G4788 — συγκλείω (synkleio)¶
Core Data¶
- Strong's: G4788
- Original: συγκλείω
- Transliteration: synkleio
- Pronunciation: soong-kli'-o
- Part of Speech: Verb
- Root: σύν (syn, G4862 "together/with") + κλείω (kleio, G2808 "to shut/close")
- Occurrences: 4 in NT (4 unique verses, 3 books)
- First Occurrence: Luke 5:6 — "they inclosed a great multitude of fishes"
- Hapax Legomenon: No
Lexicon Definition¶
From σύν (G4862) and κλείω (G2808); to shut together, i.e. include or (figuratively) to embrace in a common subjection to.
Louw-Nida Semantic Domain¶
- Domain 44: Animal Husbandry, Fishing (literal sense — enclosing fish)
- Domain 13.004: Happen (figurative sense — bringing about a condition)
- Other words in Domain 44: ἁλιεύς (G231), ἁλιεύω (G232), ποιμήν (G4166), βόσκω (G1006)
Morphological Distribution¶
| Form | Parsing | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|
| συνέκλεισαν | Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Plural | 1× (Luk 5:6) |
| συνέκλεισεν | Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Singular | 2× (Rom 11:32; Gal 3:22) |
| συνκλειόμενοι | Present Passive Participle Nom Pl Masc | 1× (Gal 3:23) |
All active forms are aorist (completed action); the sole passive is present participle (ongoing state of being shut up).
Translation Distribution (KJV)¶
| Translation | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| hath concluded | 2 | 50% |
| shut up | 1 | 25% |
| they inclosed | 1 | 25% |
Distribution by Book¶
| Book | Count | Per 100 Verses |
|---|---|---|
| Galatians | 2 | 1.3 |
| Romans | 1 | 0.2 |
| Luke | 1 | 0.1 |
Pauline epistles account for 3 of 4 occurrences (75%). The sole Lukan usage is literal; all Pauline uses are figurative/theological. The word is entirely absent from the rest of the NT.
Semantic Categories¶
1. Physical Enclosure / Catching¶
- Luke 5:6 — "And when they had this done, they inclosed [syneklēsan] a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake."
The literal sense: to shut together on all sides, to enclose within a boundary. The net surrounded and contained the fish, leaving no way of escape.
2. Divine Consignment Under a Condition¶
- Romans 11:32 — "For God hath concluded [synekleisen] them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all."
- Galatians 3:22 — "But the scripture hath concluded [synekleisen] all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe."
The figurative sense: God or Scripture has shut all humanity together under a common condition (sin, unbelief) so that no one can escape by their own merit. The purpose clause (hina) in both verses makes the enclosure purposive — it serves to channel all toward mercy and faith.
3. Confinement Under Law Pending Faith¶
- Galatians 3:23 — "But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up [synkleiomenoi] unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed."
The passive participle describes the ongoing state of being hemmed in. The law functioned as a boundary keeping Israel confined until the era of faith arrived. The present tense participle emphasizes the continuous, sustained nature of this confinement during the pre-faith era.
Common Collocations¶
| Word | Strong's | Co-occurrences | Typical Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| πᾶς (pas) | G3956 | 2× (50%) | "concluded all" — universality of enclosure |
| πίστις (pistis) | G4102 | 2× (50%) | Purpose of enclosure: "unto faith" |
| ἁμαρτία (hamartia) | G266 | 1× (25%) | "concluded all under sin" |
| νόμος (nomos) | G3551 | 1× (25%) | "kept under the law, shut up" |
| γραφή (graphe) | G1124 | 1× (25%) | "the scripture hath concluded" |
| ἐπαγγελία (epangelia) | G1860 | 1× (25%) | "that the promise ... might be given" |
| ἀποκαλύπτω (apokalypto) | G601 | 1× (25%) | Faith "which should afterwards be revealed" |
The theological uses consistently pair universal enclosure (pas) with a redemptive purpose (pistis, epangelia).
Related Words¶
Word Family / Cognates¶
- G2808 κλείω (kleio) — root verb: to shut, close (16×). Used of shutting doors (Matt 6:6), shutting the kingdom of heaven (Matt 23:13), shutting and opening (Rev 3:7-8).
- G2623 κατακλείω (katakleio) — to shut down, lock up in prison (2×). From kata + kleio. Used of imprisonment (Luke 3:20; Acts 26:10).
- G4862 σύν (syn) — preposition: with, together (125×). The prefix adds the sense of enclosing on all sides, shutting together.
Easily Confused Words¶
| Word | Strong's | Shared Translation | Key Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| κρίνω (krino) | G2919 | "concluded" (Acts 21:25) | krino = to judge, decide, reach a verdict; synkleio = to enclose/confine under a condition |
| κατακλείω (katakleio) | G2623 | "shut up" (Luke 3:20; Acts 26:10) | katakleio = shut down into confinement (prison); synkleio = shut together under a shared condition |
| κλείω (kleio) | G2808 | "shut" (various) | kleio = simply to close/shut; synkleio adds the "together" dimension — enclosing on all sides or under a common state |
Hebrew Source (via LXX)¶
| Hebrew Source | Strong's | Co-occurrences | PMI Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| סָגַר (sagar) | H5462 | 19× | 22.47 |
| צוּר (tsur) | H6696 | 3× | 8.48 |
| דֶּלֶת (deleth) | H1817 | 3× | 6.90 |
The primary Hebrew equivalent is H5462 סָגַר (sagar), "to shut up, close, surrender." In the LXX, synkleio regularly renders sagar in passages about shutting up or delivering over (e.g., Ps 31:8 [LXX 30:9]; Ps 78:50 [LXX 77:50]). The OT usage of sagar for "delivering into the hand of" an enemy provides the conceptual bridge to Paul's figurative use of synkleio for divine consignment under sin.
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