What Does Luke 1:54 Mean in the King James?
He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The name Israel carries a struggle, and the verb for “holpen” pictures God taking hold of the struggler.
THE MEANING
This verse meets you now with help pictured as God taking hold of Israel, the name given to the one who wrestles with God and prevails. The mercy God remembers is active support, not a distant recollection.
THE ROOT
ἀντελάβετο
antelabeto
GROWS FROM
λαμβάνω
lambanō
To take or receive; in this compound, to take hold in support.
The Greek form ἀντελάβετο (antelabeto, “he took hold in support”) is built on λαμβάνω (lambanō, “take, receive”). English “holpen” can sound like general assistance, while the Greek keeps a grasping action in the image: God’s remembered mercy takes hold of Israel.
ALSO GROWS
lambanō: Take, receive.
λαμβάνω
The base verb shows that help here is pictured as taking hold.
paralambanō: Receive, take along.
παραλαμβάνω
This related form keeps the sense of actively taking or receiving.
katalambanō: Seize, grasp, overtake.
καταλαμβάνω
It shows the same root can carry the force of laying hold.
παιδός
paidos
GROWS FROM
παιδ-
paid-
Child or youth; also a servant or dependent.
The word rendered “servant” can also name a child or dependent, holding belonging alongside service. Israel is described as one who serves God and belongs to him.
ALSO GROWS
pais: Child, youth, servant.
παῖς
This word carries both dependence and service, the two shades present in the verse.
paidion: Child, little child.
παιδίον
It makes the family sense of the word’s branch visible.
paideuō: Train, discipline, bring up.
παιδεύω
This related form connects the word family with the care and formation of a dependent.
ἐλέους
eleous
GROWS FROM
ἐλε-
ele-
Mercy, compassionate care.
This word family holds mercy and the act of showing mercy together. Here remembered mercy becomes the support named in the same line: compassion is active, not merely recalled.
ALSO GROWS
eleeō: Show mercy, have compassion.
ἐλεέω
The related verb makes mercy an action, matching the help God gives.
eleēmōn: Merciful, compassionate.
ἐλεήμων
This related form describes the one who acts from mercy.
THE PATTERN
Remembered mercy becomes active help that takes hold of those in need.
He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.THE THREAD
I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.Luke uses the same Greek verb for “holpen” here and “support” in Acts: it carries the sense of taking hold to help. That makes the mercy in Mary’s line concrete, God’s help reaches and holds a people.
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