What Does Luke 18:38 Mean in the King James?

And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

Luke 18:38 · KJV

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 plea joins Jesus’ name as deliverance to David’s name as beloved, asking that these natures meet him as mercy.

THE MEANING

Your need is voiced plainly: you call Jesus by name, name him as Son of David, and ask for mercy. The Greek word for “have mercy” belongs to the family of mercy and merciful action, so the plea reaches for compassion made real. Recognition and need meet in the same cry.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

This cry loosens the belief that need must stay hidden: it becomes a direct, named appeal for mercy.

THE ROOT

ἐλέησον

eleēson

GROWS FROM

ἐλε-

ele-

Mercy, compassion

“have mercy” in this verse is eleēson. The Greek verb in the plea belongs to the same family as the noun for mercy and the word for a merciful person. The request reaches for compassion as an active response, not merely a feeling.

ALSO GROWS

eleos: Mercy, compassion

ἔλεος

This noun names the mercy the speaker asks to receive.

eleeō: To show mercy, act compassionately

ἐλεέω

This verb is the word family from which the plea’s form comes.

eleēmōn: Merciful, compassionate

ἐλεήμων

This branch describes the character expressed through the action being requested.

יֵשׁוּעַ

Yēshūaʿ

GROWS FROM

י-ש-ע

y-š-ʿ

Deliver; bring out into safety and spaciousness

“Jesus” in this verse is Yēshūaʿ. The Greek name in this verse renders the Hebrew name Yeshua, rooted in ⁨י-ש-ע⁩. The name carries deliverance as nature, deepening the plea to the one named as deliverance from constriction into space.

ALSO GROWS

yashaʿ: Deliver, bring into safety

יָשַׁע

This verb carries the action within the name Jesus.

yeshuah: Deliverance

יְשׁוּעָה

This noun names the movement the name itself carries.

moshiʿa: Deliverer

מוֹשִׁיעַ

This branch names the one who brings deliverance, illuminating who the speaker addresses.

דָּוִד

Dāwīd

GROWS FROM

ד-ו-ד

d-w-d

Beloved

The name David echoes the family ⁨ד-ו-ד⁩, which speaks of a beloved one. Calling Jesus “Son of David” carries more than lineage here: the title bears belovedness as a nature.

ALSO GROWS

dōd: Beloved one; also a kinsman or uncle in some contexts

דּוֹד

This family word makes the name’s sense of belovedness audible within the title.

dōdîm: Loves, caresses

דּוֹדִים

This plural form shares the same consonants and carries the family’s language of love.

THE PATTERN

A voiced need makes a direct appeal for compassion to the one it recognizes as able to answer.

Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.

Psalm 123:3 · KJVThe speakers voice their distress directly as a repeated appeal for mercy.

And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

Luke 17:13 · KJVThose in need call out to Jesus and ask plainly for compassion.

And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.

Matthew 9:27 · KJVThe callers name Jesus as Son of David and voice the same appeal for mercy.

THE THREAD

But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Matthew 9:13 · KJV

Matthew has Jesus say, “I will have mercy”; the Greek uses the same ⁨ἐλε-⁩ word family heard in this man’s plea. His cry asks for the very expression Jesus names as central to his nature.

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