Lexical Summary bedeq: Breach, defect, or repair Original Word: בֶּדֶק Strong's Exhaustive Concordance breach, caulker From badaq; a gap or leak (in a building or a ship) -- breach, + calker. see HEBREW badaq NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition a fissure, rent, breach NASB Translation damage (1), damages (7), seams (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs בֶּ֫דֶק noun masculine2Ki 12:6 fissure, rent, breach (Aramaic בִּידְקָא,  (Nasar.)) — ׳בּ absolute 2 Kings 12:6; construct ib.6t.; suffix בִּדְקֵךְ Ezekiel 27:9,27; — in as building; temple הַבַּיִת ׳ב 2 Kings 12:6; 2 Kings 12:7; 2 Kings 12:8 (twice in verse); 2 Kings 12:9; 2 Kings 22:5, compare 2 Kings 12:13 (׳בֵּית י ׳ב); v.2 Kings 12:6 absolute; always with חִזֵּק repair; compare מַחֲזִיקֵי ׳ב repairers of thy fissures Ezekiel 27:9,27 (of Tyre). Topical Lexicon Definition and Core Concept Bedeq denotes a physical gap, breach, crack, or leak—something broken that must be repaired. The word therefore implies both the defect itself and the work of restoring what has been damaged. Old Testament Distribution Ten occurrences cluster in two historical settings: the repair of the temple in the days of Joash (2 Kings 12) and Josiah (2 Kings 22), and Ezekiel’s lament over Tyre’s merchant fleet (Ezekiel 27). In each setting the term draws attention to vulnerability and the urgent call to restore structural integrity. Temple Repair under Joash (2 Kings 12:5-12) Joash ordered the priests to redirect voluntary offerings toward “whatever damage is found in the temple” (2 Kings 12:5). Years of neglect had left the sacred building scarred with bedaq. When the priests proved slow to act, Joash instituted an accountability system—collection chests, trustworthy overseers, and direct payments to craftsmen—so that masons, carpenters, and stonecutters could “repair the damage to the house of the LORD” (verse 12). Bedeq thus became a catalyst for reform: the breach in stone mirrored a breach in priestly stewardship, and faithful administration restored both. Temple Repair under Josiah (2 Kings 22:5) A century later Josiah continued the work. Hilkiah delivered the found silver “to the workmen overseeing the house of the LORD, and they gave it to the workers repairing the temple of the LORD” (2 Kings 22:5). The recurring presence of bedaq shows that, even after earlier restoration, neglect soon reappeared. Spiritual renewal in Judah therefore demanded ongoing attention to visible breaches in God’s dwelling place. Maritime Imagery in Ezekiel (Ezekiel 27:9, 27) In Ezekiel’s dirge over Tyre, bedaq shifts from masonry to shipbuilding. “The elders of Gebal and her skilled men caulked your seams” (27:9); yet Tyre’s wealth, sailors, pilots, and “shipwrights” (literally, repairers of bedaq) would “sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your downfall” (27:27). The prophet contrasts human expertise that seals leaks with the divine judgment that no craftsman can avert. Spiritual arrogance created an unseen breach that doomed the maritime superpower. Theological Themes 1. Stewardship of Holy Things: Physical disrepair in the temple signaled spiritual apathy; faithful leaders could not tolerate either. Practical Ministry Applications • Facilities Maintenance as Worship: Caring for church property reflects reverence for God’s presence, echoing Joash’s directive. Typological and Prophetic Insights The temple foreshadows Christ’s body (John 2:21) and, by extension, the church (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). Bedeq in the sanctuary points to sin’s breach in humanity that only the ultimate Restorer can mend. Joash’s and Josiah’s repairs look ahead to the Messiah who “will rebuild David’s fallen shelter” (Amos 9:11; Acts 15:16). Conversely, Tyre’s unrepaired spiritual breach anticipates final judgment on a world that trusts its own craftsmanship rather than the grace of God. Summary Bedeq is more than a structural defect; it is an emblem of the human condition. Whether in temple walls or ship hulls, breaches reveal both weakness and opportunity: weakness when ignored, opportunity when addressed under divine guidance. Scripture’s consistent witness calls believers to vigilant maintenance of all that bears the Lord’s name—buildings, ministries, and hearts alike—until the day when every gap is perfectly and permanently closed in the new creation. Forms and Transliterations בִּדְקֵ֑ךְ בִדְקֵ֣ך בֶּ֣דֶק בֶּ֥דֶק בָּֽדֶק׃ בדק בדק׃ בדקך לְבֶ֥דֶק לבדק bā·ḏeq Badek bāḏeq be·ḏeq Bedek beḏeq biḏ·qêḵ ḇiḏ·qêḵ bidKech biḏqêḵ ḇiḏqêḵ lə·ḇe·ḏeq ləḇeḏeq leVedek vidKechLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Kings 12:5 HEB: יְחַזְּקוּ֙ אֶת־ בֶּ֣דֶק הַבַּ֔יִת לְכֹ֛ל NAS: and they shall repair the damages of the house KJV: and let them repair the breaches of the house, INT: and they shall repair the damages of the house all manner 2 Kings 12:5 2 Kings 12:6 2 Kings 12:7 2 Kings 12:7 2 Kings 12:8 2 Kings 12:12 2 Kings 22:5 Ezekiel 27:9 Ezekiel 27:27 10 Occurrences |
    |