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Strong's Concordance
Greek Word Study

Strong's G4685 σπάω (spao)

Spao means “draw” — full meaning, definition, and every linked Bible usage across the indexed canon.

Same number, other testament: Strong's H4685 — matsod (“net”) in the Hebrew Bible.

Strong's Number G4685
Language Greek
Linked Usages 24
Books 14

Strong's G4685 Quick Answer

Strong's G4685 σπάω (spao) is a Greek Strong's word-study entry. spao (spah'-o) v. 1. to draw [a primary verb] It has 24 linked Bible usages across 14 books. Visible English usage signals include out. Indexed coverage on this page includes New Testament, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, and Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha.

Meaning
spao (spah'-o) v. 1. to draw [a primary verb]
Usage
24 linked usages
Books
14 indexed books
Corpus
New Testament, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, and Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha
Usage Words
out

Meaning and Definition

spao (spah'-o) v. 1. to draw [a primary verb] KJV: draw (out)

Original Word
σπάω
Transliteration
spao
Morphology
verb

Across Lexicons

How independent scholarly lexicons define Strong's G4685. Each definition is shown with its source so you can compare and cite the original reference works.

Extended Strong's Greek Lexicon (Abbott-Smith based)

to draw

Usage: σπάω [in LXX chiefly for שָׁלַף, ;] in cl. poët. for ἕλκω; mostly used in mid. (cf. M, Pr., 157), to draw: μάχαιραν, Mrk.14:47, Act.16:27,† (AS)

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How Strong's G4685 Is Translated

The English word each shown verse actually uses to render spao, taken from the interlinear word alignment (the same word underlined in the excerpts below). Where a rendering is used more than once, the count is shown.

How Strong's G4685 Usage Compares

Indexed coverage includes Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha, 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 19 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.
  • Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha rows are counted separately so readers can decide how those texts relate to the main word study.

In the Septuagint (LXX)

Strong's G4685 (σπάω) appears 24 times in the Greek Septuagint — the Old Testament the New Testament authors quoted.

Sample Septuagint occurrences:

Read the full Greek Septuagint interlinear with Strong's →

Strong's G4685 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 G4685 in the New Testament

2 indexed usages in New Testament.

Mark 14:47 KJV

And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

Acts 16:27 KJV

And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

Strong's G4685 in the Septuagint / Greek Old Testament

19 indexed usages in Septuagint / Greek Old Testament.

Numbers 22:23 Septuagint / Brenton

And when the ass saw the angel of God standing opposite in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, then the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field; and Balaam smote the ass with his staff to direct her in the way.

Numbers 22:31 Septuagint / Brenton

And God opened the eyes of Balaam, and he sees the angel of the Lord withstanding him in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, and he stooped down and worshiped on his face.

Joshua 5:13 Septuagint / Brenton

And it came to pass when Joshua was in Jericho, that he looked up with his eyes and saw a man standing before him, and there was a drawn sword in his hand; and Joshua drew near and said to him, Art thou for us or on the side of our enemies?

Strong's G4685 in the deuterocanonical books / Apocrypha

3 indexed usages in Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha.

1 Esdras 3:22 Septuagint / Brenton

and when they are in their cups, they forget their love both to friends and brethren, and a little after draw out swords:

Wisdom of Solomon 7:3 Septuagint / Brenton

And when I was born, I drew in the common air, And fell upon the earth, which is of like nature, And the first voice which I uttered was crying, as all others do.

Wisdom of Sirach 22:21 Septuagint / Brenton

Though thou drewest a sword at thy friend, yet despair not: For there may be a returning to favor.

Usage Excerpts

First 24 linked usage excerpts for Strong's G4685.

