Original Word: τίθημι
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: tithémi
Pronunciation: tee'-thay-mee
Phonetic Spelling: (tith'-ay-mee)
KJV: + advise, appoint, bow, commit, conceive, give, X kneel down, lay (aside, down, up), make, ordain, purpose, put, set (forth), settle, sink down
NASB: laid, put, lay down, appointed, lay, made, make
Word Origin: [a prolonged form of a primary theo theh'-o (which is used only as alternate in certain tenses)]

1. to place (properly, in a passive or horizontal posture)
{in the widest application, literally and figuratively; differs from G2476, which properly denotes an upright and active position, while G2749 is properly reflexive and utterly prostrate}

to place

A prolonged form of a primary theo (theh'-o) (which is used only as alternate in certain tenses) to place (in the widest application, literally and figuratively; properly, in a passive or horizontal posture, and thus different from histemi, which properly denotes an upright and active position, while keimai is properly reflexive and utterly prostrate) -- + advise, appoint, bow, commit, conceive, give, X kneel down, lay (aside, down, up), make, ordain, purpose, put, set (forth), settle, sink down.

see GREEK histemi

see GREEK keimai

Word Origin
from a prim. root the-
Definition
to place, lay, set
NASB Translation
appointed (6), assign (2), committed (1), conceived (1), destined (1), down* (4), falling (1), fixed (1), kept (1), kneeling* (2), knelt* (3), laid (22), laid aside (1), laid down (1), lay (4), lay...down (2), lay down (8), laying (2), lays down (1), made (4), make (4), offer (1), placed (4), present (1), purposed (1), put (15), puts (2), puts...away (1), putting (1), reached (1), serves (1), set...down (1), set down (1), sink (1).

STRONGS NT 5087: τιθέω

τιθέω, equivalent to τίθημι, which see

STRONGS NT 5087: τίθημιτίθημι, 3 person plural τιθέασιν (Matthew 5:15; (Winers Grammar, § 14, 1 a.; Buttmann, 44 (38))); imperfect (from τιθέω) 3 person singular ἐτίθει (2 Corinthians 3:13), 3 person plural ἐτίθουν (Mark 6:56 (R G L); Acts 3:2; Acts 4:35) (and (T Tr WH in Mark, the passage cited) ἐτίθεσαν, cf. Buttmann, 45 (39); WH's Appendix, p. 167); future θήσω; 1 aorist ἔθηκα; 2 aorist (ἕθην) subjunctive θῶ (impv. 2 person plural θέτε, Luke 21:14 L T Tr WH (for R G 2 aorist middle imperative θέσθε)), infinitive θεῖναι, participle θείς; perfect τέθεικά; passive, present 3 person singular τίθεται (Mark 15:47 R G); perfect 3 person singular τέθειται (Mark 15:47 L T Tr WH); 1 aorist ἐτέθην; 2 aorist middle ἐθέμην (2 person singular ἔθου, Acts 5:4); (see ἐπιτίθημι); from Homer down; the Sept. mostly for שׂוּם and הֵשִׂים, נָתַן, שׁוּת and הֵשִׁית, הַנִיחַ, etc.:

