### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **boēthéō**, represented by `{{G997}}`, is defined as to **aid or relieve**, and is commonly translated as **help** or **succor**. It appears **8 times** across **8 unique verses** in the Bible, often capturing a moment of urgent need or divine intervention.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{G997}}` is frequently used in the context of a direct and desperate plea. A father whose son is afflicted cries out to Jesus, "Lord, I believe; **help** thou mine unbelief" [[Mark 9:24]]. Similarly, a Canaanite woman worships Jesus, saying, "Lord, **help** me" [[Matthew 15:25]]. The word also appears in a missional context, where the Apostle Paul sees a vision of a man begging him, "Come over into Macedonia, and **help** us" [[Acts 16:9]]. In a more theological sense, it describes Christ's capacity to **succour** those who are tempted, precisely because he also suffered [[Hebrews 2:18]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words expand upon the concept of providing aid:
* `{{G1410}}` **dýnamai** (to be able or possible): This word highlights the *ability* to render aid. It is used by a father asking if Jesus **canst** do anything to help his son [[Mark 9:22]], and in the affirmation that Christ is **able** to succor the tempted [[Hebrews 2:18]].
* `{{G3870}}` **parakaléō** (to call near, i.e. invite, invoke): This term describes the act of calling for help. The man of Macedonia **prayed** to Paul, asking him to come and provide help [[Acts 16:9]], linking the invocation to the requested aid.
* `{{G4697}}` **splanchnízomai** (to have the bowels yearn, i.e. (figuratively) feel sympathy, to pity): This points to the motivation behind helping. A father appeals to Jesus to **have compassion** on them and help them [[Mark 9:22]], connecting help to a deep sense of pity.
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{G997}}` is centered on the theme of divine intervention and relief.
* **A Cry for Divine Aid:** The term is consistently used in cries directed to the Lord, establishing that the ultimate source of help is divine. This is seen in pleas like "Lord, **help** me" [[Matthew 15:25]] and when citizens cry out "Men of Israel, **help**" during a riot at the temple [[Acts 21:28]].
* **Christ as High Priestly Succor:** [[Hebrews 2:18]] presents a core doctrine, explaining that Jesus is able to **succour** those who are tempted because he himself has suffered temptation, positioning him as the believer's empathetic helper.
* **Help and Salvation:** The word is directly tied to the concept of salvation in [[2 Corinthians 6:2]], which quotes, "in the day of salvation have I **succoured** thee." This elevates the act of helping from mere assistance to a component of God's saving grace.
* **Supernatural Deliverance:** In the symbolic vision of [[Revelation 12:16]], the earth itself personified " **helped** the woman" by swallowing the flood sent by the dragon, portraying help as a form of miraculous protection from evil.
### Summary
In summary, `{{G997}}` is more than a simple request for assistance; it is a powerful expression of need, often directed toward a divine power. From a father's desperate cry for his son to a foundational statement about Christ's ability to relieve the tempted, **boēthéō** captures the dynamic between human vulnerability and the availability of divine aid and salvation.
TRV