Lexical Summary akaph: To go around, to surround, to encompass Original Word: אָכַף Strong's Exhaustive Concordance crave A primitive root; apparently meaning to curve (as with a burden); to urge -- crave. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina 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 Overview Strong’s Hebrew 404 אָכַף appears a single time in the Hebrew Scriptures, Proverbs 16:26, where it expresses the inner compulsion that drives a laborer. The verb conveys the idea of pressing, urging, or compelling from within, particularly by hunger. Though rare, its solitary use sheds light on the biblical view of work, motivation, and divine design for human diligence. Context in Proverbs 16:26 Proverbs 16 contrasts human plans with the Lord’s sovereign ordering (Proverbs 16:1, 9). Verse 26 grounds this contrast in everyday experience: “A worker’s appetite works for him, for his hunger urges him on.” (Proverbs 16:26) Here, אָכַף portrays hunger as a God–given stimulus that “urges” a person to labor. Solomon observes a practical truth: physical need propels industry, aligning with earlier wisdom that laziness leads to poverty (Proverbs 6:6–11; 10:4). Historical and Cultural Setting In an agrarian society where daily food depended on manual effort, hunger was a familiar and powerful motivator. Ancient Israel recognized the cyclical rhythm of sowing and reaping (Genesis 8:22). Whereas neighboring cultures sometimes viewed labor as a curse reserved for the lower class, the Hebrew Scriptures present work as part of God’s good creation mandate (Genesis 2:15). אָכַף encapsulates the internal drive that makes this mandate practical and urgent in a fallen world where toil and sweat accompany bread (Genesis 3:19). Theological Themes 1. Providence and Human Responsibility—Proverbs 16 places personal diligence under divine sovereignty. Hunger serves providentially to align human effort with God’s purposes. Related Hebrew Concepts • עָמָל (amal, labor/toil) emphasizes the effort itself. New Testament Parallels The same principle reappears where physical need presses believers toward responsible conduct: “If anyone is not willing to work, he shall not eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10) “Hunger urges” in Proverbs anticipates Paul’s admonition, illustrating a continuity between Old and New Testament ethics of work. Practical Ministry Implications • Stewardship Teaching—Ministers can highlight how legitimate needs become channels through which God fosters diligence and character. Pastoral Reflections The lone appearance of אָכַף accentuates its force: a single, sharp spotlight on motivation. Hunger’s press need not be viewed merely as hardship; rather, it can be received as a gracious goad steering people into the productivity for which they were created. In a culture grappling with both overindulgence and apathy, Proverbs 16:26 invites reflection on how God employs appetites—physical and spiritual—to summon His people to faithful labor and dependence on Him. Forms and Transliterations אָכַ֖ף אכף ’ā·ḵap̄ ’āḵap̄ aChafLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman'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 |
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