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(הלך, haÌ„lakh, ילך, yaÌ„lakh, בּו×, boÌ„', יצ×, yaÌ„caÌ„'; ἀÌγω, aÌgoÌ„, ὑπαÌγω, hupaÌgoÌ„, ἀναβαιÌνω, anabaıÌnoÌ„, ἐÌÏχομαι, eÌrchomai, ἀπεÌÏχομαι, apeÌrchomai, ποÏευÌομαι, poreuÌomai): “Go†(“went,†etc.) occurs very frequently in the English Bible, and is the translation of a great many different Hebrew and Greek terms. As the word implies movement of all kinds, physical and mental, it has naturally many applications.
1. In the Old Testament
In the Old Testament haÌ„lakh and yaÌ„lakh are among the commonest words, meaning “to go†in its original sense of “to walk,†but also in the most varied senses, according to the verbal conjugations, etc., the preposition attached, and the words in connection with which the terms stand; haÌ„lakh and yaÌ„lakh are often used figuratively (translated “to walk,†etc.) for to live, to pursue a way of life, e.g. “to walk ever in his ways†(; compare ; ; f; , etc.); to die, “He departed (Hebrew “wentâ€) without being desired†(); boÌ„', properly “to go in,†“to enter†(e.g. ), is very common, and yaÌ„caÌ„', “to go or come out,†also occurs frequently; yaÌ„caÌ„', has frequently the meaning “to go forth,†e.g. , “He sent forth a raven, and it went forth.†Other frequent words are yaÌ„radh, “to go down†(, etc.); ‛aÌ„lah, “to go or come up†(, etc.; , “go it up,†the King James Version) ; used also figuratively, e.g. “to rise up or excel†“Thou excellest them all†(), “to come up on the nears,†to be remembered, “The former things shall not be remembered, nor come into mind†(; compare ); ‛aÌ„bhar, “to go or pass over,†“to cross†(, etc.), also used figuratively “to pass away,†e.g. “as chaff that passeth away†(), 'passeth by transgression' (); shuÌ„bh, “to go again†(, etc.); saÌ„tÌ£aÌ„h and ר, sÌ£uÌ„r, “to go aside,†occur several times with the meaning of wrongdoing (e.g. ; , the Revised Version (British and American) “turn asideâ€); naÌ„saÌ„', “to remove†(), “Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward†( “removedâ€; etc.); 'ăzal (Aramaic), “to go away or about†(; , etc.). Many other words occur only once or twice, e.g. 'aÌ„rahÌ£, “to travel†Job (); 'aÌ„shar, “to go straight or right†(; , the Revised Version (British and American) “walkâ€); daÌ„rakh, “to tread†(); daÌ„dhaÌ„h, “to go softly†(; , the Revised Version, margin “as in solemn processionâ€); raÌ„ghal, “to stir†“to move†“I taught Enhraim to go†(, the Revised Version (British and American) “to walkâ€).
The obsolete expression “go to†(derived from Tyndale) is the translation of yaÌ„habh in , , ; ; , “come on,†the Revised Version (British and American) “comeâ€; of boÌ„' ( the Revised Version (British and American)), “go nowâ€; naÌ„' (; ; , omitted in the Revised Version (British and American)).
2. In the New Testament
In the New Testament anabainoÌ„ is “to go up†(; , etc.); erchomai, “to go on†(, etc.); aperchÌ£omai, “to go off or away†(; , etc.); poreuomai, “to go or pass on†(, , etc.); hupagoÌ„, “to go away†(; , etc.). We have also other combinations with different shades of meaning, e.g. huperbaıÌnoÌ„, “to go over or beyond†(); eiseÌrchomai, “to go into†(; , etc.); proporeuÌomai, “to go before†(; ), and other forms; agoÌ„ (aÌgoÌ„men), “Let us go†(; , etc.); aÌge is rendered “go to†(; ), the Revised Version (British and American) “come.â€
“Go about (to)†the King James Version is the translation of zeÌ„teÌoÌ„, “to seek,†in , “Why go ye about to kill me?†the Revised Version (British and American) “Why seek ye?†and ; of peiraÌzoÌ„, “to try,†“attempt†(, the Revised Version (British and American) “assayedâ€), and of peiraÌomai (, the Revised Version (British and American) “assayedâ€), of epicheireÌoÌ„ “to lay hands on†(), which remains in the English Revised Version unchanged, the American Standard Revised Version “seekingâ€; “to let go†is the translation of apoluÌoÌ„ “to loose off†or “away†(, etc.), “to go astray,†of planaÌoÌ„ (, etc.).
Various other words occurring singly are translated by forms of “go,†e.g. pheÌroÌ„, “to bear on,†the King James Version “Let us go on unto perfection†(, see below); epiduÌoÌ„, “to go in upon,†“Let not the sun go down upon your Wrath†().
Among the many changes in the Revised Version (British and American) are the following: For “go,†, “aloneâ€; , “draw nearâ€; , “set forthâ€; , “carry itâ€; ; , “marchâ€; ; , “Go your wayâ€; , “Come straightwayâ€; , “enter inâ€; , “come.†“Go†is substituted for “pass†(), “came†(), “away†(), “be put†(), “enter†(), “return†(), “come†(; compare , ), “should be cast†(); “if I go up†for “I will come up†(); “make to go forth†for “bring forth†(); “let them go†for “gave them up†(). For the phrase, “go a whoring,†the American Standard Revised Version has “play the harlot†( f, etc., “commit fornicationâ€); for “go about even now†(, the American Standard Revised Version), “frame this dayâ€; for “go well†(), “are stately in their marchâ€; for “suffer us to go†(), “send us†(a different text); for “not to think of men above that which is written†(), “not (to go) beyond the things which are writtenâ€; for “that no man go beyond†(), “transgress,†margin “overreachâ€; for “Let us go on unto perfection†(), the English Revised Version “and press,†the American Standard Revised Version “Let us press on unto perfection.â€