אַךְ159 H0389
A discourse particle: surely, indeed (asseverative); only, merely (restrictive); but, however (adversative).
A small but powerful Hebrew particle that colors entire clauses with emphasis, restriction, or contrast. When Laban exclaims 'Surely you are my bone and my flesh!' (Gen 29:14), אַךְ conveys the thrill of recognition. When God says Israel may eat meat 'only you shall not eat the blood' (Gen 9:4), it draws a sharp boundary. And when a psalmist concedes 'but surely God is good to Israel' (Ps 73:1), it pivots from doubt to faith. German captures the range well with fürwahr (surely), nur (only), and aber (but), while Spanish uses ciertamente, solamente, and pero—three distinct words for one versatile particle.
Senses
1. only, merely (restrictive) — Restrictive: 'only, merely, nothing but.' Limits the scope of what follows, marking an exception or condition. In Exodus 12:16 no work shall be done, 'only what is eaten by every person—that alone shall be prepared.' Spanish solamente and German nur render this limiting function precisely. The particle narrows the field of possibility, functioning much like English 'only' or 'just' (Gen 34:23, Exod 10:17). 57×
AR["أَكَّدَ", "إِلَّا", "إِنَّمَا", "فَقَط", "فَقَطْ", "فَقَطْ-", "لٰكِنْ"]·ben["কিন্তু", "কেবল", "কেবল-", "শুধু", "শুধু-"]·DE["nur", "nur-"]·EN["only"]·FR["seulement"]·heb["אך"]·HI["केवल", "बस", "बस-", "सिरफ़"]·ID["hanya", "hanya-", "tetapi"]·IT["solo", "soltanto"]·jav["Naming", "Namung", "namung", "namung-"]·KO["다만", "단지", "단지-", "막", "오직"]·PT["Apenas", "Porém", "Somente", "apenas", "porém", "somente", "somente-", "só"]·RU["однако", "только", "только-"]·ES["Pero", "Solo", "solamente", "solo", "solo-"]·SW["Lakini", "Musa", "isipokuwa", "lakini", "tu"]·TR["ancak", "ancak-", "den-", "sadece", "sadece-", "uyandırmak-sadece"]·urd["بس", "بس-", "صرف", "صرف-", "فقط", "مگر"]
2. surely, indeed (asseverative) — Asseverative: 'surely, indeed, certainly.' Introduces emphatic affirmation, often marking the speaker's sudden realization or confident assertion. Laban's 'Surely you are my bone and flesh!' (Gen 29:14), Samuel's 'Surely the Lord's anointed is before him!' (1 Sam 16:6). French certes/certainement and German fürwahr capture this emphatic certainty. Often appears in colloquial, emotionally charged speech. 57×
AR["أَكيداً", "أَكِيدًا", "أَكْ", "إنَّما", "إِلَّا", "إِنَّما", "إِنَّمَا", "حَقًّا", "حَقًّا-", "حَقّاً", "فَقَطْ"]·ben["অবশ্যই", "অবশ্যই-", "কেবল", "নিশ্চয়", "নিশ্চয়-", "নিশ্চয়ই", "শুধু", "সত্যি"]·DE["doch", "fuerwahrlich", "fürwahr", "gewiss", "gewiss-"]·EN["surely", "surely-"]·FR["certainement", "certes"]·heb["אך", "אך-"]·HI["अक", "अवश्य", "निश्चय", "निसचय", "बस"]·ID["Hanya", "Pasti", "Sesungguhnya", "Tentu", "Tentu-saja", "pasti", "pasti-", "sesungguhnya", "sungguh", "tentu", "tentulah"]·IT["certamente"]·jav["Naming", "Namung", "Namung-", "Naméng", "Saestu", "Sayektosipun", "amargi", "jangkah", "namung", "nanging", "sayektos", "sayektosipun", "tamtu", "temtu"]·KO["분명히", "오직", "참으로", "틀림없이", "확실히"]·PT["Certamente", "Somente", "certamente", "certamente-"]·RU["верно", "воистину", "да", "действительно", "действительно-", "истинно", "конечно", "однако", "только", "только-", "точно"]·ES["Ciertamente", "ciertamente", "ciertamente-", "sin-embargo"]·SW["Hakika", "hakika", "na-mtoto"]·TR["Gerçekten", "Gerçekten-", "ancak", "evet", "gerçekten", "gerçekten-", "kesinlikle", "sadece-", "yalnizca"]·urd["بس", "بیشَک", "بیشَک-", "بے-شک", "لیکن", "یقیناً"]
Gen 26:9, Gen 29:14, Gen 44:28, Exod 12:15, Num 12:2, Deut 16:15, Judg 3:24, Judg 20:39, 1 Sam 8:9, 1 Sam 16:6, 1 Sam 25:21, 1 Kgs 22:32 (+38 more)
3. but, however (adversative) — Adversative: 'but, however, yet.' Introduces a contrast, qualification, or concession against what precedes. In Genesis 9:4, after granting permission to eat meat: 'but flesh with its life-blood you shall not eat.' In Genesis 20:12, Abraham qualifies: 'but indeed she is my sister.' Spanish pero/sin embargo and German aber render this contrastive pivot clearly. This sense often softens or redirects, rather than flatly contradicting. 47×
AR["أَكَّ", "إلّا", "إِلَّا", "بَلْ", "لكِن", "لكِنْ", "لَكِن", "لَكِنْ", "لٰكِنْ", "وَلٰكِنْ"]·ben["কিন্তু", "কিন্তু-", "কেবল", "শুধু"]·DE["aber", "fuerwahrlich", "gewiss"]·EN["Yet", "but", "surely", "yet"]·FR["certes", "mais"]·heb["אַךְ", "אך"]·HI["अक", "केवल", "पर", "परंतु", "परन्तु", "लेकिन"]·ID["Namun", "Tetapi", "hanya", "namun", "tetapi"]·IT["certamente", "ma"]·jav["Namung", "Nanging", "namung", "nanging"]·KO["그러나", "다만", "오직", "하지만"]·PT["Mas", "Porém", "Somente", "certamente", "contudo", "mas", "porém", "somente", "¶ Porém"]·RU["Но", "но", "однако", "только"]·ES["Ciertamente", "Pero", "Sin-embargo", "Solo", "ciertamente", "pero", "sin-embargo"]·SW["Lakini", "hata-hivyo", "lakini", "lakini-"]·TR["Ama", "ama", "ancak", "fakat", "yalnızca"]·urd["بس", "لیکن", "مگر"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
אַךְ159 adv. (perh. from the same demonstr. root found also in כִּי, כֹּה, כֵּן). 1. surely. 2. with a restrictive force, emphasizing what follows: a. in contrast to what precedes, howbeit; b. in contrast with other ideas generally, only. 1. asseverative, often introducing with emphasis the expression of a truth (or supposed truth) newly perceived, especially in colloquial language, surely, no…