Lexical Definition

‎ἐρωτάω‎ erōtáō (er-o-tah'-o) to ask ^G:V
apparently from ‎ἐρέω‎ (compare ‎ἐρευνάω‎)

ask, beseech, desire, intreat, pray.

• to interrogate
• by implication, to request

Abbott-Smith

ἐρωτάω, -ῶ [in LXX chiefly for שָׁאַל ;]
1. to ask, question (cl.): absol., Lk 19:31 22:68, Jo 8:7 c. acc pers., Jo 9:21 16:19, 30 18:21; seq. λέγων, Mt 16:13, Lk 23:3, Jo 1:19, 21 5:12 9:19 16:5; c. dupl. acc (WM, § 32, 4a), Mt 21:24, Mk 4:10, Lk 20:3, Jo 16:23 (M, Pr., 66n); c. acc pers., seq. περί, Lk 9:45, Jo 18:19.
2. In late Gk. (Milligan, NTD, 51; not, as Cremer, 716, Thayer, s.v., a "Hebraism"), = αἰτέω (q.v.), to ask, request: c. acc pers., Jo 14:16; seq. imperat., Lk 14:18, 19 Phl 4:3; λέγων, Mt 15:23, Jo 12:21; seq. ἵνα (M, Pr., 208), Mk 7:26, Lk 7:36 16:27, Jo 4:47 17:15 19:31, 38, I Th 4:1, II Jo 5; ὅπως, Lk 7:3 11:37, Ac 23:20; c. inf., Lk 5:3 8:37, Jo 4:40, Ac 3:3 10:48 23:18, I Th 5:12; c. acc pers., seq. περί, Lk 4:38 Jo 17:9, 20, I Jo 5:16; ὑπέρ, II Th 2:1, 2; τὰ (WH, txt., om. τὰ) πρὸς εἰρήνην, Lk 14:32 (cf. δι-, ἐπ-ερωτάω)
SYN.: v.s. αἰτέω

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

ἐρωτάω-άω,

Epic dialect and Ionic dialect εἰρωτάω, contraction in [Refs 8th c.BC+] and best codices of [Refs 5th c.BC+]: imperfect ἠρώτων [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Ionic dialect εἰρώτευν [Refs 5th c.BC+]participle -τεῦντας variant in [Refs]: future -ήσω[Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist I ἠρώτησα [Refs 5th c.BC+]: perfect ἠρώτηκα [Refs 5th c.BC+] —used in _Attic dialect_ to supply the defective tenses of ἔρομαι:—ask, τινά τι something of one, ἅ μ᾽ εἰρωτᾷς [ἐρωτάωῶ 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Oedipus Tyrannus” 1122; οὐ τοῦτ᾽ ἐρωτάωῶ σ᾽ 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Nubes” 641 ">Refs 8th c.BC+]:—passive, to be asked, τι [Refs 5th c.BC+]

__2 ἐ. τι ask about a thing, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐ. ἐρώτημα to ask a question, [Refs]; τὰς πύστεις ἐρωτάωῶντες εἰ.. putting the question, whether.., [Refs 5th c.BC+] —passive, τὸ ἐρωτάωηθέν, τὸ ἐρωτάωώμενον ἀποκρίνασθαι, to answer the question, [Refs 5th c.BC+] —passive, also with person as subject, ἐρωτάωηθεὶς τὸ καλόν asked about beauty, [Refs]
__3 followed by indirect question, εἰρώτα..τίς εἴη καὶ πόθεν ἔλθοι [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐ. εἰ.. or ἤν.. to ask whether.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II question a person, εἰρωτᾷς μ᾽ ἐλθόντα θεὰ θεόν [Refs 8th c.BC+]:— passive, to be questioned, ἐρωτάωᾶσθαι θέλω [Refs]
__II.b of sentries, challenge, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; τὸ ἐρωτάωώμενον the password, [Refs]
__II.2 in Dialectic, opposed to demonstration, question an opponent in order to refute him from his answers, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; τι [Refs]; hence later, submit, set forth, propound an argument, λόγον [Refs 2nd c.AD+]:—passive, ὁ λόγος..ἠρωτῆσθαι φαίνεται [ἐρωτάωηθέντος τοῦ σοφίσματος 2nd c.AD: Sextus Empiricus Philosophus “Πυρρώνειοι ὑποτυπώσεις” 2.237. ">Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__III later, ={αἰτέω}, beg, entreat, ἐ. τινὰ τὰ εἰς εἰρήνην [LXX]; ἐρωτάωᾶτε τὰ εἰς εἰρήνην τὴν Ἱερουσαλήμ[ἐρωτάωῶ “PMag.Par.” 1.272; ἐ. τινὰ ποιεῖν τι “POxy.” 292.7 (1st c.AD), NT.Luke.8.37, etc.; ἐ. τινὰ ἵνα.. [prev. work] 7.36; ὅπως.. [prev. work] 7.3, +others, “PMag.Leid.W.” 16.13; ἐ. τὸν πατέρα περὶ ὑμῶν NT.John.16.26. (Perh. from ἐρ (ϝ)">LXX+1st c.AD+] ωτάω, cognate with ἐρ (ϝ) έσθαι (see. ἔρομαι).)

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: LXX.1Kgs.30.21 ☩ LXX.Ps.121.6* ☩ Luke.8.37 ☩ John.16.26}