In biblical terms, the concept of "summon" involves calling or gathering individuals for a specific purpose, often by a figure of authority. This action is seen throughout the Scriptures, where God, prophets, kings, and leaders summon people to convey messages, deliver judgments, or initiate significant events.

Old Testament Instances

1. Divine Summons: God frequently summons individuals to fulfill His divine purposes. For example, in Exodus 3:4, God calls Moses from the burning bush: "When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him from within the bush, 'Moses, Moses!' And Moses said, 'Here I am.'" This summoning marks the beginning of Moses' mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.

2. Prophetic Summons: Prophets often summoned the people of Israel to repentance and obedience. In 1 Kings 18:20, Elijah summons the people to Mount Carmel for a confrontation with the prophets of Baal: "So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel."

3. Royal Summons: Kings in the Old Testament also exercised the power to summon. In 2 Samuel 11:6, King David summons Uriah the Hittite: "Then David sent word to Joab: 'Send me Uriah the Hittite.' So Joab sent him to David." This summoning sets the stage for the unfolding of David's sin with Bathsheba.

New Testament Instances

1. Jesus' Summons: Jesus Christ frequently summoned His disciples and followers to teach, heal, and spread the Gospel. In Mark 3:13, Jesus calls His disciples: "Then Jesus went up on the mountain and called for those He wanted, and they came to Him." This summoning is pivotal in the formation of the group that would carry forward His mission.

2. Apostolic Summons: The apostles, following the example of Christ, also summoned believers for instruction and decision-making. In Acts 6:2, the Twelve summon the disciples to address the issue of food distribution: "So the Twelve summoned all the disciples and said, 'It is unacceptable for us to neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables.'"

3. Judicial Summons: In the New Testament, summoning also occurs in judicial contexts. In Acts 25:6, Festus, the Roman governor, summons Paul for trial: "After spending eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caesarea. The next day he sat on the judgment seat and ordered that Paul be brought in."

Theological Implications

The act of summoning in the Bible often signifies authority, purpose, and divine intervention. It underscores the importance of obedience and readiness to respond to God's call. The summons can be a call to action, repentance, or service, reflecting the broader biblical themes of covenant and mission. The response to a divine or authoritative summons often determines the course of biblical narratives and the unfolding of God's redemptive plan.1. (v. t.) To call, bid, or cite; to notify to come to appear; -- often with up.

2. (v. t.) To give notice to, or command to appear, as in court; to cite by authority; as, to summon witnesses.

3. (v. t.) To call upon to surrender, as a fort.

3143. marturomai -- to summon as witness, to affirm
... to summon as witness, to affirm. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: marturomai
Phonetic Spelling: (mar-too'-rom-ahee) Short Definition: I call to witness ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3143.htm - 6k

3333. metakaleo -- to call from one place to another
... to another. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: metakaleo Phonetic Spelling:
(met-ak-al-eh'-o) Short Definition: I send for Definition: mid: I summon to myself ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3333.htm - 6k

4341. proskaleo -- to call to
... to call to. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: proskaleo Phonetic Spelling:
(pros-kal-eh'-om-ahee) Short Definition: I summon Definition: I call to myself ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4341.htm - 7k

3343. metapempo -- to send after or for
... to send after or for. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: metapempo Phonetic Spelling:
(met-ap-emp'-o) Short Definition: I send for, summon Definition: I send ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3343.htm - 7k

4377. prosphoneo -- to call to
... to call to. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: prosphoneo Phonetic Spelling:
(pros-fo-neh'-o) Short Definition: I call to, summon Definition: I call to ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4377.htm - 6k

5455. phoneo -- to call out
... to call out. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: phoneo Phonetic Spelling:
(fo-neh'-o) Short Definition: I crow, shout, summon Definition: I give forth a sound ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5455.htm - 7k

3870. parakaleo -- to call to or for, to exhort, to encourage
... for, to exhort, to encourage. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: parakaleo Phonetic
Spelling: (par-ak-al-eh'-o) Short Definition: I summon, entreat, admonish ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3870.htm - 10k

2564. kaleo -- to call
... Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: kaleo Phonetic Spelling: (kal-eh'-o) Short
Definition: I call, invite, name Definition: (a) I call, summon, invite, (b) I ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2564.htm - 10k

4317. prosago -- to bring or lead to
... bring, draw near. From pros and ago; to lead towards, ie (transitively) to conduct
near (summon, present), or (intransitively) to approach -- bring, draw near. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4317.htm - 6k

994. boao -- to call out
... proclaim. 994 (from 995 , "cry out") -- (cry out"); to make an ; summon , because
sorely needing a response (assistance). 994 ("shouting ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/994.htm - 7k

3259. yaad -- to appoint
... assembled (3), assigned (1), designated (1), designates (1), gather (1), gathered
(3), made an appointment (2), meet (7), meet together (1), set (1), summon (3 ...
/hebrew/3259.htm - 6k

8085. shama -- to hear
... 1), pay heed (1), proclaim (15), proclaimed (6), proclaims (1), reported (3), sang
(1), show (1), sound (2), sound* (1), sounded (1), summon (2), summoned (2 ...
/hebrew/8085.htm - 7k

