404. akaph

Lexicon

akaph: To go around, to surround, to encompass

Original Word: אָכַף
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: akaph
Pronunciation: ah-kaf'
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-kaf')
Definition: To go around, to surround, to encompass
Meaning: to urge

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

crave

A primitive root; apparently meaning to curve (as with a burden); to urge -- crave.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to press, urge
NASB Translation
urges (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

אָכַף verb press, urge (Mishna id., Aramaic be urgent, compare , Arabic saddle); —

Qal Perfect Proverbs 16:26 עָלָיו מִּ֑יהוּ ׳א ("" נֶפֶשׁ עָמֵל עָֽמְלָה לוֺ) i.e. his hunger impels him to work.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: A primitive root

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • Strong's Greek Number 315: ἀναγκάζω (anagkazō) • to compel, constrain
• Strong's Greek Number 3870: παρακαλέω (parakaleō) • to call to one's side, to urge, to exhort

These Greek entries reflect similar concepts of urging or compelling, providing a cross-linguistic perspective on the theme of persuasion and influence in biblical texts.

Usage: The verb אָכַף is used in the context of urging or compelling someone to do something. It conveys a sense of pressing or insisting upon an action.

Context: The Hebrew verb אָכַף appears in the Old Testament with the primary meaning of urging or compelling. This term is used to describe situations where an individual is pressed or urged to take a particular action, often with a sense of insistence or compulsion. The root conveys a strong encouragement or insistence, sometimes implying a degree of pressure or forcefulness.

In the context of biblical narratives, אָכַף can be seen in scenarios where characters are urged to act, whether by divine command, personal conviction, or external pressure. The term reflects the dynamics of persuasion and influence, highlighting the relational and sometimes hierarchical aspects of biblical interactions.

The usage of אָכַף is relatively rare, and its occurrences provide insight into the cultural and social practices of urging or compelling within the ancient Near Eastern context. The verb underscores the importance of persuasion and the exertion of influence in achieving desired outcomes, whether in personal relationships or broader societal interactions.

Forms and Transliterations

אָכַ֖ף אכף ’ā·ḵap̄ ’āḵap̄ aChaf

Englishman's Concordance

Proverbs 16:26
HEB: לּ֑וֹ כִּֽי־ אָכַ֖ף עָלָ֣יו פִּֽיהוּ׃
NAS: for him, For his hunger urges him [on].
KJV: for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.
INT: works for urges For his hunger

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 404
1 Occurrence

’ā·ḵap̄ — 1 Occ.