Mark 13:14 — ExegesisTAB

The verse begins with the indefinite temporal clause introduced by hotan {Ὅταν | hó-tan} followed by the aorist subjunctive idete {ἴδητε | í-de-te}, a common Greek pattern for future, but temporally undefined, events. The direct object of idete is the noun phrase to bdelygma tēs erēmōseōs {τὸ βδέλυγμα τῆς ἐρημώσεως | tò bdé-lyg-ma tês e-rē-mó-se-ōs}, with a head noun and a dependent genitive, forming the technical apocalyptic expression “the abomination of desolation.” The perfect participle hestēkota {ἑστηκότα | he-stē-kó-ta} modifies bdelygma and conveys a resultant state, picturing the “abomination” as already set up and standing. This participial phrase is further located by the relative adverb hopou {ὅπου | hó-pou} introducing the clause hopou ou dei {ὅπου οὐ δεῖ | hó-pou ou deî}, an impersonal construction meaning “where it is not permitted” or “where it must not be,” thereby stressing the illegitimacy and sacrilegious nature of its placement. The parenthetical exhortation ho anaginōskōn noeitō {ὁ ἀναγινώσκων νοείτω | ho a-na-gi-nṓ-skōn no-eí-tō} is a nominative substantive participle plus an imperative verb, functioning as an aside to readers or hearers, urging interpretive discernment regarding this cryptic phrase and its scriptural background. The temporal adverb tote {τότε | tó-te} marks the resulting action in sequence: the main imperative clause hoi en tē Ioudaia pheugetōsan eis ta orē {οἱ ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ φευγέτωσαν εἰς τὰ ὄρη | hoi en tē̂ I-ou-daí-a pheu-gé-tō-san eis tà ó-rē}. Here, hoi with the prepositional phrase en tē Ioudaia forms a substantive group, “those in Judea,” and pheugetōsan, a third person plural imperative, issues a collective command. The prepositional phrase eis ta orē specifies the direction of flight, mountains conventionally functioning as places of refuge in biblical narrative. The overall syntactic flow moves from an unspecified future sign, to interpretive reflection, to urgent practical response, which guided the choice to preserve the temporal sequence and the parenthetical warning in both English renderings.