1405. drassomai
Lexical Summary
drassomai: To grasp, to seize

Original Word: δρασσόμαι
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: drassomai
Pronunciation: dras'-som-ahee
Phonetic Spelling: (dras'-som-ahee)
KJV: take
NASB: catches
Word Origin: [perhaps akin to the base of G1404 (δράκων - dragon) (through the idea of capturing)]

1. to grasp
2. (figuratively) entrap

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
to catch, seize

Perhaps akin to the base of drakon (through the idea of capturing); to grasp, i.e. (figuratively) entrap -- take.

see GREEK drakon

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
a prim. verb
Definition
to grasp, fig. entrap
NASB Translation
catches (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 1405: δράσσομαι

δράσσομαι; to grasp with the hand, to take: τινα, 1 Corinthians 3:19 (Buttmann, 291 (250); Winers Grammar, 352 (330)). (In Greek writings from Homer down; the Sept..)

Topical Lexicon
Meaning and Scope

The verb behind Strong’s Greek 1405 paints a vivid picture of a sudden, resolute grasp. In Scripture it depicts God’s decisive action in overruling human self-confidence. Rather than indicating a gentle touch, the word evokes a hunter’s firm clutch on prey, stressing both power and purposeful intent.

New Testament Use

1 Corinthians 3:19 is the sole New Testament occurrence. Paul, challenging the Corinthians’ fascination with worldly eloquence, cites Job 5:13: “For it is written: ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness’”. By choosing this verb, the apostle underscores that the Lord does not merely expose human cleverness—He seizes and disarms it. The context (1 Corinthians 3:18-20) contrasts “the wisdom of this world” with the wisdom that comes from God, reminding believers that divine wisdom is not an enhancement of human ingenuity but its corrective.

Old Testament Background

The passage Paul quotes appears in the Septuagint version of Job, where Eliphaz asserts that God “grasps the wise in their wisdom.” Throughout the Old Testament, similar imagery portrays God thwarting schemes (Job 5:12; Psalm 33:10) or delivering justice by unexpected reversals (Esther 7:10; Daniel 6:24). The concept is not accidental but rooted in covenant theology: human pride meets divine prerogative, and the covenant-keeping God vindicates righteousness by overturning arrogant plots.

Theological Themes

1. Divine Sovereignty – The term magnifies God’s active rule over events. He is not a passive observer but the One who interrupts human stratagems at will.
2. Judgment on Pride – The “grasp” falls not on ignorance but on calculated cleverness. This aligns with Proverbs 3:34: “He mocks the mockers but gives grace to the humble”.
3. Vindication of Faith – For believers threatened by sophisticated opposition, the word assures that faith rests on a God who can, and will, bring the highest worldly intellect into check.

Practical Ministry Implications

• Preaching – Proclaim that God’s wisdom makes the gospel “the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24), unmoved by academic fashion.
• Discipleship – Encourage believers to cultivate humility, recognizing that intellectual gifts are to be stewarded under Christ’s lordship.
• Apologetics – While engaging thoughtfully with culture, resist the temptation to trust argumentation alone. The Spirit employs truth; He also reserves the right to confound prideful reasoning.

Illustrations from Church History

• Augustine’s conversion illustrates this “grasp”: the philosopher was seized by a single verse (Romans 13:13-14) after years of self-directed inquiry.
• The Reformation shows God catching scholastic sophistication in its own net; simple Scripture exposition overthrew entrenched intellectual systems.
• Many modern testimonies echo the pattern—professional skeptics, convinced of their own logic, abruptly seized by conviction as they study Scripture.

Personal Application

Believers may feel overshadowed by sophisticated secular narratives. Yet 1 Corinthians 3:19 assures that God remains capable of intercepting and redirecting even the most intimidating intellects. Our task is to walk humbly, pray earnestly, and proclaim faithfully, trusting the Lord to “grasp” hearts and minds for His glory.

Related Biblical Concepts

• The snare motif (Psalm 18:5; Proverbs 29:6).
• The overthrow of Babel’s hubris (Genesis 11:1-9).
• Christ’s paradoxical triumph through the cross, where worldly wisdom deemed the message foolish (1 Corinthians 1:18-25).

Summary

Strong’s Greek 1405 underscores a God who acts decisively against proud scheming. In its lone New Testament appearance, the word reminds the church that human brilliance, untethered from divine truth, will ultimately be caught in the hand of Almighty God.

Forms and Transliterations
δραξάμενος δράξασθε δράξεται δρασσομενος δρασσόμενος drassomenos drassómenos
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
1 Corinthians 3:19 V-PPM/P-NMS
GRK: γάρ Ὁ δρασσόμενος τοὺς σοφοὺς
NAS: For it is written, [He is] THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE
KJV: it is written, He taketh the wise
INT: indeed the [one] catches the wise

Strong's Greek 1405
1 Occurrence


δρασσόμενος — 1 Occ.

1404
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