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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אַךְH389
Pronunciationʾakĕ
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 ItBut30×Genesis 9:4, Leviticus 11:4, Leviticus 21:23, Leviticus 27:26
Surely24×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
Only11×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
Nevertheless7×Leviticus 11:36, 1 Kings 11:12, 2 Kings 13:6, 2 Kings 23:26
However6×Exodus 21:21, Leviticus 11:21, 2 Samuel 2:10, 1 Kings 22:43
indeed6×Genesis 29:14, Numbers 26:55, Deuteronomy 12:22, Joshua 22:19
alone4×Psalms 62:1, Psalms 62:2, Psalms 62:5, Psalms 62:6
Yet4×Job 30:24, Jeremiah 12:1, Jeremiah 34:4, Jonah 2:4
But only3×Genesis 34:22, 2 Samuel 23:10, Jeremiah 10:24
Above all2×1 Samuel 12:24, 1 Chronicles 22:12
Just2×Genesis 27:13, Judges 16:28
leads only2×Proverbs 11:23, Proverbs 14:23
nothing but2×Jeremiah 16:19, Jeremiah 32:30
vvv2×Leviticus 23:27, Isaiah 34:14
[are] but1×Psalms 62:9
[will] surely lead1×Proverbs 22:16
Although1×2 Kings 23:9
and1×Psalms 75:8
and only1×Genesis 7:23
And surely1×Genesis 9:5
are mere1×Isaiah 19:11
are only1×Jeremiah 5:4
are surely1×Isaiah 63:8
As soon as1×1 Kings 9:24
as surely1×Proverbs 21:5
belongs only1×Ezekiel 46:17
but you must only1×Numbers 22:20
complete1×Deuteronomy 16:15
Even1×Isaiah 34:15
had just1×1 Samuel 25:21
have done nothing but1×Jeremiah 32:30
He feels only1×Job 14:22
I will still1×Job 13:15
is indeed1×Isaiah 45:14
is really1×Genesis 26:9
it can only1×Psalms 37:8
just after1×Judges 7:19
on one1×Genesis 34:15
on those days1×Exodus 12:16
once more1×Exodus 10:17
one more time1×Judges 6:39
provided1×Numbers 36:6
There is surely1×Psalms 58:11
They fully1×Psalms 62:4
They will surely1×Hosea 12:11
though1×Genesis 20:12
Truly1×Psalms 39:5
would certainly1×Job 23:6
you who are utterly1×Isaiah 16:7
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 7:23אַךְ־toand onlyAdverbGenesis 9:4אַךְ־toButAdverbGenesis 9:5וְאַ֨ךְtoAnd surelyConjunctive waw | AdverbGenesis 18:32אַךְ־to. . .AdverbGenesis 20:12אַ֖ךְtothoughAdverbGenesis 23:13אַ֛ךְto. . .AdverbGenesis 26:9אַ֣ךְtois reallyAdverbGenesis 27:13אַ֛ךְtoJustAdverbGenesis 27:30אַ֣ךְto. . .AdverbGenesis 29:14אַ֛ךְtoindeedAdverb
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 7:23
Aligned rows161
Books represented25
Genesis14Exodus5Leviticus8Numbers11Deuteronomy5Joshua2Judges61 Samuel112 Samuel31 Kings62 Kings91 Chronicles12 Chronicles2Ezra1Job11Psalms24Proverbs7Isaiah10Jeremiah15Lamentations2Ezekiel1Hosea3Jonah1Zephaniah2Zechariah1
Source forms
אַךְ־50x’aḵ-Genesis 7:23, Genesis 9:4, Genesis 18:32, Genesis 34:15
אַ֣ךְ33x’aḵGenesis 26:9, Genesis 27:30, Exodus 10:17, Leviticus 11:36
אַ֥ךְ12x’aḵExodus 21:21, Exodus 31:13, Numbers 31:22, Deuteronomy 16:15
אַ֚ךְ11x’aḵGenesis 34:23, Exodus 12:15, Exodus 12:16, 1 Samuel 18:17
אַ֛ךְ9x’aḵGenesis 23:13, Genesis 27:13, Genesis 29:14, Judges 7:19
אַ֤ךְ8x’aḵLeviticus 11:4, Leviticus 11:21, 1 Samuel 20:39, Psalms 39:11
אַ֗ךְ7x’aḵNumbers 36:6, Deuteronomy 12:22, 1 Samuel 8:9, 1 Samuel 12:20
אַ֣ךְ׀7x’aḵNumbers 18:15, Joshua 3:4, 1 Samuel 12:24, 2 Kings 23:26
Parsing patterns
Adverb158xGenesis 7:23, Genesis 9:4, Genesis 18:32, Genesis 20:12
Conjunctive waw | Adverb3xGenesis 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 definitionSource: 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:
אָכֵןH403
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.