רַק H7535
only, merely, surely (restrictive/asseverative particle); except (exceptive particle)
Senses
1. only, merely, surely (restrictive/asseverative particle) — The primary adverbial sense of רַק functioning as a restrictive particle ('only,' 'merely,' 'nothing but') or with asseverative force ('surely,' 'certainly'), limiting or emphasizing a statement. This covers the vast majority of occurrences (108 of 109). Arabic فَقَطْ (faqaṭ, 'only/just'), Spanish solo/ciertamente ('only/certainly'), Hindi केवल/बस (keval/bas, 'only/just'), Korean 오직/다만 (ojik/daman, 'only/merely'), Swahili tu/hakika ('only/surely'). Used throughout the Pentateuch and historical books to restrict commands (Genesis 6:5 'only evil,' 20:11 'surely there is no fear'), qualify permissions (Genesis 34:15 'only on this condition'), and emphasize assertions (Deuteronomy 4:9 'only take heed'). 108×
AR["فَقَط","فَقَطْ"]·ben["কেবল","তোমার-সঙ্গে","শুধু"]·DE["gewiss","nur","nur-"]·EN["only"]·FR["seulement"]·heb["רק"]·HI["और-पीऊंगा","केवल","केवल-","बस"]·ID["Hanya","hanya","pasti"]·IT["solo"]·jav["Namung","namung","namung-"]·KO["다만","단지","오직"]·PT["Somente","apenas","somente"]·RU["Только","только"]·ES["Solo","solamente","solo"]·SW["Ibrahimu","isipokuwa","lakini","macho-yangu","na-wakawaokoa","tu"]·TR["Sadece","sadece"]·urd["بس","صرف"]
2. except (exceptive particle) — A specialized adverbial use of רַק functioning as an exceptive particle meaning 'except' or 'save that,' introducing an exception to a preceding statement. Distinctively rendered in Arabic as إِلَّا (illā, 'except/unless') rather than the usual فَقَطْ, and in Swahili as ila ('except') rather than tu ('only'), confirming that target languages recognize this as a semantically distinct function. Spanish solo in this context carries the force of 'save/except,' Hindi केवल (keval) similarly shifts to an exceptive reading, and Korean 오직 (ojik) takes on the nuance of 'but only.' This rare use (1 occurrence) marks a logical exception rather than a restriction on scope. 1×
AR["إِلَّا"]·ben["শুধু-"]·DE["ausser"]·EN["except"]·FR["sauf"]·heb["רק"]·HI["केवल"]·ID["hanya"]·IT["tranne"]·jav["kejawi"]·KO["오직"]·PT["senão"]·RU["только"]·ES["solo"]·SW["ila"]·urd["مگر"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
רַק †1. adj. thin;—fpl. רַקּוֹת, of kine, Gn 41:19, 20, 27 (‖ v 3, 4 דַּקּוֹת). 2. 109 adv. with restrictive force, only, altogether, surely (syn. אַךְ);— a. only, Gn 14:24; 41:40 רַק הַכִּסֵּא אֶגְדַּל מִמֶּךָּ only as regards the throne, etc., 47:22 רַק אַדְמַת הַכֹּהֲנִים לֹא קָנָה, 50:8; Ex 8:5 רַק בַּיְאֹר תִּשָּׁאַרְנָח, 10:17 וְיָסֵר מֵעָלַי רַק הַמָּוֶת הַזֶּה only this death, Dt 2:35…