1. to set, put, place, i. e. causative of κεῖσθαι; hence,

a. to place or lay: τί, as θεμέλιον (Luke 6:48); ; 1 Corinthians 3:10f (θεμείλια, Homer, Iliad 12, 29); λίθον, Romans 9:33; 1 Peter 2:6; τί, opposed to αἴρειν, Luke 19:21f (cf. Xenophon, oec. 8, 2); τίνι πρόσκομμα (or (according to WH marginal reading) σκάνδαλον), Romans 14:13; τί εἰς τί, Luke 11:33 (Winer's Grammar, 238 (223)); τινα ποῦ, ὅπου, ἐκεῖ, (ὡς), of the dead laid to rest somewhere, Mark 15:47; Mark 16:6; (Luke 23:55); John 11:34; John 19:42; John 20:2, 13, 15; ἐν with the dative of the place, Matthew 27:60; Mark 6:29; ( L Tr WH); Luke 23:53; John 19:41; Acts 7:16; Acts 9:37; εἰς μνημεῖον, Acts 13:29; Revelation 11:9; (in Greek writings from Homer down very often of the laying away or depositing anywhere of the bones or ashes of the dead; like Latinponere equivalent to sepelire, cf. Klotz, Handwörterb. d. Latin Spr. 2:822b; (Harpers' Latin Dictionary, under the wordpono, I. Buttmann, 10)). τί or τινα ἐπί τίνος (Luke 8:16b L T Tr WH); Acts 5:15; John 19:19; (Revelation 10:2 G L T Tr WH); ἐπί τί (Mark 4:21 L T Tr WH; Tr text WH); 2 Corinthians 3:13; Revelation 10:2 (Rec.); ἐπί τινα, to put upon one, τάς χεῖρας, Mark 10:16; (τήν δεξιάν, Revelation 1:17 G L T Tr WH); τί ὑπό τί, Matthew 5:15; Mark 4:21; Luke 11:33; ὑποκάτω τίνος, Luke 8:16; τινα ὑπό τούς πόδας (see πούς), 1 Corinthians 15:25 (cf. Winer's Grammar, 523 (487)); τί παρά τούς πόδας τίθεσθαι, to lay at one's feet, Acts 4:35, 37 (here Tdf. πρός); ; θεῖναι ἐνώπιον τινα, Luke 5:18; metaphorically, ἐπί τινα τό πνεῦμα, i. e. to imbue one with, Matthew 12:18. Middle to have one put or placed: τινα εἰς φυλακήν, to order one to be put in prison, Acts 12:4; ἐν (τῇ) φυλακή, Matthew 14:3 (here L T Tr WH ἀποτίθημι); Acts 5:25 (Genesis 41:10; Genesis 42:17, 30; (Buttmann, 329 (283); Winer's Grammar, 414 (386))); εἰς τήρησιν, Acts 4:3; ἐν τηρήσει, Acts 5:18. to place for oneself: as βουλήν, to lay a plan (A. V. advised), Acts 27:12 (Judges 19:30; βουλάς ἐν ψυχή μου, Psalm 12:3 (:)); τά μέλη, to set, dispose, 1 Corinthians 12:18; (καιρούς ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἐξουσία, set within his own authority, Acts 1:7 (so R. V. text; but others refer it to 2 below)); τί εἰς τά ὦτα μου, to receive (A. V. let sink) into the ears, i. e. to fix in the mind, Luke 9:44; εἰς τήν καρδίαν, to propose to oneself, to purpose, followed by an infinitive Luke 21:14 (R G); also τί ἐν τῇ καρδία, to lay a thing up in one's heart to he remembered and pondered, Luke 1:66; ( L T Tr WH), (1 Samuel 21:12; (Winers Grammar, § 2, 1 c., and Buttmann, as above)); to propose to oneself something (A. V. conceived this thing in thine heart), Acts 5:4; also ἐν τῷ πνεύματι, followed by an infinitive (A. V. to purpose in the spirit), Acts 19:21; to place (or posit) for the execution of one's purpose, θέμενος ἐν ἡμῖν τόν λόγον τῆς καταλλαγῆς, since he has placed (deposited) in our minds the doctrine concerning reconciliation (namely, to be made known to others), 2 Corinthians 5:19.

