ἐκπετάννυμι

Pronunciation Guide: ek-pet-AHN-noo-mee

Basic Definition

Strong’s G1600: ἐκπετάννυμι (ekpetannymi) describes the action of stretching out, spreading wide, or extending (particularly the hands or arms). In its biblical context, it portrays God’s persistent, inviting gesture of stretching out His hands toward His people—a powerful image of divine patience, invitation, and longsuffering despite human disobedience. This compound verb conveys both intensity and completeness in the stretching action.

Etymology and Morphology

• Part of speech: Verb
• Compound word formed from: ἐκ (ek, “out from”) + πετάννυμι (petannymi, “to spread, expand”)
• Classical Greek origin
• Rare in biblical literature (hapax legomenon in the New Testament)
• Used primarily in theological contexts to describe divine action
• Appears in quotations from prophetic literature

ἐκπετάννυμι Morphology:

• ἐκπετάννυμι (present active indicative, 1st person singular) – I stretch out completely
• ἐκπεπέτακα (perfect active indicative, 1st person singular) – I have stretched out completely
• ἐξεπέτασα (aorist active indicative, 1st person singular) – I stretched out completely
• ἐκπετάσας (aorist active participle, nominative masculine singular) – having stretched out completely
• ἐκπετάννυντες (present active participle, nominative masculine plural) – stretching out completely

Origin & History

The verb ἐκπετάννυμι has deep roots in classical Greek literature where it primarily described physical actions of spreading or extending objects wide open. Homer used related forms in the Iliad to describe the spreading of sails on ships. Herodotus employed it when describing Persian military formations being “spread out” across terrain.

In the Septuagint (LXX), ἐκπετάννυμι gained theological significance as translators selected it to render Hebrew expressions describing God’s posture toward Israel. Most notably, it appears in Isaiah 65:2, the passage that Paul quotes in Romans 10:21. The Isaiah context portrays יהוה (Yahweh) persistently extending His hands toward His rebellious people—an image of divine patience, invitation, and entreaty that stands in stark contrast to Israel’s stubbornness. Through this choice of verb, the Septuagint translators captured the emotional weight of God’s gesture: not merely reaching out but fully extending Himself toward His people in a comprehensive invitation.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• To stretch out completely or extensively (emphasizing the thoroughness of the action)
• To spread wide open (emphasizing the welcoming nature of the gesture)
• To extend fully and persistently (emphasizing the duration and completeness)
• To reach out with outstretched arms (emphasizing the physical posture)

ἐκπετάννυμι Translation Options:

• “Stretch out completely” – Captures the thoroughness conveyed by the ἐκ (ek) prefix, which intensifies the basic meaning of spreading
• “Spread wide” – Emphasizes the welcoming, invitational posture suggested by the outward motion
• “Extend persistently” – Reflects the imperfect tense used in Romans 10:21, suggesting continuous, repeated action
• “Hold out openly” – Highlights the visibility and accessibility of the gesture, especially appropriate in contexts of divine invitation
• “Reach out unreservedly” – Conveys both the physical gesture and the emotional willingness behind it

Biblical Usage

In the New Testament, ἐκπετάννυμι appears only once in Romans 10:21, where Paul quotes from Isaiah 65:2 in the Septuagint. This strategic placement is significant as Paul develops his argument about Israel’s response to God’s overtures. The apostle employs this vivid verb to emphasize the contrast between God’s persistent invitation and Israel’s resistance to that invitation. The image of God with hands outstretched “all day long” creates a powerful visual representation of divine patience and yearning.

In the Septuagint, beyond Isaiah 65:2, the verb appears in several contexts that reinforce its connection to divine action and invitation. It often describes God’s reaching out to His people in judgment or mercy, with the physical gesture symbolizing spiritual reality. The consistent usage across these contexts suggests that the biblical authors recognized this verb’s power to convey not just physical posture but divine disposition.

• “But to Israel he says, ‘All day long I have stretched out [ἐκπετάννυμι] My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.’” Romans 10:21
• “I have spread out [ἐκπετάννυμι] My hands all day long to a rebellious people.” Isaiah 65:2 (LXX)
• “You spread [ἐκπετάννυμι] a cloud for a covering.” Psalm 105:39 (LXX)
• “The Lord stretched out [ἐκπετάννυμι] the heavens like a curtain.” Psalm 104:2 (LXX)
• “I will spread out [ἐκπετάννυμι] My hands to the Lord.” Exodus 9:29 (LXX)

Cultural Insights

In ancient Near Eastern cultures, the gesture of stretching out one’s hands carried significant meaning in multiple contexts. In royal court settings, a king extending his hands toward a subject signified favor, acceptance, and invitation into the royal presence. Conversely, in military contexts, the same gesture could signal surrender when done by the defeated party or a call to halt when performed by a commander.

