Lexical Summary prizó: To saw, to cut with a saw Original Word: πρίζω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance saw asunder. A strengthened form of a primary prio (to saw); to saw in two -- saw asunder. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originalt. form of a prim. verb prió (to saw) Definition to saw (in two) NASB Translation sawn in two (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4249: πρίζωπρίζω (or πρίω, which see): 1 aorist passive ἐπρίσθην; to saw, to cut in two with a saw: Hebrews 11:37. To be 'sawn asunder' was a kind of punishment among the Hebrews (2 Samuel 12:31; 1 Chronicles 20:3), which according to ancient tradition was inflicted on the prophet Isaiah; cf. Winers RWB, under the word Säge; Roskoff in Schenkel 5:135; (B. D., under the word STRONGS NT 4249: πρίωπρίω, see πρίζω. (Compare: διαπρίω.) Topical Lexicon Core ImageryStrong’s Greek 4249 denotes the grisly act of sawing a person apart—an image of extreme cruelty. In Scripture it appears only once, yet its lone use powerfully evokes the cost of covenant faithfulness and the malice of a world hostile to God’s spokesmen. Canonical Occurrence Hebrews 11:37 lists unnamed saints who “were stoned, were sawn in two, were put to the test, were slain by the sword”. The verb “were sawn in two” is the aorist passive of 4249. It stands amid a catalogue that moves from triumphs of faith (Hebrews 11:33-35a) to sufferings of faith (11:35b-38), underscoring that both deliverance and death can equally glorify God. Historical Background 1. Jewish tradition remembers the prophet Isaiah as having been executed by King Manasseh through sawing (see the extracanonical Martyrdom of Isaiah and Babylonian Talmud, Yebamoth 49b). Hebrews 11:37 likely alludes to this well-known story. Though uninspired sources cannot establish doctrine, they illuminate why the original readers immediately grasped the reference. Theological Themes • Suffering as Divine Commendation Far from disproving God’s favor, martyrdom manifests faith that values the promises of God above present comfort (Hebrews 11:39-40). Persecution confirms prophetic authenticity (Matthew 5:12; Acts 7:52). Hebrews 11:37 therefore vindicates Isaiah and all who speak for God. The saw represents one of many instruments that signal the believer’s fellowship with Christ’s sufferings (Philippians 3:10). Old Testament Parallels • 1 Kings 21:13—Naboth stoned for fidelity, paralleling “they were stoned.” Christ-Centered Fulfillment The faith-driven willingness to accept the saw foreshadows Christ’s own submission to the cross. Hebrews 12:2 immediately commands readers to fix their eyes on Jesus, linking the unnamed martyrs’ agony to the Savior’s ultimate example. Implications for Ministry • Preaching: Present the full counsel of God, acknowledging that obedience may invite hostility. Contemporary Relevance Though literal sawing is rare today, believers worldwide still face lethal violence. Hebrews 11:37 equips the church to interpret such suffering within God’s redemptive narrative, refusing to view martyrdom as defeat but as a testimony that “the world was not worthy of them” (Hebrews 11:38). Summary Strong’s Greek 4249, while appearing only once, encapsulates the extreme edge of persecution, linking ancient prophetic fidelity with New Testament perseverance and calling the modern church to steadfast faith even unto death. Forms and Transliterations έπριζον επρισθησαν επρίσθησαν ἐπρίσθησαν epristhesan epristhēsan eprísthesan eprísthēsanLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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