Lexical Summary taklith: End, completion, perfection Original Word: תַּכְלִית Strong's Exhaustive Concordance end, perfection From kalah; completion; by implication, an extremity -- end, perfect(-ion). see HEBREW kalah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom kalah Definition end, completeness NASB Translation boundary (1), end (1), limit (1), limits (1), utmost (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs תַּכְלִית noun feminine end, completeness; — ׳ת absolute Job 11:7; Job 28:3; construct Nehemiah 3:21 2t.; — 1 end, ׳וְעַדתֿ ׳בֵּית וגו Nehemiah 3:21 even unto the end of the house of Eliashib; אוֺר עִםהֿשֶׁךְ ׳עַדתֿ Job 26:10 unto the end of (= boundary between) light and darkness; הוּא חוֺקֵר ׳וּלְכָלתֿ Job 28:3 and to every end (= to the farthest limit) he exploreth; שַׁדַּי תִּמְצָא ׳עַדתֿ Job 11:7 unto the end of Shadday wilt thou reach (so as to know him fully) ? 2 completeness, as accusative of manner (DaSynt. § 70 b) שִׂנְאָה שְׂנֵאתִים ׳ת Psalm 139:22 with completeness of hatred I hate them. Topical Lexicon Definition and Nuances The Hebrew noun תַּכְלִית conveys the idea of an extremity that marks both completion and limitation. Depending on context it can describe a physical endpoint, a moral or spiritual perfection, or a boundary set by the Lord. The word therefore holds together two complementary truths: God’s works reach a flawless finish, and human endeavor meets immovable limits ordained by Him. Occurrences in Scripture Nehemiah 3:21 – during the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls, craftsmen work “to the end of the house of Eliashib,” signaling a task brought to completion. Job 11:7 – Zophar challenges Job, “Can you… discover the limits of the Almighty?” stressing that divine greatness has no outer edge accessible to man. Job 26:10 – “He has inscribed a circle… at the boundary between light and darkness,” a poetic picture of the perimeter God places on creation itself. Job 28:3 – describing mining skill, “he probes to the farthest limit,” yet even the best of human industry can only reach the extremities God allows. Psalm 139:22 – David declares, “I hate them with perfect hatred,” expressing a wholehearted alignment with the Lord’s verdict against persistent evil. Theological Themes 1. Divine Sovereignty over Boundaries In Job 26:10 the word highlights that every frontier in the cosmos—geographical, moral, or metaphysical—stands by God’s decree. The Creator determines where light meets darkness; likewise He ordains the borders of nations (Acts 17:26). 2. Human Limitation before the Infinite Job 11:7 contrasts human finitude with God’s inexhaustible greatness. Even when people “probe to the farthest limit” (Job 28:3), discovery soon meets an impassable wall. The text nurtures humility and dependence rather than intellectual despair. 3. Completion of Covenant Work Nehemiah 3 portrays a community that labors until the project reaches its תַּכְלִית. Their perseverance prefigures the greater restoration wrought through the Messiah, who could say, “It is finished” (John 19:30). The wall’s endpoint foreshadows the consummation of God’s redemptive plan. 4. Wholehearted Alignment with God’s Righteousness Psalm 139:22 uses the term to qualify David’s hatred as “perfect”—not capricious animosity but a complete identification with God’s holy opposition to wickedness. The passage calls believers to love what God loves and despise what He despises, avoiding partial or lukewarm discipleship (Revelation 3:16). Historical Setting • Post-exilic Jerusalem (Nehemiah) – The remnant faced external threats and internal fatigue; תַּכְלִית underscores that the work was not left half-done. Practical Ministry Implications • Finish Well – Whether building a ministry, nurturing a family, or pursuing personal holiness, Scripture commends bringing tasks to their ordained completion (2 Timothy 4:7). Christological and Eschatological Perspective At the cross Jesus fulfilled every requirement of salvation, achieving the τετέλεσται that mirrors תַּכְלִית’s notion of completion. In the new creation the present boundaries of light and darkness will give way to unending day (Revelation 22:5). Until then, the term challenges the Church to labor faithfully within God-given limits, anticipate the perfected kingdom, and rest in the assurance that what the Lord begins He brings to flawless completion (Philippians 1:6). Forms and Transliterations תַּ֭כְלִית תַּכְלִ֖ית תַּכְלִ֣ית תכלית tachLit taḵ·lîṯ taḵlîṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Nehemiah 3:21 HEB: אֶלְיָשִׁ֔יב וְעַד־ תַּכְלִ֖ית בֵּ֥ית אֶלְיָשִֽׁיב׃ NAS: even as far as the end of his house. KJV: of Eliashib even to the end of the house INT: of Eliashib's far as the end of his house of Eliashib's Job 11:7 Job 26:10 Job 28:3 Psalm 139:22 5 Occurrences |
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