"to seize, as a wild beast, Jn. 10:12; take away by force, snatch away, Mt. 13:19; Jn. 10:28, 29; Acts 23:10; Jude 23; met. to seize on with avidity, eagerly, appropriate, Mt. 11:12; to convey away suddenly, transport hastily, Jn. 6:15"
Definition and meaning
to seize, as a wild beast, Jn. 10:12; take away by force, snatch away, Mt. 13:19; Jn. 10:28, 29; Acts 23:10; Jude 23; met. to seize on with avidity, eagerly, appropriate, Mt. 11:12; to convey away suddenly, transport hastily, Jn. 6:15
In the original Greek the word is written: ἁρπάζω
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of harpazo (G726) across the King James Bible.
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago,(whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
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Common questions
Strong's G726 (harpazo) is a Greek word that means: to seize, as a wild beast, Jn. 10:12; take away by force, snatch away, Mt. 13:19; Jn. 10:28, 29; Acts 23:10; Jude 23; met. to seize on with avidity, eagerly, appropriate, Mt. 11:12; to convey away sud... It appears 13 times in the King James Bible.
The word harpazo (G726) appears 13 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G726 is harpazo, a Greek word defined as: to seize, as a wild beast, Jn. 10:12; take away by force, snatch away, Mt. 13:19; Jn. 10:28, 29; Acts 23:10; Jude 23; met. to seize on with avidity, e. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
harpazo is a Greek word found in the New Testament.