Strong's Lexicon
meletaó: To meditate, to care for, to practice, to study
Original Word:μελετάω
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:meletaó
Pronunciation:meh-leh-TAH-oh
Phonetic Spelling:(mel-et-ah'-o)
Definition:To meditate, to care for, to practice, to study
Meaning:I devise, plan; practice, exercise myself in, study, ponder.
Word Origin:Derived from μέλος (melos), meaning "limb" or "member," suggesting the idea of care or attention to detail.
Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: -H1897 - הָגָה (hagah): Often translated as "meditate," "mutter," or "speak," this Hebrew word shares a similar emphasis on meditation and thoughtful reflection, particularly in the context of the Scriptures (e.g., Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:2).
Usage:The verb "meletaó" primarily conveys the idea of careful consideration, meditation, or diligent practice. In the New Testament, it is used to describe the act of giving thoughtful attention to something, often in the context of spiritual or moral reflection. It implies a deliberate and focused effort to understand or internalize a concept or practice.
Cultural and Historical Background:In the Greco-Roman world, the concept of meditation or careful study was highly valued, particularly in philosophical and rhetorical traditions. The practice of meditation was not only about intellectual engagement but also about moral and spiritual formation. In the Jewish tradition, meditation on the Scriptures was a central aspect of religious life, emphasizing the importance of internalizing God's Word and living according to His commandments.
HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 3191meletáō – properly, to care for, attend to; hence be diligent, especially to ponder (study).See 3199 (melei).
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom meleté (care)
Definitionto care for, practice, study
NASB Translationdevise (1), take pains (1).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 3191: μελετάωμελετάω,
μελέτω; 1 aorist
ἐμελέτησα; (from
μελέτη care, practice); especially frequent in Greek writings from
Sophocles and
Thucydides down; the
Sept. chiefly for
הָגָה;
to care for, attend to carefully, practise:
τί,
1 Timothy 4:15 (
R. V.be diligent in);
to meditate equivalent to to devise, contrive:
Acts 4:25 from
Psalm 2:1; used by the Greeks of the meditative pondering and the practice of orators and rhetoricians, as
μελετᾶντήνἀπολογίανὑπέρἑαυτῶν,
Demosthenes, p. 1129, 9 (cf.
Passow, under the word,
d. (Liddell and Scott, under the word, II. 2 and III. 4 b.)), which usage seems to have been in the writer's mind inMark 13:11 (RL brackets Compare:προμελετάω).
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
imagine, premeditate.From a presumed derivative ofmelo; to take care of, i.e. (by implication) revolve in the mind -- imagine, (pre-)meditate.
see GREEKmelo
Forms and Transliterations
εμελέτα εμελέτησα εμελετήσαμεν εμελετησαν εμελέτησαν ἐμελέτησαν εμελέτων μελετα μελετά μελέτα μελετάν μελέτας μελετάτε μελέτη μελετήσει μελετήσεις μελετήσω μελετητή μελετών μελετώσι emeletesan emeletēsan emelétesan emelétēsan meleta melétaLinks
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