UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: to ignite, to kindle, to set ablaze, to start a fire, to light a lamp

Semantic entry: 14.65

Semantic domains: Physical Events and States

Subdomains: Burning

Definition: to cause the process of burning to begin

Notes: As already noted in the series of terms listed in 14.63: καίω / 14.63: καῦσις / 14.63: καυσόω / 14.63: πυρόω / 14.63: πύρωσις, languages differ appreciably in terms employed for different phases and results of burning. For example, to set something on fire for the sake of providing warmth may be expressed by quite a different term from that which is used in speaking of the process of setting something on fire in order to destroy it.|ἐμπίπρημι refers specifically to the process of setting something on fire, but obviously the implication in RV MAT 22:7 · LV MAT 22:7 · Read together MAT 22:7 is that the city was burned down. A number of translations, therefore, follow the implied component of ἐμπίπρημι and translate ‘he burned down their city.’ In some languages it may seem strange to speak of ‘burning down a city.’ A more natural expression would be ‘to burn down all the buildings of the city.’

Forms: ἐμπίμπρημι