7121. qara -- to call, proclaim, read
... 17), proclaiming (3), proclaims (2), read (35), reading (2), reads (1), screamed
(2), screamed* (1), shouted (1), spoken (1), sues (1), summon (6), summoned (14 ...
/hebrew/7121.htm - 7k

553. amets -- to be stout, strong, bold, alert
... 1), makes her strong (1), mighty (1), proved...strong (1), raises (1), strengthen
(6), strengthened (3), strong (2), stronger (1), summon (1), supported (1 ...
/hebrew/553.htm - 6k

What Can be More Distinct than this Statement? what could Possibly ...
... to any one more probable, let him hold to it, putting the other aside." He has been
very careful in his statements, as you know; and yet you summon him to be ...
/.../29 what can be more.htm

Philip at Antioch
... He therefore sent a priest to summon Philip into his presence, in order to coerce
him into submission, and if he had not been under the immediate protection of ...
/.../chapter lxvi philip at antioch.htm

Letter from the Emperor Constantine to the Synod of Tyre, and ...
... I will explain to you the cause of my writing to you in this strain, and you will
know from what follows, why I summon you before myself through this document. ...
/.../chapter xxviii letter from the emperor.htm

That it be Lawful for the Bishop of Carthage to Ordain a Cleric ...
... pr??positis in the Latin], or presbyters or bishops from me: and I, bearing in mind
what things have been ordained these I observe, to wit, I summon the bishop ...
/.../schaff/the seven ecumenical councils/canon lv greek lix that.htm

Faith the Sole Saving Act.
... I do not summon you to the performance of any such service as that which you have
in mind, in order to your justification and acceptance before the Divine ...
/.../shedd/sermons to the natural man/faith the sole saving act.htm

Spanish Conquest-The Propagation, Decay, and Downfall of Spanish ...
... In a form deliberately drawn up and prescribed by the civil and ecclesiastical
counselors at Madrid, the invader of a new province was to summon the rulers and ...
/.../chapter ii spanish conquest-the propagation.htm

Life of St. Ambrose.
... And in the same year, when the Arians, hoping for large support from the East, had
almost persuaded the Emperor to summon a general council at Aquileia, St. ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/v life of st ambrose.htm

Moody -- what Think Ye of Christ?
... Now let us summon Pilate. Let him enter the witness-box. ... I might go further. I might
summon the very devils themselves and ask them for their testimony. ...
/.../kleiser/the worlds great sermons volume 8/moody what think ye.htm

To those who had not Attended the Assembly.
... Household slaves indeed when they have to discharge some service in common, summon
their fellow slaves, but you when you are going to meet for this spiritual ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chrysostom/on the priesthood/to those who had not.htm

To Nicholas of Osimo
... So I summon thee and my other servants to labour in desire, in vigils, and prayer,
and every other work, according to the skill which I give you; for I tell ...
/.../benincasa/letters of catherine benincasa/to nicholas of osimo.htm

Summon (25 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To give notice to, or command to appear, as in court; to cite by authority;
as, to summon witnesses. ... Multi-Version Concordance Summon (25 Occurrences). ...
/s/summon.htm - 13k

Call
... Noah Webster's Dictionary. 1. (vt) To command or request to come or be present;
to summon; as, to call a servant. 2. (vt) To summon...
/c/call.htm - 11k

Convent
... 4. (vi) To meet together; to concur. 5. (vi) To be convenient; to serve. 6. (vt)
To call before a judge or judicature; to summon; to convene. Int. ...
/c/convent.htm - 7k

Convene (6 Occurrences)
... 1. (vi) To call together; to summon; to unite; as, to convene a meeting of
the elders. ... 4. (vt) To summon judicially to meet or appear. ...
/c/convene.htm - 8k

Vouch (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To call; to summon. 2. (vt) To call upon
to witness. 3. (vt) To warrant; to maintain by affirmations ...
/v/vouch.htm - 7k

Jehudi (3 Occurrences)
... He was sent by the princes to summon Baruch to read the roll containing Jeremiah's
prophecies to them; he afterward read them to the king, who destroyed them. ...
/j/jehudi.htm - 8k

Lodges (14 Occurrences)
... " (WEB DBY). Acts 10:32 Send therefore to Joppa, and summon Simon, who is surnamed
Peter. He lodges in the house of Simon a tanner, by the seaside. ...
/l/lodges.htm - 10k

Warn (35 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To make ware or aware; to give previous information to; to give notice to;
to notify; to admonish; hence, to notify or summon by authority; as, to warn ...
/w/warn.htm - 17k

Invite (20 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To ask; to request; to bid; to summon; to ask to do some act, or go to some
place; esp., to ask to an entertainment or visit; to request the company of ...
/i/invite.htm - 12k

Infant (14 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 51:27 Lift ye up an ensign in the land, Blow a trumpet among nations, Sanctify
against it nations, Summon against it the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni ...
/i/infant.htm - 12k

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