"to rub together; to shiver, Mk. 14:3; Rev. 2:27; to break, break in pieces, Mk. 5:4; Jn. 19:36; to break down, crush, bruise, Mt. 12:20; met. to break the power of any one, deprive of strength, debilitate, Lk. 9:39; Rom. 16:20*"
Definition and meaning
to rub together; to shiver, Mk. 14:3; Rev. 2:27; to break, break in pieces, Mk. 5:4; Jn. 19:36; to break down, crush, bruise, Mt. 12:20; met. to break the power of any one, deprive of strength, debilitate, Lk. 9:39; Rom. 16:20*
In the original Greek the word is written: συντρίβω
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 syntribo (G4937) across the King James Bible.
A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.
Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him.
For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.
And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
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Common questions
Strong's G4937 (syntribo) is a Greek word that means: to rub together; to shiver, Mk. 14:3; Rev. 2:27; to break, break in pieces, Mk. 5:4; Jn. 19:36; to break down, crush, bruise, Mt. 12:20; met. to break the power of any one, deprive of strength, debili... It appears 8 times in the King James Bible.
The word syntribo (G4937) appears 8 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4937 is syntribo, a Greek word defined as: to rub together; to shiver, Mk. 14:3; Rev. 2:27; to break, break in pieces, Mk. 5:4; Jn. 19:36; to break down, crush, bruise, Mt. 12:20; met. to break. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
syntribo is a Greek word found in the New Testament.