Quick Definition
ἐπίκειμαι v. I lie upon, am insistent
Strong's Definition
from 1909 and 2749; to rest upon (literally or figuratively)
KJV Usage: impose, be instant, (be) laid (there-, up-)on, (when) lay (on), lie (on), press upon
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | κεῖμαι
85.4 · Existence in Space · Be in a Place
to be on, to lie on to be in a place on something
19.43 · Physical Impact · Press
to press against, to push against to press or push against
76.17 · Power, Force
to be in force, to have power over to possess power or sanction In some languages the concept of ‘being in force’ may be expressed simply as ‘to work’ or ‘to do what they are supposed to do’ or ‘to be in control.’ For another interpretation of ἐπίκειμαι in HEB 9:10, see 13.73.
68.16 · Aspect · Continue
to keep on, to continue insisting, to persist in to keep on doing something with presumed insistence
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἐπίκειμαι epikeimai 7x
to lie upon, be placed upon, Jn. 11:38; 21:9; to press, urge upon, Lk. 5:1; Acts 27:20; be urgent, importunate upon, Lk. 23:23; to be imposed upon, be imposed by law, Heb. 9:10; by necessity, 1 Cor. 9:16
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἐπι-κείμαι
[in LXX: Ex 36:40 (39:31) (נָתַן), Jb 19:3 (הָכַר hi.) 21:27 (חָמַס), I Mac 6:57, II Mac 1:21, III Mac 1:22 * ;]
to be placed, lie on: Jo 21:9; seq. ἐπί, c. dat., ib. 11:38; fig., He 9:10; ἀνάγκη, I Co 9:16; χειμῶν, to threaten, come on: Ac 27:20; of persons, to press upon: Lk 5:1 23:23.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἐπίκειμαι. For the meaning “‘lie upon,” ‘‘cover,” see P Tebt I. 477° (B.C. 113) τοῦ ὕδατος ἐπικειμένου, of the water covering the land at the annual rising of the Nile, P Grenf II. 57° (A.p. 168) τὴν ἐπικει[μέν]ην σποράν : cf. also P Ryl II. 1211} (114...) tlds] σφραγεῖδας ἂς ἐπέθηκ[ε em]ixeivtar, ‘the seals which he affixed are still in their place” (Edd ), P Oxy VIII. 1127%4 (A.p. 183) καὶ τὰς ἐπικειμένας θύρας δύο κλεῖν μίαν, ‘and the two doors and one key attached ” (Ed.). The sepulchral inser. Aazbel 622° has φθίμενος τήνδ᾽ ἐπίκειμαι κόνιν, ‘in death I have this dust laid upon me.” The stronger sense of ‘‘attack”’ occurs in P Par 468 (B.c. 153) (= Witkowski*, p. 86) ληστῶν ἐπικειμένων : cf. P Rein 488 (ii/A.D) ὁρῶ ot ἐπικείμενόν μοι, “tres irrité που ἐπικειμένου pot, ‘since the man oppresses me” (Edd.). The verb is used much as in Lk 52 in P Ryl II. 2437 (1i/A.D.) καὶ νῦν ἐπιστάμεθά σου τὸ σπουδαῖον Kal ws ἐπίκεισαι Tots ἔργοις τοῦ κλήρου, “ we now know your zeal and attentiveness to the work of the holding” (Edd.). See also the late P Lips I. 90! (Byz.) σὺν θ(εῷ) ἐπικείμ(ενος) τῆς χειρογραdeltas, and I and 241(vi/vii A.D.) ὃ ἐπικείμενος τῶν ἀγγαρευτῶν with the editor's note.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἐπίκειμαι (epikeimai) — to lay on. ἐπίκειμαι, serving as passive to ἐπιτίθημι, to be laid upon, and so,
I. of doors, to be put to or closed [Refs 8th c.BC+]
I.2. generally, to be placed, lie in or on, with dative, ἐπισκύνιον ἐπέκειτο προσώπῳ [Refs 3rd c.BC+]
I.3. of islands, νῆσοι ἐπὶ Λήμνῳ (-ου codices) ἐπικείμεναι lying off Lemnos, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐπὶ [τῇ Λακαίνῃ χώρῃ[Refs] the islands off the coast, [Refs]; πάσῃ ἐ. τῇ θαλάσσῃ lies right across the sea, of Crete, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]
II. to be laid upon, ἐμοὶ σφρηγὶς ἐπικείσθω τοῖσδ᾽ ἔπεσι [Refs 6th c.BC+]; ἐπίκειται ἀγνώμων σῇ κεφαλῇ στέφανος [NT+8th c.BC+]; of a duty, οἷς ἐπέκειτο φροντίζειν 1st-2nd c.AD: Plutarchus Biographus et Philosophus 2.786f.
II.2. press upon, be urgent in entreaty, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; press upon a retreating enemy, attack, Βοιωτοῖσι [Refs]; to be urgent against, [Refs]; ἐπεκείμην αὐτοῖς ἐνοχλῶν “PLips.” 36.7 [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of a crowd, ἐ. τινί NT.Luke.5.1.
II.3. hang over, τηλικούτων ἐπικειμένων τῷ μοιχεύοντι κακῶν 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Memorabilia” 2.1.5; of penalties, θάνατος ἡ ζημίη ἐπίκειται the penalty imposed is death, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τῷ ἄρξαντι μεγάλα ἐπιτίμια ἐ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.4. of a name, to be imposed, [Refs]
II.5. metaphorically, σκώμματα ἐπικείμενα suitable to the purpose, pointed, [Refs]
II.6. to be set in authority, ἐπὶ τοῦ πυρός “Corpus Hermeticum” 1.13; ἐπικείμενος Ἀλεξανδρείας “PLips.” 102i8, etc.
III. with accusative of things, especially in participle, κἀπικείμενον κάρα κυνέας head with helmet set thereon, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; στέφανον ἐπικείμενος with a crown on one's head, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; ἄπικας ἐπικείμενοι ταῖς κεφαλαῖς 1st c.BC: Dionysius Halicarnassensis 2.70; σεμνὸν ἐπικειμένη τὸ κάλλος 1st c.AD: Josephus Historicus “Antiquitates Judaicae” 11.6.9; ἀγγέλου ἢ θεράποντος ἐπικείμενος πρόσωπον 1st-2nd c.AD: Plutarchus Biographus et Philosophus “Lysander” 23; ἐπέκειτο ὠτειλάς he bore scars upon him, [Refs]; ἱερὰν ἐσθῆτα ἐ. [Refs]; κιθάραν.. κόλλοπας ἐπικειμένην fitted with pegs, [Refs 2nd c.AD+] exposed to.. , [Refs]