Extended Strong's Greek Lexicon (Abbott-Smith based)
to dance
Usage: ὀρχέομαι, -οῦμαι [in LXX for רָקַד, etc. ;] to dance; Mat.11:17 14:6, Mrk.6:22, Luk.7:32.† (AS)
Strong's Number
G3738
Language
Greek
Linked Usages
10
Books
7
Strong's G3738 Quick Answer
Strong's G3738 ὠρχέομαι (orcheomai) is a Greek Strong's word-study entry. orcheomai (or-kheh'-om-ai) v. 1. to dance (from the ranklike or regular motion) [middle voice from orchos (a row or ring)] It has 10 linked Bible usages across 7 books. Visible English usage signals include david, before, daughter, lord, and came. Indexed coverage on this page includes New Testament and Septuagint / Greek Old Testament.
- Meaning
- orcheomai (or-kheh'-om-ai) v. 1. to dance (from the ranklike or regular motion) [middle voice from orchos (a row or ring)]
- Usage
- 10 linked usages
- Books
- 7 indexed books
- Corpus
- New Testament and Septuagint / Greek Old Testament
- Usage Words
- david, before, daughter, lord, and came
Meaning and Definition
orcheomai (or-kheh'-om-ai) v. 1. to dance (from the ranklike or regular motion) [middle voice from orchos (a row or ring)] KJV: dance
Across Lexicons
How independent scholarly lexicons define Strong's G3738. Each definition is shown with its source so you can compare and cite the original reference works.
English Usage Signals
Frequent English words from the visible usage excerpts. These are not a replacement for the original-language definition, but they make the usage pattern easier to scan.
david
before
daughter
lord
came
michal
king
said
dance
time
danced
saul
How Strong's G3738 Usage Compares
Indexed coverage includes Septuagint / Greek Old Testament and New Testament. Each section below keeps corpus counts and sample passages visible so readers can compare the word across contexts instead of reading one flat concordance list.
- The largest indexed corpus on this page is Septuagint / Greek Old Testament with 6 linked usages.
- This page lets readers compare New Testament usage with Septuagint / Greek Old Testament usage, which is a key THF advantage over narrower Strong's pages.
In the Septuagint (LXX)
Strong's G3738 (ὠρχέομαι) appears 7 times in the Greek Septuagint — the Old Testament the New Testament authors quoted.
Sample Septuagint occurrences:
- 1 Chronicles 15:29 — ὀρχούμενον
- 2 Kingdoms 6:16 — ὀρχούμενον
- 2 Kingdoms 6:20 — ὀρχουμένων
- 2 Kingdoms 6:21 — ὀρχήσομαι
- 2 Kingdoms 6:21 — ὀρχήσομαι
Strong's G3738 by Corpus
Indexed usage grouped by testament and extended corpus so readers can compare this word across the Bible, Septuagint, deuterocanonical books, and 1 Enoch where present.
Strong's G3738 in the New Testament
4 indexed usages in New Testament.
And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.
But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.
And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.
Strong's G3738 in the Septuagint / Greek Old Testament
6 indexed usages in Septuagint / Greek Old Testament.
And it came to pass as the ark arrived at the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked through the window, and saw King David dancing and playing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.
And David returned to bless his house. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and saluted him, and said, How was the king of Israel glorified today, who was today uncovered in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the dancers wantonly uncovers himself!
And David said to Michal, I will dance before the Lord. Blessed be the Lord who chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to make me head over his people, even over Israel: therefore I will play, and dance before the Lord.
Usage Excerpts
First 10 linked usage excerpts for Strong's G3738.
And it came to pass as the ark arrived at the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked through the window, and saw King David dancing and playing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.
And David returned to bless his house. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and saluted him, and said, How was the king of Israel glorified today, who was today uncovered in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the dancers wantonly uncovers himself!
And David said to Michal, I will dance before the Lord. Blessed be the Lord who chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to make me head over his people, even over Israel: therefore I will play, and dance before the Lord.
And the ark of the covenant of the Lord arrived, and came to the city of David; and Michal the daughter of Saul looked down through the window, and saw King David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to lament, and a time to dance;
But wild beasts shall rest there; and the houses shall be filled with howling; and monsters shall rest there, and devils shall dance there,
And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.
But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.
And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.
They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.
All Indexed Usage Links
Every indexed verse link for Strong's G3738, grouped by book.
2 Kingdoms 3 usages, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament
1 Chronicles 1 usage, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament
Ecclesiastes 1 usage, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament
Isaiah 1 usage, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament
Matthew 2 usages, New Testament
Mark 1 usage, New Testament
Luke 1 usage, New Testament
Strong's G3738 FAQ
What does orcheomai (ὀρχέομαι) mean?
Orcheomai (Strong's G3738) is a Greek word most simply glossed "dance". orcheomai (or-kheh'-om-ai) v. 1. to dance (from the ranklike or regular motion) [middle voice from orchos (a row or ring)]
How many times is orcheomai (ὀρχέομαι) used in the Bible?
This page currently indexes 10 linked usages for Strong's G3738 across 7 books.
Where can I study orcheomai (ὀρχέομαι) in context?
Use the linked verse references on this page to study Strong's G3738 in context. The indexed coverage includes New Testament and Septuagint / Greek Old Testament.
What English words translate orcheomai (ὀρχέομαι)?
The visible usage excerpts most often surface English words such as david, before, daughter, lord, came, and michal. These are scanning signals from the displayed verses, not replacements for the original-language definition.
Does Strong's G3738 appear in the Septuagint or deuterocanonical books?
Yes. The current local index includes 6 in Septuagint / Greek Old Testament for Strong's G3738, with linked reader references where each row is available.