Strong's Lexicon

H7535

H7535 — רַק

Hebrew / Aramaic entry for Bible study and original-language reference.

HebrewraqadverbOccurrences: 109TWOT: 2218a

Definition / Gloss

Strong's Number:H7535
Word:רַק
Part of Speech:adverb
Etymology:the same as H7534 as a noun
Language:Hebrew
Occurrences:109
Transliteration:raq
Phonetic Spelling/Pronunciation:rak
Meaning:1. (properly) leanness, i.e. (figuratively) limitation 2. only adverbial, merely, or conjunctional, although
KJV Renderings:but, even, except, howbeit howsoever, at the least, nevertheless, nothing but, notwithstanding, only, save, so (that), surely, yet (so), in any wise.

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Brown-Driver-Briggs Enhanced

BDB8113

רַק

1. adjective thin; — feminine plural רַקּוֺת, of kine, Gen 41:19; Gen 41:20; Gen 41:27 (|| Gen 41:3 Gen 41:4 דַּקּוֺת).
2.109 adverb with restrictive force, only, altogether, surely (synonym אַךְ ); —
a. only, Gen 14:24; Gen 41:40 רַק הַכִּסֵּא אֶגְדַּל מִמֶּךָּ only as regards the throne, etc., Gen 47:22 רַק אַדְמַת הַכֹּהֲנִים לֹא קָנָה, Gen 50:8; Exod 8:5 רַק בַּיְאֹר תִּשָּׁאַרְנָה, Exod 10:17 וְיָסֵר מֵעָלַי רַק הַמָּוֶת הַזֶּה only this death, Deut 2:35 (compare Deut 20:14; Josh 8:2; Josh 8:27), Josh 3:11; Judg 6:39 (compare אַךְ ib. Gen 18:32; Exod 10:17 ), Exod 11:34 (circumstantial clause) רַק הִיא יְחִידָה (there being) only she, an only one, 1Sam 1:13 ; Amos 3:2 רק אתכם ידעתי only you have I known, etc., Job 1:15; Job 1:16; Job 1:17; Job 1:19 וָאִמָּֽלְטָה רַק אֲנִי לְבַדִּי I only, Ps 91:8 + often Once strengthening אַךְ, Num 12:2 ׳ הֲרַק אַךְבְּֿמשֶׁה דִּבֶּר י. And separated (as sometimes in English) from the word actually emphasized, Prov 13:10 רִק בְּזָדוֺן יִתֵּן מַצָּה by pride there only cometh [נָתַן 1.z] contention.
b. prefixed to sentences, to add a limitation on something previously expressed (or implied), Gen 19:8 only to these men do nothing, Gen 24:8 רִק אֶתבְּֿנִי לֹאתָֿהֵ֫נָּה, Exod 8:24 I will let you go . . ., only go not far, v.Exod 8:25 ; Num 20:19 only — it is nothing — let me pass through on my feet (compare Deut 2:28); especially in Deuteronomic writers, as Deut 10:15; Deut 12:15; Deut 20:16; 1Kgs 3:2; 1Kgs 3:3 (compare 2Kgs 12:4; 2Kgs 14:4; 2Kgs 15:4; 2Kgs 15:35 ), 2Kgs 8:19; 2Kgs 11:13; 2Kgs 15:14; 2Kgs 15:23; 2Kgs 3:2 (compare 2Kgs 14:3; 2Kgs 17:2), etc., Isa 4:1 emphasizing a command, Deut 4:9; Deut 12:16; Deut 12:23; Josh 1:7; Josh 1:18; Josh 6:18; Josh 13:6; Josh 22:5 (all D2 ).
c. emphasizing single words, especially adjectives, only = nought but, altogether, Gen 6:5 יֵצֶר מַחְשְׁבוֺת לִבּוֺ רִק רִע is only evil, i.e. exclusively evil, nought but evil, Gen 26:29 עָשִׂינוּ עִמְּךָ רִק טוֺב nothing but good, Deut 28:33 וְהָיִיתָ רִק עָשׁוּק, Isa 28:19 רִק זְוָעָה it shall be nought but terror to, etc., 1Kgs 14:8 (compare אַךְ 2.b. β); followed by an adverb Deut 28:13 וְהָיִיתָ רִק לְמַ֫עְלָה above only; followed by a verb, Judg 14:16 thou dost but hate me.
d. after a negative, save, except (synonym כִּי אִם 2.a.), 1Kgs 8:9 ( = 2Chr 5:10) אֵין בָּאָרוֺן רִק שְׁנֵי לֻהוֺת הָאֲבָנִים, 2Chr 15:5; 2Chr 22:16 ( = 2Chr 18:15), 2Kgs 17:18.
e. with an affirmative, asseverative force, only, altogether = surely, Gen 20:11 רַק אֵין יִרְאַת אלהים במקום הזה, Deut 4:6 (so EV ; but Ges populus mere sapiens, so Di), 1Kgs 21:25 ; 2Chr 28:10; Ps 32:6 רִק לְשֶׁטֶף מים רבים אליו לא יַגִּ֑יעוּ.
f. רִק אִם (רִק prefixed for emphasis) if only, provided only, Deut 15:5 ׳ רִק אִם שׁמוע תשׁמע וג, 1Kgs 8:25 ( = 2Chr 6:16) רִק אִם ישׁמרו בניך דרכם ׳ ללכת וג, 2Kgs 21:8 ( = 2Chr 33:8).


Other Resources

Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament
R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, and Bruce K. Waltke

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