Mark 5:41

41 Taking her by the hand, Jesus said, “Talitha koum!” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”

Mark 5:41 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 5:41

And he took the damsel by the hand
(See Gill on Matthew 9:25).

And said unto her;
in the Syriac language, which was then commonly spoken by the Jews, and well understood: hence the Syriac version expresses the following words without an interpretation,

Talitha Cumi.
The Ethiopic version reads it, "Tabitha Cumi"; and so do some Greek copies, and Latin versions, taking it to be the same word as in ( Acts 9:36 ) whereas that signifies "Dorcas, a roe"; but this word is of another signification, as here explained,

which is, being interpreted, damsel (I say unto thee) arise.
The phrase, "I say unto thee", is no part of the interpretation of the above Syriac words; but is added, by the evangelist, as being what was expressed by Christ at the same time, signifying his authority and power over death; only "damsel arise", is the interpretation of them, (ylj) , "Tali", signifies a "boy", and (atylj) , "Talitha", a "girl"; and so they are often used in the Targums ^F23, and in the Talmud: the one is used for a boy of seventeen years of age ^F24, and the other for a girl of sixteen or seventeen years of age ^F25; so that this child might well be called by this name, since she was but twelve years of age; and (ymwq) , "Cumi", is the imperative (Mwq) , "to arise".

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Targum Hieres in Deut. xxii. 21. & Targum Sheni in Esther ii. 9.
F24 T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 142. 2. Gloss. in ib.
F25 lb. fol. 91. 2.

Mark 5:41 In-Context

39 He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead, but asleep.”

40 And they laughed at Him. After He had put them all outside, He took the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and went in to see the child.

41 Taking her by the hand, Jesus said, “Talitha koum!” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”

42 Immediately the girl got up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). And at once they were utterly astounded.

43 Then Jesus gave strict orders that no one should know about this, and He told them to give her something to eat.