Numbers 22:23 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And when the ass saw the angel of God standing opposite in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, then the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field; and Balaam smote the ass with his staff to direct her in the way.
Numbers 22:31 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And God opened the eyes of Balaam, and he sees the angel of the Lord withstanding him in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, and he stooped down and worshiped on his face.
Joshua 5:13 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And it came to pass when Joshua was in Jericho, that he looked up with his eyes and saw a man standing before him, and there was a drawn sword in his hand; and Joshua drew near and said to him, Art thou for us or on the side of our enemies?
Judges 8:10 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their host was with them, about fifteen thousand, all that were left of all the host of the aliens; and they that fell were a hundred and twenty thousand men that drew the sword.
Judges 8:20 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And he said to Jether his firstborn, Rise and slay them; but the lad drew not his sword, for he was afraid, for he was yet very young.
Judges 9:54 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And he cried out quickly to the young man his armor bearer, and said to him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, lest at any time they should say, A woman slew him: and his young man thrust him through and he died.
1 Kingdoms 31:4 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And Saul said to his armor bearer, Draw thy sword and pierce me through with it; lest these uncircumcised come and pierce me through, and mock me. But his armor bearer would not, for he feared greatly: so Saul took his sword and fell upon it.
2 Kingdoms 23:8 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
These are the names of the mighty men of David: Josheb-basshebeth the Canaanite is a captain of the third part: Adinon the Asonite, he drew his sword against eight hundred soldiers at once.
2 Kingdoms 24:9 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And Joab gave in the number of the census of the people to the king: and Israel consisted of eight hundred thousand men of might that drew sword; and the men of Judah, five hundred thousand fighting men.
4 Kingdoms 3:26 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And the king of Moab saw that the battle prevailed against him; and he took with him seven hundred men that drew sword, to cut through to the king of Edom: and they could not.
1 Chronicles 10:4 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And Saul said to his armor bearer, Draw thy sword, and pierce me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and mock me. But his armor bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid: so Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
1 Chronicles 11:11 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And this is the list of the mighty men of David; Jashobeam, son of Hachmon, first of the thirty: he drew his sword once against three hundred whom he slew at one time.
1 Chronicles 11:20 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of three: he drew his sword against three hundred slain at one time, and he had a name among the second three.
1 Chronicles 21:5 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And Joab gave the number of the mustering of the people to David: and all Israel was a million and a hundred thousand men that drew sword: and the sons of Judah were four hundred and seventy thousand men that drew sword.
1 Chronicles 21:16 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the Lord, standing between the earth and the heaven, and his sword drawn in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem: and David and the elders clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
Psalms 36:14 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
Sinners have drawn their swords, They have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy one, And to slay the upright in heart.
Psalms 151:7 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
But I drew his own sword, and beheaded him, And removed reproach from the children of Israel.
Ezekiel 21:33 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
And thou, son of man, prophesy, and thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord, concerning the children of Ammon, and concerning their reproach; and thou shalt say, O sword, sword, drawn for slaughter, and drawn for destruction, awake, that thou mayest gleam.
Ezekiel 26:15 Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, Septuagint / Brenton
For thus saith the Lord God to Tyre; Shall not the isles shake at the sound of thy fall, while the wounded are groaning, while they have drawn a sword in the midst of thee?
Mark 14:47 New Testament, KJV
And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
Acts 16:27 New Testament, KJV
And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
1 Esdras 3:22 Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha, Septuagint / Brenton
and when they are in their cups, they forget their love both to friends and brethren, and a little after draw out swords:
Wisdom of Solomon 7:3 Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha, Septuagint / Brenton
And when I was born, I drew in the common air, And fell upon the earth, which is of like nature, And the first voice which I uttered was crying, as all others do.
Wisdom of Sirach 22:21 Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha, Septuagint / Brenton
Though thou drewest a sword at thy friend, yet despair not: For there may be a returning to favor.

All Indexed Usage Links

Every indexed verse link for Strong's G4685, grouped by book.

Numbers 2 usages, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament
Joshua 1 usage, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament
Judges 3 usages, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament
1 Kingdoms 1 usage, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament
2 Kingdoms 2 usages, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament
4 Kingdoms 1 usage, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament
1 Chronicles 5 usages, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament
Psalms 2 usages, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament
Ezekiel 2 usages, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament
Mark 1 usage, New Testament
Acts 1 usage, New Testament
1 Esdras 1 usage, Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha
Wisdom of Solomon 1 usage, Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha
Wisdom of Sirach 1 usage, Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha

Strong's G4685 FAQ

What does spao (σπάω) mean?

Spao (Strong's G4685) is a Greek word most simply glossed "draw". spao (spah'-o) v. 1. to draw [a primary verb]

How many times is spao (σπάω) used in the Bible?

This page currently indexes 24 linked usages for Strong's G4685 across 14 books.

Where can I study spao (σπάω) in context?

Use the linked verse references on this page to study Strong's G4685 in context. The indexed coverage includes New Testament, Septuagint / Greek Old Testament, and Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha.

What English words translate spao (σπάω)?

The visible usage excerpts most often surface English words such as out. These are scanning signals from the displayed verses, not replacements for the original-language definition.

Does Strong's G4685 appear in the Septuagint or deuterocanonical books?

Yes. The current local index includes 19 in Septuagint / Greek Old Testament and 3 in Deuterocanonical / Apocrypha for Strong's G4685, with linked reader references where each row is available.