b. to put down, lay down; i. e. α. to bend downward: τά γόνατα, to bend or bow the knees, to kneel, Mark 15:19; Luke 22:41; Acts 7:60; Acts 9:40; Acts 20:36; Acts 21:5 (Latingenua pono, Ovid. fast. 2, 438; Curt. 8, 7, 13). β. like Latinpono (cf. Klotz, under the word; (Harpers' Dictionary, under the word, I. Buttmann, 9)), to lay off or aside, to wear or carry no longer: τά ἱμάτια (Latinvestes pono), John 13:4 (Plutarch, Alc. 8); τήν ψυχήν, to lay down, give up, one's life, John 10:17f; with ὑπέρ τίνος added, John 10:11, 15; John 13:37; John 15:13; 1 John 3:16 (ἔθηκε (or τεθεικεν) τήν σάρκα αὐτοῦ κύριος, the Epistle of Barnabas 6, 3 [ET] (irrelevant; see the passage); unlike the Latin phrasesvitam ponere, Cicero, ad fam. 9, 24, 4; Propertius, eleg. 2, 10, 43; (animam ponere), Sil. Ital. 10, 303; spiritum ponere, Valerius Maximus, 7, 8, 8, since these phrases mean only to die; more like the expression prius animam quam odium deponere, Nepos, Hann. 1, 3). γ. to lay by, lay aside money: παῥ ἑαυτῷ, 1 Corinthians 16:2.

c. to set on (serve) something to eat or drink: οἶνον, John 2:10 (Xenophon, mem. 3, 14, 1; so also Latinpono; cf. Klotz as above, p. 822a; (Harpers' Dict. under the word, I. B. 8)).

d. to set forth, something to be explained by discourse: τήν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν παραβολή, Mark 4:30 L text T Tr text WH (on this passage, see παραβολή, 2).

2. to make (Latinconstituo), τινα with a predicate accusative: τινα ὑποδιον, Matthew 22:44 (where L T Tr WH ὑποκάτω, put underneath); Mark 12:36 (WH ὑποκάτω); Luke 20:43; Acts 2:35; Hebrews 1:13; Hebrews 10:13 (from Psalm 109:1 ()); add, Romans 4:17 (from Genesis 17:5); Hebrews 1:2; passive, 1 Timothy 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:11; τί with a predicate accusative: 1 Corinthians 9:18 (in Greek writings from Homer down, often in the poets, rarely in prose writings, as Aelian v. h. 13, 6; Lucian, dial. marin. 14, 2; in the O. T. cf. Genesis 17:5; Leviticus 26:31; Isaiah 5:20; Wis. 10:21; 2 Macc. 5:21; 3Macc. 5:48). Middle to make (or set) for oneself or for one's use: τινα with a predicate accusative, Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 12:28 (in Greek writ from Homer down, even in prose, to make one one's own, as τινα φίλον to make one a friend, see Passow, p. 1893a; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, B. I.)). τιθέναι τινα εἰς τί, to appoint one to (destine one to be) anything, passive, 1 Peter 2:8; with εἰς τί instead of the predicate accusative (Hebraistically (cf. Winers Grammar, 228 (214); Buttmann, § 131, 7)), Acts 13:47 from Isaiah 49:6 (Jeremiah 1:5). Middle to appoint for one's use: τινα εἰς διακονίαν, to appoint one to one's service, 1 Timothy 1:12 (Winers Grammar, § 45, 4 at the end); to appoint with oneself or in one's mind: τινα εἰς ὀργήν, to decree one to be subject to wrath, 1 Thessalonians 5:9; (to this use many refer Acts 1:7, see ἐξουσία 1, and ἐν, I. 5 d. β.; cf. 1 a. above). τιθέναι τινα ἵνα, John 15:16; τιθέναι τό μέρος τίνος μετά τίνος (see μέρος, 1), Matthew 24:51; Luke 12:46.

3. to set, fix, establish (Latinstatuo);

a. to set forth (German aufstellen): ὑπόδειγμα, 2 Peter 2:6.

b. to establish, ordain, (German festsetzen, anordnen): νόμον, to enact, Galatians 3:19 Griesbach (very often in secular authors from Herodotus down, both in the active and the middle; cf. Passow, under the word, III. 3 b.; (Liddell and Scott, under the word A. III. 5)). (Compare: ἀνατίθημι, προσανατίθημι, ἀποτίθημι, διατίθημι, ἀντιδιατίθημι, ἐκτίθημι, ἐπιτίθημι, συνεπιτίθημι, κατατίθημι, συνκατατιθημι, μετατίθημι, παρατίθημι, περιτίθημι, προτίθημι, προστίθημι, συντίθημι, ὑποτίθημι.)

