What does אַךְ (ʾakĕ) mean in the Bible?
אַךְ (ʾakĕ): Emphatic affirmation particle that narrows scope: "surely" when affirming, "only" when restricting focus.
Hebrew · H389
אַךְ
A particle of affirmation , surely ; hence (by limitation) only
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אַךְ H389
Pronunciation ʾakĕ
What does אַךְ (ʾakĕ) mean in the Bible?
אַךְ (ʾakĕ): Emphatic affirmation particle that narrows scope: "surely" when affirming, "only" when restricting focus.
Full entry for אַךְ (H389) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H389?
The BSB source-word alignment has 161 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include But (30), Surely (24), . . . (13), Only (11), - (8).
Where does אַךְ (ʾakĕ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 7:23. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (24), Jeremiah (15), Genesis (14), 1 Samuel (11).
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 But 30× Genesis 9:4, Leviticus 11:4, Leviticus 21:23, Leviticus 27:26
Surely 24× Genesis 44:28, Exodus 31:13, 1 Samuel 16:6, 1 Kings 22:32
. . . 13× Genesis 18:32, Genesis 23:13, Genesis 27:30, Exodus 12:15
Only 11× Genesis 34:23, Numbers 14:9, Numbers 31:22, 1 Samuel 1:23
- 8× Leviticus 23:39, Leviticus 27:28, Numbers 1:49, Deuteronomy 28:29
Nevertheless 7× Leviticus 11:36, 1 Kings 11:12, 2 Kings 13:6, 2 Kings 23:26
However 6× Exodus 21:21, Leviticus 11:21, 2 Samuel 2:10, 1 Kings 22:43
indeed 6× Genesis 29:14, Numbers 26:55, Deuteronomy 12:22, Joshua 22:19
alone 4× Psalms 62:1, Psalms 62:2, Psalms 62:5, Psalms 62:6
Yet 4× Job 30:24, Jeremiah 12:1, Jeremiah 34:4, Jonah 2:4
But only 3× Genesis 34:22, 2 Samuel 23:10, Jeremiah 10:24
Above all 2× 1 Samuel 12:24, 1 Chronicles 22:12
Just 2× Genesis 27:13, Judges 16:28
leads only 2× Proverbs 11:23, Proverbs 14:23
nothing but 2× Jeremiah 16:19, Jeremiah 32:30
vvv 2× Leviticus 23:27, Isaiah 34:14
[are] but 1× Psalms 62:9
[will] surely lead 1× Proverbs 22:16
Although 1× 2 Kings 23:9
and 1× Psalms 75:8
and only 1× Genesis 7:23
And surely 1× Genesis 9:5
are mere 1× Isaiah 19:11
are only 1× Jeremiah 5:4
are surely 1× Isaiah 63:8
As soon as 1× 1 Kings 9:24
as surely 1× Proverbs 21:5
belongs only 1× Ezekiel 46:17
but you must only 1× Numbers 22:20
complete 1× Deuteronomy 16:15
Even 1× Isaiah 34:15
had just 1× 1 Samuel 25:21
have done nothing but 1× Jeremiah 32:30
He feels only 1× Job 14:22
I will still 1× Job 13:15
is indeed 1× Isaiah 45:14
is really 1× Genesis 26:9
it can only 1× Psalms 37:8
just after 1× Judges 7:19
on one 1× Genesis 34:15
on those days 1× Exodus 12:16
once more 1× Exodus 10:17
one more time 1× Judges 6:39
provided 1× Numbers 36:6
There is surely 1× Psalms 58:11
They fully 1× Psalms 62:4
They will surely 1× Hosea 12:11
though 1× Genesis 20:12
Truly 1× Psalms 39:5
would certainly 1× Job 23:6
you who are utterly 1× Isaiah 16:7
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 7:23 אַךְ־ to and only Adverb Genesis 9:4 אַךְ־ to But Adverb Genesis 9:5 וְאַ֨ךְ to And surely Conjunctive waw | Adverb Genesis 18:32 אַךְ־ to . . . Adverb Genesis 20:12 אַ֖ךְ to though Adverb Genesis 23:13 אַ֛ךְ to . . . Adverb Genesis 26:9 אַ֣ךְ to is really Adverb Genesis 27:13 אַ֛ךְ to Just Adverb Genesis 27:30 אַ֣ךְ to . . . Adverb Genesis 29:14 אַ֛ךְ to indeed Adverb
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 7:23
Aligned rows 161
Books represented 25
Genesis 14 Exodus 5 Leviticus 8 Numbers 11 Deuteronomy 5 Joshua 2 Judges 6 1 Samuel 11 2 Samuel 3 1 Kings 6 2 Kings 9 1 Chronicles 1 2 Chronicles 2 Ezra 1 Job 11 Psalms 24 Proverbs 7 Isaiah 10 Jeremiah 15 Lamentations 2 Ezekiel 1 Hosea 3 Jonah 1 Zephaniah 2 Zechariah 1
Source forms
אַךְ־ 50x ’aḵ- Genesis 7:23, Genesis 9:4, Genesis 18:32, Genesis 34:15
אַ֣ךְ 33x ’aḵ Genesis 26:9, Genesis 27:30, Exodus 10:17, Leviticus 11:36
אַ֥ךְ 12x ’aḵ Exodus 21:21, Exodus 31:13, Numbers 31:22, Deuteronomy 16:15
אַ֚ךְ 11x ’aḵ Genesis 34:23, Exodus 12:15, Exodus 12:16, 1 Samuel 18:17
אַ֛ךְ 9x ’aḵ Genesis 23:13, Genesis 27:13, Genesis 29:14, Judges 7:19
אַ֤ךְ 8x ’aḵ Leviticus 11:4, Leviticus 11:21, 1 Samuel 20:39, Psalms 39:11
אַ֗ךְ 7x ’aḵ Numbers 36:6, Deuteronomy 12:22, 1 Samuel 8:9, 1 Samuel 12:20
אַ֣ךְ׀ 7x ’aḵ Numbers 18:15, Joshua 3:4, 1 Samuel 12:24, 2 Kings 23:26
Parsing patterns
Adverb 158x Genesis 7:23, Genesis 9:4, Genesis 18:32, Genesis 20:12
Conjunctive waw | Adverb 3x Genesis 9:5, Numbers 22:20, Joshua 22:19
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Emphatic affirmation particle that narrows scope: "surely" when affirming, "only" when restricting focus.
Source Gloss
a particle of affirmation , surely ; hence (by limitation) only
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Emphatic affirmation particle that narrows scope: "surely" when affirming, "only" when restricting focus.
a particle of affirmation, surely; hence (by limitation) only BDB: surely Usage: also, in any wise, at least, but, certainly, even, howbeit, nevertheless, notwithstanding, only, save, surely, of a surety, truly, verily, wherefore, yet (but).
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Word Origins
אַךְ is built from this root:
אָכֵן H403
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