BDB3539
יָכֹל, יָכוֺל193 verb be able, have power, prevail, endure (Late Hebrew id.; Aramaic יְכִיל; Assyrian akâlu , Hpt in KAT2 Gloss i,) —
Qal
Perfect
יָכֹל
Gen 32:26 + 8
t.; יָכוֺל
1Sam 4:15 + 2 t.; 3
feminine singular יָכְלָה
Gen 36:7; Exod 2:3 2 masculine
singular וְיָכָלְתָּ֫
Exod 18:23 1
singular יָכֹלְתִּי
Gen 30:8 + 2 t.;
suffix יְכָלְתִּיו
Ps 13:5 3 plural
יָכְ֑לוּ
Gen 13:6 + 27 t. +
Josh 15:63
Qr
; יָכֹ֑לוּ
Exod 8:14 + 2 t.;
Imperfect 3 masculine singular יוּכָל
Gen 13:16 + 34
t.; יוּכָ֑ל
Job 4:2 + 4 t.;
וַיֻּכָ֑ל
Hos 12:5 3
feminine singular תּוּכַל
Amos 7:10 + 2 t.;
2 masculine singular תּוּכַל
Gen 15:5 + 16 t.; 1
singular אוּכַל
Gen 19:19 + 30
t., etc. (on these Imperfect forms as irregular Qal, see Ges«GKC:2»§
2, R. 3 Köi. 407
WSG 237; others
Hoph`al); Infinitive construct
יְכֹ֫לֶת
Num 14:16;
Deut 9:28
Infinitive absolute
יָכוֺל
Num 13:20;
2Chr 32:13
יָכֹל
Num 22:38;
1Sam 26:25
P
8 t. (not Leviticus), Ezek 3 t.; often
J
E
D
Jeremiah, Isa2, not seldom in Samuel Kings
Chronicles; —
1.
be able, to do a thing, whether ability be physical, moral, constitutional, or dependent on
external authority; usually of man Gen 13:16 (
J
) +, but also of gods 2Chr 32:13; 2Chr 32:15, and of ׳
י
Num 14:16
(
J
E
), Deut
9:28;
Jer 44:22 occasionally of inanimate things Amos 7:10; Gen 36:7 (
P
), Song
8:7;
Eccl 1:15 (twice in verse), etc.:
a. usually followed by infinitive with
לְ (122 t.), Gen 31:35
I am not able to rise up; Gen 45:1
Joseph was not able to restrain himself, Gen 45:3; Gen 48:10; Exod 7:21; Exod 7:24
were not able to drink, Exod 12:39; Josh 24:19 (all
E
);
Gen 13:16
if a man can number the dust, Gen 19:19; Gen 19:22; Gen 43:32; Gen 44:22; Gen 44:26
(twice in verse); Exod 10:5; Exod 19:23 (all
J
), Gen
15:5; Exod 15:23; Num 11:14 (all
J
E
) + 10 t.
J
E
; Deut
7:17 + 10 t.
D
; Gen
13:6
they could not dwell together, Gen 34:14; Gen 36:7; Exod 9:11; Exod 40:35; Num 9:6; Josh 9:19
(all
P
); 1Sam 3:2
; 1Sam 6:20
; 1Kgs
9:21 (on || 2Chr 8:8 and text of Judg 1:19 see BuRS
8), Amos 7:10; Hos 5:13; Zeph 1:18; Jer 6:10; Jer 11:11; Jer 13:23
; Jer 18:6
; Jer
19:11 +.
b. followed by infinitive without לְ (27 t.; not
P
): Gen
37:4; Exod
2:3; Exod 18:18; Exod 18:23 (all
E
),
Gen 24:50; Gen 44:1 (
J
),
Num 22:37; Num 22:38 (
J
E
), Deut 1:9
; Deut 7:22
; Deut
14:24; Deut 22:29; Judg 8:3; Jer 49:10; Jer 49:23; Hab 1:13; Isa 46:2; Isa 47:11
; Isa
47:12; Isa 57:20; Lam 1:14; Ps 18:39; Ps 36:13; Ps 78:20; Prov 30:21
; Job 4:2
; Job 33:5
.
c. with infinitive implicit, always negative, Gen 29:8 go and feed them; and
they said, We are not able, cannot (
J
), Exod
8:14 (
P
),
Isa 29:11; Jer 20:9; Ps 21:12; Jonah 1:13.
d. with negative =
may not (of moral inability): Gen 43:32 (
J
) the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; Judg 21:18
we may not give them wives; especially
D
, Deut
7:22; Deut 12:17; Deut 14:24; Deut 16:5; Deut 17:15; Deut 22:3; Deut 28:27; Deut 28:35
.
e.
be able, followed by imperfect: אוּלַי אוּכַל נַכֶּה
Num 22:6
(
J
E
) perchance I am able (so that) we smite (see
Di; read perhaps נוּכַל for אוּכַל
Ges«GKC:120»§ 120, 1 b); לֹא יוּכְלוּ
יִגְּעוּ
Lam 4:14
they are unable, they touch = are unable to touch (
Dr§ 163, Obs.)
f.
be able, followed by perfect consecutive, only very late, אוּכַל
וְרָאִיתִי
Esth 8:6
(twice in verse), literally how shall I be able and see? — Also in various
combinations where English idiom would make it an auxiliary to another verb:
g.
able to gain, accomplish: followed by acc לֹא יוּכְלוּ נִקָּיוֺן
Hos 8:5
how long will they be unable (to gain) innocence?
יָדַעְתִּ֯
כִּיכֹֿל תּוּכָ֑ל
Job 42:2
I know that thou art able (to do) all things;
אֵין הַמֶּלֶךְ יוּכַל אֶתְכֶם דָּבָר
Jer 38:5
the king is not (one who is) able (to do)
anything with (אֶתְכם for אִתְּכֶם see Gf, i.e. against) you.
h.
able to endure:
לֹא אוּכַל אָוֶן וַעֲצָרָה
Isa
1:13
I cannot endure iniquity and (with) a solemn assembly
, Ps 101:5.
i.
able to reach, followed by לְ, Ps 139:6 it is
high, לֹא אוּכַל לָהּ
I cannot (reach) to it.
2.
prevail:
a. absolute prevail, overcome, be victor
Gen 30:8
(
E
),
Gen 32:29 (
J
),
Hos
12:5; 1Sam 26:25; 1Kgs 22:22 = 2Chr 18:21; Jer 20:7
;
Jer 20:11 of waves Jer 5:22
succeed
Isa
16:12
; Jer 3:5
(
VB
hast had they way).
b. followed by לְ
person,
prevail against, over
Gen 32:26
(
J
),
Num 13:30 (
J
E
),
Judg
16:5;
1Sam 17:9; Jer 1:19; Jer 15:20; Jer 20:10; Jer 38:22; Obad 1:7;
Ps 129:2
;
Esth 6:13.
c.
once with suffix, יְכָלְתִּיו
Ps 13:5
I have prevailed over him, + Zech 9:15 (where read וְיָכְלוּם
for
וְאָֽכְלוּ with
ᵐ5
ᵑ7
KloThLZ 1879. 564
StaZAW 1881, 18).
3. absolute have ability, strength, only negative
מִשְּׂאֵתוֺ
לֹא
אוּכָ֑ל
Job
31:23
because of his loftiness I have no ability, am inadequate (to anything).