δύνω, δῦμι (dunō, dumi)
dunō, dumi
to set
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb dunō describes the action of sinking or going under, appearing in only two New Testament passages. Its primary usage focuses on the setting of the sun, capturing the image of daylight descending below the horizon as evening approaches.
Lexical sources identify this term as a variant form related to entering or plunging into something. In the Septuagint, it often translates the Hebrew word for coming or going in, but in the Gospels, it is reserved for natural phenomena. Mark 1:32 and Luke 4:40 both use it to mark the end of the day, signaling when the sun has fully set.
This specific application highlights a vivid visual contrast between light and darkness. By anchoring the narrative time to this daily event, the text emphasizes the transition from day to night without needing complex temporal markers. The word’s rarity in the New Testament underscores its role as a precise chronological tool rather than a metaphorical concept.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word dunō simply describes the sun sinking below the horizon. It marks the end of the day in Mark and Luke, showing how Jesus waited for evening before healing the sick. This detail grounds the story in real life, reminding us that God works within our daily rhythms.
When darkness falls, we often feel vulnerable. Yet these verses show Jesus present even as light fades. He does not rush the process but meets people when the day is done. This offers comfort: you are seen and cared for at every hour, even in the quiet moments after sunset.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- went down1×
- When is setting1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἔδυ1×
- Δύνοντος1×
Key Verses
-
Mark 1:32
At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by demons.
This verse uses the word to mark the specific time when Jesus began healing the sick, showing His patience and care for those waiting until evening.
-
Luke 4:40
When the sun was setting, all those who had any sick with various diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.
Here the setting sun signals the start of a night of healing, highlighting Jesus' compassion as He responds to the needs of many who had been waiting all day.