In Jewish worship practices, the priests would stretch out their hands over the congregation when pronouncing the Aaronic blessing (Numbers 6:24-26). This physical posture symbolized the transfer or conferral of divine blessing onto the people. Similarly, in the Temple service, the High Priest would extend his hands when making atonement, visually representing the mediatorial role between God and His people. When Isaiah and Paul employ this imagery of God extending His hands toward Israel, first-century Jewish readers would have immediately recognized the echoes of priestly blessing and divine favor being offered—making Israel’s rejection all the more tragic.

Theological Significance

The theological richness of ἐκπετάννυμι centers on its portrayal of God’s character and His relationship with humanity. When Paul quotes Isaiah’s image of God with hands outstretched “all day long,” he reveals the heart of יהוה (Yahweh) toward His creation—persistent, patient, and perpetually inviting. This gesture portrays God not as distant or disinterested, but as actively engaged and emotionally invested in His relationship with His people.

The context of Romans 10 significantly amplifies this meaning. Paul has been explaining that Israel’s failure to attain righteousness is not due to God’s neglect or rejection but to their pursuit of righteousness through works rather than faith. The outstretched hands of God become a powerful visual metaphor for the freely offered gift of salvation through faith in the Messiah Jesus—a gift that requires only that one receive it. The tragedy Paul identifies is that while God’s hands remain extended in invitation, Israel has turned away from what is freely offered.

Furthermore, this image provides a powerful corrective to misunderstandings about God’s disposition toward sinners. Far from being eager to condemn, God is portrayed as persistently inviting reconciliation, even in the face of repeated rejection. The “all day long” qualifier emphasizes divine patience that surpasses human comprehension—a theological truth that points directly to God’s love and mercy as fundamental aspects of His character.

Personal Application

The image of God with hands outstretched toward us offers profound comfort and challenge in our spiritual journey. In moments when we feel distant from God or question His presence in our struggles, this picture reminds us that He is continuously reaching toward us with open arms of acceptance and invitation. The initiative for relationship always begins with Him, and His posture toward us never changes, regardless of our response.

However, this image also confronts us with a challenging question: How have we responded to God’s outstretched hands? Like ancient Israel, we can become “obstinate and disobedient,” ignoring or rejecting His invitation. Each day presents us with the choice to turn toward those extended hands or away from them. True spiritual transformation begins when we recognize the persistent God who never stops reaching for us and choose to place ourselves in those outstretched arms of grace. The Messiah’s arms, stretched wide on the execution stake, become the ultimate fulfillment of this divine gesture—God’s definitive invitation to reconciliation.

Related Words

• ἐκτείνω (ekteino, to stretch out/forth) – Similar in meaning but more commonly used in the New Testament for the physical action of extending a hand, often in contexts of healing. While ἐκπετάννυμι emphasizes the completeness of the stretch, ἐκτείνω focuses more on the direction of the movement. See G1614
• ἐκπετάζω (ekpetazo, to spread out) – An alternative form of ἐκπετάννυμι with virtually identical meaning, sometimes appearing in variant manuscripts. See G1600
• πετάννυμι (petannymi, to spread) – The root verb without the prefix, emphasizing the basic action of spreading without the intensification. See G4072
• διαπετάννυμι (diapetannymi, to spread abroad) – Related compound emphasizing the spreading in different directions, focusing on distribution rather than extension. See G1311
• προτείνω (proteino, to stretch out before) – Similar concept but emphasizing the forward direction of the stretching, often in contexts of presenting or offering something. See G4385

Did You Know?

• Did you know that the Hebrew expression behind ἐκπετάννυμι in Isaiah 65:2 is פָּרַשְׂתִּי (parastî), which literally means “I spread out” but carries connotations of breaking boundaries or exceeding normal limits? This suggests God’s gesture goes beyond conventional hospitality to extraordinary lengths in seeking relationship with His people—an extension beyond what would typically be expected even from a loving deity in ancient Near Eastern religious thought.
• Did you know that in Byzantine art, Christ was often depicted in the “orans” position with arms outstretched in a manner reminiscent of ἐκπετάννυμι? This iconographic tradition, known as “Christ Pantocrator,” deliberately echoed the theology behind Romans 10:21, portraying the Messiah as the fulfillment of God’s outstretched invitation to humanity. The visual representation served as a powerful reminder to worshippers that God’s posture toward them remained one of welcome and invitation.
• Did you know that in modern Greek, derivatives of ἐκπετάννυμι are still used in contexts describing flags being unfurled or banners being displayed? This contemporary usage maintains the connection to visibility and public declaration inherent in the biblical use of the term—a reminder that God’s invitation through the Messiah Jesus is not secretive but openly proclaimed for all to see and respond to, like a banner visible from afar.

Remember This

ἐκπετάννυμι captures the heart of our God who never stops reaching—His arms extended fully, persistently, and lovingly toward us, even when we turn away.