2630. katakrémnizó
Lexical Summary
katakrémnizó: To throw down, to cast down headlong

Original Word: κατακρημνίζω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: katakrémnizó
Pronunciation: kat-ak-ram-NID-zo
Phonetic Spelling: (kat-ak-rame-nid'-zo)
KJV: cast down headlong
NASB: throwdown the cliff
Word Origin: [from G2596 (κατά - according) and a derivative of G2911 (κρημνός - steep bank)]

1. to precipitate down

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
cast down headlong.

From kata and a derivative of kremnos; to precipitate down -- cast down headlong.

see GREEK kata

see GREEK kremnos

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from kata and krémnos
Definition
to throw over a precipice
NASB Translation
throw...down the cliff (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 2630: κατακρημνίζω

κατακρημνίζω: 1 aorist infinitive κατακρημνίσαι; to cast down a precipice; to throw down headlong: Luke 4:29. (2 Chronicles 25:12; 2 Macc. 14:48; 4 Macc. 4:25; Xenophon, Cyril 1, 4, 7; 8, 3, 41; Demosthenes 446, 11; Diodorus 4, 31; (Philo de agric. Noë § 15); Josephus, Antiquities 6, 6, 2; 9, 9, 1.)

Topical Lexicon
Overview

Strong’s Greek 2630 appears a single time in the New Testament, describing the crowd’s intent to hurl Jesus off the precipice outside Nazareth (Luke 4:29). The verb carries a forceful sense of violent rejection, emphasizing the extremity of hostility directed toward the Lord at the outset of His public ministry.

Biblical Setting (Luke 4:16-30)

After reading Isaiah 61:1-2 in the Nazareth synagogue, Jesus declared, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). His announcement of messianic fulfillment met initial amazement, quickly giving way to indignation when He cited examples of grace extended to outsiders (Luke 4:25-27). Enraged, the townspeople expelled Him from the synagogue, drove Him to “the brow of the hill on which their town was built, in order to throw Him over the cliff” (Luke 4:29). Their murderous intention marks an early preview of the ultimate rejection culminating at Calvary. Yet verse 30 records a sovereign deliverance: “But Jesus passed through the crowd and went on His way.”

Historical and Cultural Background

Nazareth, perched on rocky elevations of Lower Galilee, afforded steep escarpments suitable for the crowd’s deadly plan. Ancient Near-Eastern legal traditions occasionally prescribed cliff-casting for blasphemy or serious offenses, paralleling stoning by leveraging gravity rather than projectiles (compare Leviticus 24:16). The reaction at Nazareth thus reflects more than mob violence; it mirrors a quasi-judicial sentence of death for perceived blasphemy, demonstrating how severely His own people misconstrued His claim.

Theological Themes

1. Prophetic Rejection: Jesus’ citation of Elijah and Elisha (Luke 4:25-27) underscores a pattern—prophets honored by God are often dishonored by their kinsmen. The attempted cliff-casting embodies that pattern (see Nehemiah 9:26; Acts 7:52).
2. Messianic Mission: Directly after surviving the threat, Jesus continued preaching in Capernaum and beyond (Luke 4:31-32), showing that human violence cannot thwart divine purpose.
3. Sovereign Protection: His unharmed passage through the hostile crowd points to the Father’s sovereign timetable: no force could precipitate His death before “the hour” (John 7:30; John 8:20).
4. Universality of Grace: The trigger for the crowd’s wrath was His affirmation that God’s mercy extends beyond Israel. Attempting to cast Him down parallels Israel’s stumbling over the “stone of offense” (Romans 9:32-33).

Connections with Other Scriptures

Genesis 37:18-20 – Joseph’s brothers conspire to kill and cast him into a pit; typologically anticipates Israel’s rejection of their deliverer.
Psalm 118:22 – “The stone the builders rejected” finds an early, literal attempt at disposal here.
Acts 4:11 – Apostolic preaching later frames Jesus’ rejection in terms of that same psalm.
Hebrews 12:3 – Believers are urged to consider Christ “who endured such hostility from sinners,” inclusive of incidents like Nazareth.

Christological Significance

The Nazareth event affirms Jesus as the suffering Servant who faces violent opposition yet remains steadfast. His preservation foreshadows resurrection power: enemies intend destruction, but God overrules. The scene also unveils the paradox of His ministry—He comes with gracious words (Luke 4:22), yet evokes lethal fury; He is rejected in His hometown, yet destined to be Savior of the world.

Pastoral and Ministry Applications

• Faithful proclamation of truth may evoke intense resistance, even from familiar circles. Ministers should not equate hostility with failure but with conformity to Christ’s pattern.
• God’s timing governs a servant’s lifespan and effectiveness. Reliance on divine protection encourages courageous ministry.
• The universality of the gospel must be proclaimed without compromise, despite potential cultural or ethnic backlash.
• Congregational familiarity with a preacher can breed contempt (Luke 4:24). Guarding hearts against such familiarity encourages receptivity to God’s word.

Summary

Strong’s Greek 2630 highlights a dramatic attempt to silence the Messiah by hurling Him off a cliff. Though occurring only once, it vividly portrays the violent depth of unbelief, God’s sovereign preservation, and the unflinching advance of the gospel.

Forms and Transliterations
κατακρημνισαι κατακρημνίσαι κατεκρήμνιζον katakremnisai katakremnísai katakrēmnisai katakrēmnísai
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Englishman's Concordance
Luke 4:29 V-ANA
GRK: αὐτῶν ὥστε κατακρημνίσαι αὐτόν
NAS: in order to throw Him down the cliff.
KJV: they might cast him down headlong.
INT: of them in order to thrown over him

Strong's Greek 2630
1 Occurrence


κατακρημνίσαι — 1 Occ.

2629
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