Quick Definition
ἡγεμονεύω v. I govern
Strong's Definition
to act as ruler
Derivation: from G2232 (ἡγεμών);
KJV Usage: be governor
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | ἄγω
37.60 · Control, Rule · Rule, Govern
to be a governor (derivative of ἡγεμών[a] ‘ruler,’ 37.59) to be a governor, in the NT restricted to the meaning of a governor of a Roman province The expression ‘Quirinius was governor of Syria’ (LUK 2:2) may be rendered in some languages as ‘Quirinius was the one who commanded all those in the province of Syria’ or ‘Quirinius gave orders to all those in Syria.’
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἡγεμονεύω ; (ἡγεμών) ; [fr. Hom. down]; a. to be leader, to lead theway. Ὁ. to rule, command: with gen. of a province [cf. B. 169 (147) ], to be governor of a province, said of a proconsul, Lk. ii. 2; of a procurator, Lk. τ. 1.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἡγεμονεύω hēgemoneuō 2x
to be a guide, leader, chief; in NT to hold the office of a Roman provincial governor, Lk. 2:2; 3:1*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
* ἡγεμονεύω
(< ἡγεμών),
to lead the way.
to lead in war, command (cf. Ramsay, Was Christ born at Bethlehem?; DCG, ii, 463 f.).
to be governor of a province: c. gen. loc., Lk 2:2 3:1.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἡγεμονεύω is applied to the rule of a prefect in P Tebt II. 3027 (A.D. 7) ἐπὶ Tletpwviov] τοῦ ἡγεμονεύσαντος, ‘‘in the prefecture of P.”, P Ryl II. 113% (A.D. 133) of a case— δεομέ[ν]ου τῆς διαγνώσεως Pavlov Τιτιανοῦ τότε τοῦ ἡγεμονεύσαντί(ος), “which required the decision of the late praefect Flavius Titianus” (Edd.), and P Strass I. 4177 (A.D, 250) ᾿Αννιανῷ τῷ ἡγεμονεύσαντι ἡ ἡμετέρα βιβλίδ[ι]ον ἐπέδωκεν, “τὴν client gave in her petition to the late prefect Annianus.” It may be noted that in Lk 31 Cod. Bezae reads ἐπιτροπεύοντος for ἡγεμονεύοντος.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἡγεμονεύω (hēgemoneuō) — to govern. ἡγεμον-εύω, Doric dialect ἁγ-, lead the way, προτὶ Ἴλιον [Refs 8th c.BC+]; πρὸς δώματα, ἀγορήνδε, λέχοσδε, δεῦρο, [Refs 8th c.BC+] __c dative person, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὁδὸν ἡ. to lead the way, ἐγὼ δ᾽ ὁδὸν ἡγεμονεύσω [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὕδατι ῥόον ἡ. make a course for the water, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
II. lead in war, rule, command, once in [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἡγεμόνων ἡ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἡ. τῆς σκέψεως to take the lead in it, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: absolutely, to have or take the command, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:— passive, to be ruled, ὑπό τινος [Refs 8th c.BC+]
III. to be governor, τῆς Συρίας [Refs 1st c.AD+]