3897. lachak

Lexical Summary

lachak: To lick, lap

Original Word: לָחַךְ
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: lachak
Pronunciation: lah-khak'
Phonetic Spelling: (law-khak')
KJV: lick (up)
NASB: lick, licked, licks
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to lick

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

lick up

A primitive root; to lick -- lick (up).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to lick
NASB Translation
lick (4), licked (1), licks (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

לחַךְ verb lick (Late Hebrew id.; so Aramaic לְחַךְ ; Arabic ; -

Qal Infinitive construct כִּלְחֹךְ Numbers 22:4 (E), followed by accusative; of ox licking up grass.

Pi`el Perfect3feminine singular לִחֵ֑כָה 1 Kings 18:38; Imperfect3masculine plural יְלַחֲכוּ Numbers 22:4; Micah 7:17; יְלַחֵ֑כוּ Psalm 72:9; Isaiah 43:23; lick up (followed by accusative), fire from heaven the water in trench 1 Kings 18:38; of Israel consuming produce of land Numbers 22:3(E); especially עָפָר ׳ל lick the dust, sign of humiliation Micah 7:17; Psalm 72:9; Isaiah 49:23.

Topical Lexicon

Root Imagery and Semantic Range

לָחַךְ portrays a rapid, sweeping motion of the tongue that reduces the object of contact to nothing—“licking up” grass, water, or dust. The verb conveys either ravenous consumption or utter humiliation, depending on the context.

Occurrences and Narrative Settings

1. Numbers 22:4: Balak fears that Israel will “lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field”. The figure stresses Israel’s divinely aided power to strip the land bare, highlighting covenant faithfulness to Abraham’s seed and the futility of resisting God’s promise.
2. 1 Kings 18:38: On Mount Carmel, “the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water in the trench”. Here לָחַךְ magnifies Yahweh’s supremacy over Baal by depicting total, instantaneous consumption.
3. Psalm 72:9: Of Messiah’s reign it is said, “May desert dwellers bow before Him, and His enemies lick the dust”. The verb shifts from consumption to submission, portraying foes flattened to the ground in acknowledgment of the royal Son.
4. Isaiah 49:23: Gentile rulers will “bow down to you with their faces to the ground; they will lick the dust at your feet”. The image promises vindication for Zion and anticipates worldwide recognition of Israel’s God.
5. Micah 7:17: Nations that once opposed the LORD “will lick the dust like a snake”. Fear-induced abasement gives way to repentance, echoing Genesis 3:14 and underscoring reversal of the Edenic curse for those reconciled to God.

(The double listing of Numbers 22:4 on concordance charts reflects the verse’s two clauses, but the form appears once in the narrative.)

Theological Trajectory

1. Covenant Protection: Balak’s anxiety (Numbers) marks the first canonical use; Israel’s march is unstoppable because it is God-directed. לָחַךְ underlines divine backing for His people and anticipates the land promises’ fulfillment.
2. Revelation of Divine Holiness: Fire that “licks” water in 1 Kings 18 demonstrates Yahweh’s uncontested holiness. He not only answers prayer but eradicates idolatrous pretension.
3. Messianic Dominion: Psalm 72 and Isaiah 49 apply לָחַךְ to royal victory. Human pride is not merely defeated but driven to prostrate homage. The dust-licking motif feeds New Testament portraits of every knee bowing to Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:10).
4. Eschatological Reversal: Micah envisions erstwhile persecutors practicing serpent-like submission. Their posture anticipates the ultimate triumph of divine justice at the consummation of history.

Ministry and Discipleship Implications

• Confidence in Mission: Just as Israel “licked up” resistance, the Church may advance the gospel with assurance that no earthly power can thwart God’s redemptive design.
• Call to Whole-hearted Worship: Carmel’s scene warns against syncretism. Spiritual fire that “licks up” every hindrance invites believers to offer undivided allegiance.
• Cultivation of Humility: The dust-licking image urges voluntary self-abasement before Christ now, lest enforced humiliation follow His return.
• Hope for the Oppressor: Micah’s nations tremble yet ultimately “turn in fear to the LORD our God.” Even adversaries may become worshipers when confronted with divine majesty.

Contemporary Application

In evangelism, לָחַךְ encourages bold proclamation: God will either consume resistance or convert it. In personal devotion, it fuels awe—His holiness consumes every rival affection. In social engagement, it balances justice and mercy: oppressors face sure humbling, yet the gospel holds out reconciliation. Thus, the verb’s sixfold appearance serves as a vivid reminder that the Lord who can “lick up” is also the Lord who can lift up.

Forms and Transliterations

יְלַחֲכ֤וּ יְלַחֵ֑כוּ יְלַחֵֽכוּ׃ ילחכו ילחכו׃ כִּלְחֹ֣ךְ כלחך לִחֵֽכָה׃ לחכה׃ kil·ḥōḵ kilChoch kilḥōḵ li·ḥê·ḵāh liChechah liḥêḵāh yə·la·ḥă·ḵū yə·la·ḥê·ḵū yelachaChu yelaChechu yəlaḥăḵū yəlaḥêḵū

Englishman's Concordance

Numbers 22:4
HEB: מִדְיָ֗ן עַתָּ֞ה יְלַחֲכ֤וּ הַקָּהָל֙ אֶת־
NAS: this horde will lick up all
KJV: Now shall this company lick up all [that are] round about
INT: of Midian Now will lick horde all

Numbers 22:4
HEB: כָּל־ סְבִ֣יבֹתֵ֔ינוּ כִּלְחֹ֣ךְ הַשּׁ֔וֹר אֵ֖ת
NAS: us, as the ox licks up the grass
KJV: us, as the ox licketh up the grass
INT: all is around licks as the ox the grass

1 Kings 18:38
HEB: אֲשֶׁר־ בַּתְּעָלָ֖ה לִחֵֽכָה׃
NAS: and the dust, and licked up the water
KJV: and the dust, and licked up the water
INT: that was trench and licked

Psalm 72:9
HEB: וְ֝אֹיְבָ֗יו עָפָ֥ר יְלַחֵֽכוּ׃
NAS: him, And his enemies lick the dust.
KJV: him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.
INT: and his enemies the dust lick

Isaiah 49:23
HEB: וַעֲפַ֥ר רַגְלַ֖יִךְ יְלַחֵ֑כוּ וְיָדַ֙עַתְּ֙ כִּֽי־
NAS: to the earth And lick the dust
KJV: toward the earth, and lick up the dust
INT: the dust of your feet and lick and will know that

Micah 7:17
HEB: יְלַחֲכ֤וּ עָפָר֙ כַּנָּחָ֔שׁ
NAS: They will lick the dust
KJV: They shall lick the dust
INT: will lick the dust A serpent

6 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 3897
6 Occurrences

kil·ḥōḵ — 1 Occ.
li·ḥê·ḵāh — 1 Occ.
yə·la·ḥă·ḵū — 2 Occ.
yə·la·ḥê·ḵū — 2 Occ.