Root Idea and Scope of Use

Strong’s Greek 5087 (títhēmi) expresses the deliberate act of putting, laying, or setting something or someone in a particular place or position—whether literal, metaphorical, or judicial. From lamps on a stand to Christ’s life on the cross, the verb accents purposeful placement under divine or human initiative.

Physical Placement in Everyday Settings

Títhēmi appears often in mundane scenes that ground the Gospels in real history:

• Lamps: “No one lights a lamp and covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand” (Luke 8:16).
• Food and gifts: The master of ceremonies remarks that the bridegroom “sets out the good wine first” (John 2:10).
• Children: Jesus “took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them and blessed them” (Mark 10:16).

Here the verb marks intentional acts of care, order, and visibility.

Burial and Tomb Contexts

Títhēmi frames scenes of reverence and finality:

• Joseph of Arimathea “wrapped Him in a linen cloth and laid Him in a tomb cut out of the rock” (Luke 23:53).
• John the Baptist’s followers “took his body and laid it in a tomb” (Mark 6:29).
• Early believers “laid” Dorcas in an upper room before Peter raised her (Acts 9:37).

These occurrences testify both to historical detail and to expectation of resurrection—no tomb could permanently retain those whom God would raise.

Jesus Christ Laying Down His Life

The highest theological peak of títhēmi is Christ’s self-sacrifice:

• “The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep” (John 10:11).
• “No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord” (John 10:18).
• “By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers” (1 John 3:16).

Here the verb highlights voluntary, redemptive intent. Christ is not a victim of circumstance; He purposefully places His life on the altar of atonement.

Divine Appointment and Sovereign Purpose

Títhēmi also speaks of God’s decisive appointments:

• “Whom He appointed heir of all things” (Hebrews 1:2).
• “God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He desired” (1 Corinthians 12:18).
• “God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets…” (1 Corinthians 12:28).
• “The Holy Spirit has made you overseers” (Acts 20:28).

Ministry offices, spiritual gifts, and redemptive roles arise not from human election alone but from divine placement.

Foundation and Building Imagery

The verb often functions within construction metaphors:

• A wise builder “laid the foundation on the rock” (Luke 6:48).
• Paul “laid a foundation as a wise master builder” (1 Corinthians 3:10), yet “no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11).
• God says, “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone” (1 Peter 2:6; cf. Romans 9:33).

Títhēmi underlines stability, permanence, and the exclusivity of Christ as the only true foundation.

Judicial and Eschatological Setting

Quotations of Psalm 110:1 employ títhēmi for final victory: “Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet” (Matthew 22:44; Acts 2:35; Hebrews 1:13). The verb conveys God’s irreversible decree to subdue opposition under Messiah’s authority, anticipating consummation in history.

Missionary and Pastoral Appointments

Paul testifies, “I was appointed a preacher and an apostle” (1 Timothy 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:11). Likewise, títhēmi marks the Spirit’s assignment of shepherds (Acts 20:28) and the believers’ voluntary setting aside of offerings “on the first day of every week” (1 Corinthians 16:2). Ministry, giving, and leadership all flow from purposeful placement under God’s hand.

Warnings and Examples

Negative uses sharpen moral exhortation:

• Sapphira “laid the money at the apostles’ feet” deceitfully (Acts 5:2).
• God “reduced the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes and made them an example” (2 Peter 2:6).
• Those who “set obstacles” in others’ way are told, “decide never to put a stumbling block” (Romans 14:13).

The same verb that exalts Christ exposes hypocrisy and cautions against causing others to fall.

