Word Study for G2905 (κραυγάζω)

kraugázō /krow-gad'-zo/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom κραυγή

Meaningto clamor

KJV usagecry out.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of kraugázō — 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 kraugázō, represented by G2905, is defined as to clamor:--cry out. It appears 7 times in 7 unique verses in the Bible. This word signifies a forceful, urgent cry, often made in a public or clamorous manner, stemming from intense emotion or a moment of great significance.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G2905 is used to capture moments of both desperate supplication and hostile uproar. A Canaanite woman cried unto Jesus for mercy for her daughter Matthew 15:22. Jesus himself cried with a loud voice to raise Lazarus from the dead John 11:43. Conversely, the word describes the angry shouts of the crowds, including the chief priests and officers who cried out for Jesus to be crucified (John 19:6, John 19:15). A prophecy cited in Matthew contrasts this, stating that the Lord's servant will not cry out in the streets Matthew 12:19.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help frame the context of this clamorous cry:

G3004 légō (to mean, say, speak, tell, utter): This verb frequently specifies the content of the cry, as when the crowds were saying, "Not this man, but Barabbas" John 18:40.
G5456 phōnḗ (noise, sound, voice): This word describes the sound itself that is produced. Jesus cried with a loud voice at the tomb of Lazarus John 11:43.
G4717 stauróō (to impale on the cross; figuratively, to extinguish...:--crucify): This is the specific, violent demand that was cried out by the crowds against Jesus John 19:6.
G749 archiereús (the high-priest... by extension a chief priest): The chief priests are explicitly identified as among those who cried out for Jesus' crucifixion John 19:15.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G2905 is revealed in its varied contexts:

A Cry of Desperate Faith: The cry of the Canaanite woman demonstrates an urgent plea for divine intervention, expressing both her desperation and her faith in Jesus's power to save Matthew 15:22.
A Cry of Divine Authority: Jesus's own cry at Lazarus's tomb is not one of need but of sovereign command, powerfully demonstrating his authority over death John 11:43.
A Cry of Human Rejection: The repeated cries of the crowds to crucify Jesus signify the pinnacle of human rebellion and the rejection of their King in favor of a robber (John 18:40, John 19:6).
A Mark of Messianic Humility: The prophecy that the chosen servant would not cry out highlights a key aspect of Christ's character—a gentle and meek spirit that stands in stark contrast to the world's aggressive clamor Matthew 12:19.

Summary

In summary, G2905 is a potent word that conveys intense emotion in critical moments. Whether it is a desperate plea for mercy, a divine command that brings life, or the unified clamor of a crowd demanding death, kraugázō marks a turning point in the narrative. Its usage starkly contrasts the cries of human need and rebellion with the divine authority and gentle nature of Christ.

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 10 occurrences, inflected in 7 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Plural 4×
Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Future Active Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Imperfect Active Indicative 3rd Plural 1×
Imperfect Active Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Present Active Participle Genitive Plural Masculine 1×
Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Neuter 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Genitive: Possession or source — often "of".
Singular: One.
Plural: More than 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.
Imperfect: Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Future: Action yet to take place.
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Active: The subject performs the action.
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 7 verses across 3 of the 27 books. Most frequent in John (4 verses); never once in the other 24.

Matthew

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.