What does יָכֹל (yākōl) mean in the Bible?
יָכֹל (yākōl): Denotes capability spanning physical power through moral permission; often emphasizes human limitation against divine will or circumstance.
Hebrew · H3201
יָכֹל
To be able , literally ( can , could ) or morally ( may , might )
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יָכֹל H3201
Pronunciation yākōl
What does יָכֹל (yākōl) mean in the Bible?
יָכֹל (yākōl): Denotes capability spanning physical power through moral permission; often emphasizes human limitation against divine will or circumstance.
Full entry for יָכֹל (H3201) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3201?
The BSB source-word alignment has 194 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include . . . (77), could (11), can (9), prevail (6), able (4).
Where does יָכֹל (yākōl) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 13:6. Its strongest book concentrations include Genesis (22), Jeremiah (20), Deuteronomy (16), Exodus (13).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It . . . 77× Genesis 19:19, Genesis 19:22, Genesis 24:50, Genesis 29:8
could 11× Genesis 13:16, Genesis 36:7, Genesis 45:1, Exodus 7:21
can 9× Deuteronomy 7:17, 1 Samuel 6:20, 2 Samuel 12:23, 2 Chronicles 32:14
prevail 6× 1 Samuel 17:9, 2 Chronicles 18:21, Psalms 21:11, Jeremiah 5:22
able 4× Numbers 22:37, Deuteronomy 9:28, Joshua 24:19, Jeremiah 13:23
be able 4× Numbers 22:6, Numbers 22:11, Nehemiah 4:10, Ezekiel 33:12
you can 4× 2 Kings 18:23, Job 33:5, Isaiah 36:8, Jeremiah 3:5
I could 3× Numbers 22:18, Numbers 24:13, Ezekiel 47:5
they could 3× Exodus 7:24, Exodus 12:39, Exodus 15:23
and prevailed 2× Jeremiah 20:7, Hosea 12:4
but can 2× Numbers 22:38, Psalms 78:20
could I bear 2× Esther 8:6
endure 2× Psalms 101:5, Isaiah 1:13
has been able 2× 2 Chronicles 32:14, 2 Chronicles 32:15
he could 2× Genesis 48:10, 1 Kings 5:3
overcome 2× Jeremiah 1:19, Jeremiah 15:20
overpower 2× Genesis 32:25, Job 31:23
were unable 2× Joshua 17:12, 2 Chronicles 7:2
you must 2× Deuteronomy 12:17, Deuteronomy 22:3
- 1× 2 Chronicles 29:34
and could 1× Genesis 37:4
and overcame 1× Jeremiah 38:22
and overpower 1× Obadiah 1:7
and prevail 1× 1 Kings 22:22
and prevailing 1× Daniel 7:21
and you have prevailed 1× Genesis 32:28
appoint 1× Deuteronomy 21:16
are able 1× Genesis 15:5
be enabled 1× Deuteronomy 7:22
but could 1× 2 Kings 16:5
but he could 1× Isaiah 7:1
but they could 1× Exodus 8:18
but they could not prevail 1× 2 Kings 3:26
But when she could 1× Exodus 2:3
can I 1× Daniel 10:17
could not 1× Jonah 1:13
ever been able 1× 2 Chronicles 32:13
for me to attain 1× Psalms 139:6
good 1× Isaiah 16:12
he is able 1× 1 Samuel 17:9
I am 1× Deuteronomy 31:2
I have overcome him 1× Psalms 13:4
incurable 1× Deuteronomy 28:35
is able 1× 1 Kings 3:9
Ish-bosheth did not dare 1× 2 Samuel 3:11
may 1× Deuteronomy 24:4
not 1× 2 Chronicles 5:14
one can 1× Exodus 10:5
one dared 1× Lamentations 4:14
powerless 1× Jeremiah 14:9
prevailed 1× Psalms 129:2
so that he could 1× 1 Kings 13:4
so that we may prevail 1× Jeremiah 20:10
so they could 1× Numbers 9:6
that he could 1× 1 Samuel 3:2
that they were unable 1× Genesis 13:6
then you will be able 1× Exodus 18:23
they can 1× Genesis 44:1
they dared 1× 2 Samuel 17:17
unable 1× Isaiah 46:2
was I able 1× Judges 8:3
was unable 1× Numbers 14:16
we can certainly conquer 1× Numbers 13:30
we can overpower 1× Judges 16:5
whom they were 1× Judges 2:14
will be able 1× Zephaniah 1:18
will surely prevail 1× 1 Samuel 26:25
won 1× Genesis 30:8
would 1× Genesis 43:32
You can do 1× Job 42:2
you will 1× Isaiah 47:12
you will not prevail 1× Esther 6:13
