Word Study for G402 (ἀναχωρέω)

anachōréō /an-akh-o-reh'-o/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom ἀνά and χωρέω

Meaningto retire

KJV usagedepart, give place, go (turn) aside, withdraw self.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of anachōréō — 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 anachōréō, represented by G402, means to retire, depart, withdraw, or give place. It is formed from the words ἀνά and χωρέω. This specific term for departure appears 14 times in 14 unique verses, often describing a strategic or necessary withdrawal from a particular place or situation.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G402 is frequently used to describe a departure made in response to a threat or divine warning. After the wise men were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their country by another route Matthew 2:12. Similarly, Joseph departed into Egypt with Mary and Jesus after being warned by an angel Matthew 2:14, and later turned aside into Galilee upon hearing that Archelaus was reigning in Judea Matthew 2:22. Jesus himself often withdrew to avoid danger or premature conflict, such as when he heard John was imprisoned Matthew 4:12 or when he perceived that the crowds intended to make him king by force John 6:15. The term is also used when Jesus commands mourners to "Give place" before raising a girl from the dead Matthew 9:24.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the specific nature of the action of departing:

G5343 pheúgō (to run away; by implication, to shun): This word often describes a more urgent flight from immediate danger. An angel commanded Joseph to flee into Egypt Matthew 2:13, and the subsequent action is described using G402, showing a deliberate withdrawal in response to the command.
G190 akolouthéō (to be in the same way with, i.e. to accompany; follow): This word provides a direct contrast. On multiple occasions, when Jesus withdrew himself G402, great multitudes would follow him (Matthew 12:15, Matthew 14:13), highlighting a dynamic where His withdrawal would draw people to Him.
G565 apérchomai (to go off, depart): This is a more general term for leaving. In the account of Judas, he first departed G402 from the temple and then went G565 and hanged himself, illustrating a sequence of actions Matthew 27:5.

Theological Significance

The use of G402 underscores several key concepts in the New Testament.

Prudent Withdrawal: The word demonstrates that retreat is not always an act of cowardice but can be a wise and necessary action. This is seen in the nativity accounts where Joseph acts to protect Jesus (Matthew 2:14, Matthew 2:22) and in Jesus' own life as He manages threats to His ministry Matthew 12:15.
Divine Guidance in Evasion: The decision to withdraw is often directly linked to divine communication. The wise men and Joseph both departed in obedience to warnings received in dreams (Matthew 2:12, Matthew 2:22), showing that avoiding danger can be an act of faith.
Strategic Separation: The act of withdrawing creates a space for a new action or purpose. Jesus withdrew himself from the crowds, who then followed him, leading to a moment of healing Matthew 12:15. He tells mourners to Give place G402 to clear the way for a miracle Matthew 9:24.

Summary

In summary, G402 is a specific term that signifies more than simply leaving; it denotes a deliberate withdrawal. It is used in contexts of responding to divine warnings, strategically avoiding conflict, and creating the necessary space for God's work to be accomplished. From the flight to Egypt to Jesus' withdrawals from the crowds, anachōréō illustrates that careful retreat can be as purposeful and important as active engagement.

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 14 occurrences, inflected in 6 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Singular 9×
Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Plural 1×
Aorist Active Participle Genitive Plural Masculine 1×
Aorist Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 1×
Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 1×
Present Active Imperative 2nd Plural 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Genitive: Possession or source — often "of".
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
2nd: Second person — the one addressed ("you").
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.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Imperative: A command or entreaty.
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 14 verses across 4 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Matthew (10 verses); never once in the other 23.

Matthew

Mark

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.