passive Deponent Participle Genitive Singular Neuter 1×
Present Middle Or Passive Deponent Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Genitive: Possession or source — often "of".
Singular: One.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
Neuter: Neuter grammatical gender.
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Middle: The subject acts on or for itself.
Middle Deponent: Middle in form but active in meaning.
Passive Deponent: Passive in form but active in meaning.
Middle Or Passive: Can be read as middle or passive; context decides.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

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

John

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.