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 13:6 יָֽכְל֖וּ to that they were unable Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Genesis 13:16 יוּכַ֣ל to could Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 15:5 תּוּכַ֖ל to are able Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Genesis 19:19 אוּכַל֙ to . . . Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular Genesis 19:22 אוּכַל֙ to . . . Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular Genesis 24:50 נוּכַ֛ל to . . . Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural Genesis 29:8 נוּכַל֒ to . . . Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural Genesis 30:8 יָכֹ֑לְתִּי to won Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Genesis 31:35 אוּכַל֙ to . . . Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular Genesis 32:25 יָכֹל֙ to overpower Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 13:6
Aligned rows 194
Books represented 32
Genesis 22 Exodus 13 Numbers 13 Deuteronomy 16 Joshua 6 Judges 7 Ruth 2 1 Samuel 9 2 Samuel 3 1 Kings 9 2 Kings 5 1 Chronicles 1 2 Chronicles 11 Ezra 1 Nehemiah 3 Esther 3 Job 4 Psalms 10 Proverbs 1 Ecclesiastes 7 Song Of Solomon 1 Isaiah 12 Jeremiah 20 Lamentations 2 Ezekiel 3 Daniel 2 Hosea 3 Amos 1 Obadiah 1 Jonah 1 Habakkuk 1 Zephaniah 1
Source forms
יוּכַ֣ל 9x yū·ḵal Genesis 13:16, Exodus 19:23, Deuteronomy 24:4, 1 Samuel 6:20
אוּכַ֖ל 8x ’ū·ḵal Numbers 22:37, Numbers 22:38, Deuteronomy 7:17, Judges 11:35
אוּכַל֙ 7x ’ū·ḵal Genesis 19:19, Genesis 19:22, Genesis 31:35, Numbers 22:6
יוּכַ֥ל 7x yū·ḵal Genesis 44:22, Deuteronomy 22:19, Deuteronomy 22:29, Ecclesiastes 1:8
יוּכַ֖ל 5x yū·ḵal Genesis 48:10, Exodus 10:5, 1 Samuel 3:2, Ecclesiastes 8:17
תוּכַ֖ל 5x ṯū·ḵal Exodus 33:20, Deuteronomy 16:5, Deuteronomy 22:3, Deuteronomy 28:27
אוּכַ֥ל 4x ’ū·ḵal Deuteronomy 1:9, Deuteronomy 31:2, Isaiah 1:13, Lamentations 1:14
יוּכַל֙ 4x yū·ḵal 1 Kings 3:9, 2 Chronicles 32:14, Ecclesiastes 7:13, Hosea 5:13
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 40x Genesis 13:16, Genesis 44:22, Genesis 48:10, Exodus 10:5
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular 34x Genesis 19:19, Genesis 19:22, Genesis 31:35, Numbers 11:14
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural 31x Genesis 13:6, Genesis 37:4, Genesis 45:3, Exodus 7:21
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 22x Genesis 15:5, Exodus 18:18, Exodus 33:20, Deuteronomy 7:22
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural 14x Joshua 7:12, 2 Samuel 17:17, Psalms 18:38, Psalms 21:11
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 12x Genesis 32:25, Genesis 45:1, Exodus 40:35, 1 Samuel 4:15
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural 11x Genesis 24:50, Genesis 29:8, Genesis 34:14, Genesis 44:26
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute 4x Numbers 13:30, Numbers 22:38, 1 Samuel 26:25, 2 Chronicles 32:13
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Denotes capability spanning physical power through moral permission; often emphasizes human limitation against divine will or circumstance.
Strong's H3201
Lexical occurrences 194 verses Word forms 1 form 180 references Verse guides 0 guides
Source Gloss
to be able , literally ( can , could ) or morally ( may , might )
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Denotes capability spanning physical power through moral permission; often emphasizes human limitation against divine will or circumstance.
to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might) BDB: be able Usage: be able, any at all (ways), attain, can (away with, (-not)), could, endure, might, overcome, have power, prevail, still, suffer.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 1 Aligned forms 180
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 180×
Imperfect 1Kgs 3:9 · 1Sam 3:2 · 1Sam 6:20 · 1Sam 17:9 · 2Chr 32:14 · 2Chr 32:15 · 2Kgs 18:29 · Dan 10:17 · Deut 21:16 · Deut 22:19 · Deut 22:29 · Deut 24:4 · Eccl 1:8 · Eccl 1:15 · Eccl 6:10 · Eccl 7:13 128×
Perfect 1Kgs 8:11 · 1Kgs 9:21 · 2Chr 5:14 · 2Chr 7:2 · 2Chr 29:34 · 2Chr 30:3 · 2Chr 32:13 · 2Kgs 3:26 · 2Kgs 4:40 · 2Kgs 16:5 · Exod 7:21 · Exod 7:24 · Exod 8:14 · Exod 9:11 · Exod 12:39 · Exod 15:23 48×
Infinitive absolute 1Sam 26:25 · Num 13:30 2×
Infinitive construct Deut 9:28 · Num 14:16 2×
Word Origins
יָכֹל is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain