2373. thumoó

Lexical Summary

thumoó: To provoke, to make angry, to be enraged.

Original Word: θυμόω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: thumoó
Pronunciation: thoo-mo'-o
Phonetic Spelling: (tho-mo'-o)
KJV: be wroth
NASB: enraged
Word Origin: [from G2372 (θυμός - wrath)]

1. to put in a passion, i.e. enrage

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

to make angry, enrage

From thumos; to put in a passion, i.e. Enrage -- be wroth.

see GREEK thumos

HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 2373 thymóō(from 2372 /thymós, see there) – to be "full of angry passion" (Souter), used only in Mt 2:16. See 2372 (thymos).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from thumos
Definition
to be very angry
NASB Translation
enraged (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 2373: θυμόω

θυμόω, θυμῷ: 1 aorist passive ἐθυμώθην; (θυμός); to cause one to become incensed, to invoke to anger; passive (the Sept. often for חָרָה) to be wroth: Matthew 2:16. (In Greek writings from (Aeschylus), Herodotus down.)

Topical Lexicon

Overview

Strong’s Greek 2373 (ἐθυμώθη) stems from the broader family of words connected with θυμός, often rendered “wrath,” “rage,” or “fury.” While θυμός commonly denotes an inner surge of anger, the verbal form in Matthew 2:16 depicts that emotion breaking into action—an eruption of violent indignation that propels destructive behavior.

Occurrence in Scripture

• Matthew 2:16 — “When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he sent out and killed all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under” (Berean Standard Bible).

This solitary usage is set within the narrative of Jesus’ infancy. Herod the Great, threatened by the announcement of a newborn “King of the Jews,” moves from internal jealousy to murderous fury, embodied by ἐθυμώθη.

Historical Background

Herod’s political insecurity was notorious. Ancient historians (Josephus, Antiquities 17.2; Wars 1.27) recount multiple executions ordered by Herod against perceived rivals, even within his own family. Matthew’s Gospel aligns with that historical portrait: Herod’s rage is not mere emotion but a tyrant’s habitual response to any threat to his throne. By employing ἐθυμώθη, Matthew draws readers into the gravity of the moment and the deadly scope of the king’s fury.

Theological Insights

1. Human wrath versus divine righteousness: Scripture distinguishes God’s measured, holy wrath (Romans 1:18) from fallen humanity’s impulsive anger (James 1:20). Herod’s ἐθυμώθη exemplifies the latter—self-centered fury that opposes God’s redemptive plan.
2. Opposition to the Messiah: The sole New Testament instance appears precisely where human sovereignty collides with the advent of Christ. Herod’s rage underscores the broader biblical pattern that world powers rage against the Lord and His Anointed (Psalm 2:1-6), yet cannot thwart His purposes.
3. Providence and protection: Even while homicidal wrath rages, God preserves His Son by sending Joseph, Mary, and the Child to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15). The verb underlines the contrast between human violence and divine safeguarding.

Relationship to Divine and Human Wrath

• θυμός (internal passion) and ὀργή (settled indignation) both describe anger but differ in nuance. ἐθυμώθη captures θυμός exploding into action, warning how unbridled emotion swiftly becomes murderous deed (Proverbs 29:22).
• The Epistle to the Ephesians exhorts believers, “Be angry and yet do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26). Herod’s example illustrates the opposite: anger turned to sin on a horrific scale, cautioning all who hold authority.

Pastoral and Ministry Implications

1. Guarding the heart: Leaders in church, home, or workplace face temptation to wield power selfishly. Herod’s rage serves as a vivid admonition to cultivate humility and to submit ambitions to Christ’s lordship.
2. Protecting the vulnerable: The massacre of innocents awakens the church to defend children and all defenseless people from violence, abuse, and exploitation, embodying the mercy of the One who escaped Herod’s sword yet later laid down His life for the world.
3. Responding to persecution: Believers may encounter irrational hostility as the gospel challenges reigning idols. The infancy narrative fortifies faith by showing God’s capacity to preserve His mission amid fierce opposition.

Connection to Christ’s Kingdom

Herod’s ἐθυμώθη dramatizes the clash between earthly and heavenly kingship. His temporal rage contrasts with the meekness of Jesus, who rules by sacrificial love. The episode anticipates Golgotha, where worldly powers again conspire in wrath, yet God turns their fury into the very means of redemption (Acts 4:25-28).

Related Scriptures for Study

Psalm 76:10; Proverbs 16:32; Isaiah 13:9; Jonah 4:9; Ephesians 4:31; Colossians 3:8; James 1:19-20; Revelation 12:12.

Summary

Strong’s Greek 2373 marks one flashpoint of human anger that sought to extinguish Christ at His appearing. Though used only once, the verb captures an age-old contest: the rage of kings versus the reign of God. Herod’s wrath fails; God’s purposes prevail. The entry invites believers to surrender every impulse of destructive anger and to trust the sovereign Lord who turns even rage to the fulfillment of His redemptive plan.

Forms and Transliterations

εθυμωθη εθυμώθη ἐθυμώθη εθυμώθης εθυμώθησαν θυμοί θυμούσθαι θυμώδει θυμώδεις θυμώδης θυμωθείς θυμωθήναι θυμωθής θυμωθήσεσθαι θυμωθήσεται θυμωθήσομαι θυμώθητι ethumothe ethumōthē ethymothe ethymōthē ethymṓthe ethymṓthē

Englishman's Concordance

Matthew 2:16 V-AIP-3S
GRK: τῶν μάγων ἐθυμώθη λίαν καὶ
NAS: he became very enraged, and sent
KJV: was exceeding wroth, and
INT: the magi was enraged greatly and

Strong's Greek 2373
1 Occurrence

ἐθυμώθη — 1 Occ.