Practical Ministry Implications

1. Deliberateness: Whether placing a lamp, a gift, or one’s life, títhēmi challenges believers to act intentionally for God’s glory.
2. Submission to Appointment: Recognizing God’s sovereign placements fosters humility and confidence in service roles.
3. Sacrificial Love: The precedent of Christ laying down His life becomes the ethic for Christian community.
4. Hope of Victory: God’s future “setting” of enemies beneath Christ’s feet assures perseverance amid opposition.

Summary

Strong’s 5087 weaves through Scripture as a thread of purposeful placement—objects into order, bodies into tombs, leaders into offices, Christ onto the cross, enemies under His feet. Each occurrence reinforces the reliability of God’s design and the call for believers to align their choices with His deliberate, saving purposes.

αὐτοῦ εθέμην εθεντο έθεντο έθεντό ἔθεντο έθεσαν εθεσθε έθεσθε ἔθεσθε εθετο έθετο έθετό ἔθετο εθηκα έθηκα έθηκά ἔθηκα εθήκαμεν εθηκαν έθηκαν ἔθηκαν εθηκας έθηκας ἔθηκας έθηκε έθηκέ εθηκεν έθηκεν ἔθηκεν εθου έθου ἔθου ἐπέθηκεν ετεθη ετέθη ἐτέθη ετεθην ετέθην ἐτέθην ετεθησαν ετέθησαν ἐτέθησαν ετιθει ετίθει ἐτίθει ετίθεις ετιθεσαν ἐτίθεσαν ετίθετό ετίθης ετιθουν ετίθουν ἐτίθουν θειναι θείναι θεῖναι θεις θείς θεὶς θείσα θεμενος θέμενος θεμένου θεντες θέντες θεντος θέντος θες θέσθαι Θεσθε Θέσθε θέσθω θετε θέτε θη θῇ θης θησει θήσει θησεις θήσεις θήσεται θήσετε θήση θήσθε θήσομαι θήσομαί θήσονται θήσουσι θήσουσιν θησω θήσω θήται θου θω θῶ θωμεν θώμεν θῶμεν θώνται θώσι θώσιν Τεθεικα τεθεικά τέθεικα Τέθεικά τεθεικατε τεθείκατε τεθεικως τεθεικώς τέθειμαί τεθειμενος τεθειμένος τεθειται τέθειται τέθειταί τεθη τεθή τεθῇ τεθηναι τεθήναι τεθῆναι τεθήσονται τεθήτω τεθωσιν τεθώσιν τεθῶσιν τιθεασιν τιθέασιν τιθεις τιθείς τιθεὶς τιθέμενος τιθεναι τιθέναι τιθεντες τιθέντες τίθεσθαι τίθεται τιθετω τιθέτω τιθημι τίθημι τίθημί τιθηνοί τιθηνόν τιθηνός τιθηνούμενοι τιθηνούς τίθησι τιθησιν τίθησιν autou epetheken epethēken epétheken epéthēken etethe etethē etéthe etéthē etethen etethēn etéthen etéthēn etethesan etethēsan etéthesan etéthēsan etheka ethēka étheka éthēka ethekan ethēkan éthekan éthēkan ethekas ethēkas éthekas éthēkas etheken ethēken étheken éthēken ethento éthento ethesthe éthesthe etheto étheto ethou éthou etithei etíthei etithesan etíthesan etithoun etíthoun tethe tethē tethêi tethē̂i Tetheika Tétheiká tetheikate tetheíkate tetheikos tetheikōs tetheikṓs tetheimenos tetheiménos tetheitai tétheitai tethenai tethênai tethēnai tethē̂nai tethosin tethôsin tethōsin tethō̂sin the thē thêi thē̂i theinai theînai theis theìs themenos thémenos thentes théntes thentos théntos thesei thēsei thḗsei theseis thēseis thḗseis theso thēsō thḗso thḗsō Thesthe Thésthe thete théte tho thô thō thō̂ thomen thômen thōmen thō̂men titheasin tithéasin titheis titheìs tithemi tithēmi títhemi títhēmi tithenai tithénai tithentes tithéntes tithesin tithēsin títhesin títhēsin titheto tithetō tithéto tithétōInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts