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יָכַח

𐤉𐤊𐤇

yâkach

H3198 verb

SILEX Entry

Root יכח to decide, to judge, to reprove, to correct, to argue

Definition

To decide or judge (typically in a context of arbitration or dispute), to correct or reprove (provide moral guidance or censure), to reason or argue a case (engage in verbal contention with the aim of reaching resolution), or to demonstrate what is right. In causative forms, primarily used of making a determination in legal or interpersonal disputes, admonishing someone for misbehavior, or providing persuasive correction. The semantic range includes judicial arbitration, argumentation, moral rebuke, and convincing or showing someone the proper course of action.

Semantic Range

to decide or arbitrate (in disputes), to judge, to reprove or rebuke, to correct (morally or behaviorally), to argue or reason together (often in an adversarial or persuasive sense), to convict, to justify, to convince, to provide correction or censure, to maintain or plead a case, to appoint (in rare causative use)

Root / Etymology

From the root יָכַח (y-k-ḥ), with core sense of engaging in dispute, correction, or arbitration. Although the root often implies verbal interaction, in practice it can also refer to acts of moral instruction, rebuke, or juridical resolution. The root occurs in both Qal (to argue or reason) and Hiphil (causative: to prove, reprove, or judge) stems, showing a broad development from general argumentation to formal decision-making or correction.

Historical & Contextual Notes

During the monarchic period, יָכַח is frequently used in forensic or juridical contexts, particularly in wisdom literature (e.g., Job, Proverbs), where it conveys the sense of disputing or reasoning to determine what is right in complex situations. It can describe both informal verbal argument and formal legal adjudication. In prophetic literature, the verb is used for divine rebuke or corrective reasoning—often Yahweh addressing Israel for moral failings. In later periods, the term retains these connotations but can also encompass attempts to persuade or convince someone of truth, as in Isaiah 1:18 ('let us reason together'). English translations often render יָכַח as 'rebuke,' 'reprove,' 'correct,' or 'reason,' but none of these fully capture its range from verbal reasoning through forensic adjudication to moral correction. The term can overlap with terms like שָׁפַט (to judge) and הוֹכִיחַ (to rebuke, in Hiphil form), but יָכַח is distinctive in its emphasis on the process of reasoning, argumentation, and corrective arbitration, not only in judicial but also in interpersonal and moral domains.

Translation Consistency

primary "rebuke" 24 occurrences

Most typical sense across the SILEX range is moral correction, censure, or admonition. 'Rebuke' is natural Modern English, commonly used in Bible translation for יָכַח and covers reproving, admonishing, and convicting in dispute contexts while still being usable for related judicial or corrective senses.

Alternatives (35 occurrences):
"reprove" (11x) "correct" (3x) "decide" (3x) "reproved" (2x) "appointed" (2x) "who reproves" (2x) "argue" (2x) "them decide" (1x) "us reason together" (1x) "reproving one" (1x) "contend" (1x) "reproving ones" (1x) "whom he reproves" (1x) "bring correction" (1x) "arbiter" (1x) "plead" (1x) "reason" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to be right (i.e. correct); reciprocal, to argue; causatively, to decide, justify or convict; appoint, argue, chasten, convince, correct(-ion), daysman, dispute, judge, maintain, plead, reason (together), rebuke, reprove(-r), surely, in any wise.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

יכח (y-k-ḥ) — decide, judge, reprove, correct, argue

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H8433 תּוֹכֵחָה in his corrective-argument

Word Forms

34 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H3198-20 וְ/הוֹכִ֥חַ vehokhicha HC/Vhp3ms and-he-will-rebuke and he reproved and he will decide 7
H3198-07 מוֹכִ֑יחַ mokhicha HVhrmsa reprover the one who reproves the one who rebukes 7
H3198-32 יוֹכִֽיחַ yokhicha HVhi3ms does reprove he will adjudicate he will rebuke 6
H3198-04 הוֹכֵ֤חַ hokhecha HVha reproof to render judgment to rebuke 5
H3198-17 וַ/יּ֥וֹכַח vayokhach HC/Vhw3ms and-he-rebuked and he decided and he rebuked 3
H3198-27 וְ/יוֹכַ֣ח veyokhach HC/Vhi3ms and-he-might-plead and he will render judgment and he will plead 2
H3198-14 תוֹכִיחֵ֑/נִי tokhicheni HVhi2ms/Sp1cs rebuke me you must correct me rebuke me 2
H3198-18 וְ/הֹֽכַחְתִּי/ו֙ vehokhachetiv HC/Vhq1cs/Sp3ms I will correct him and I will reprove him and I will correct him 1
H3198-31 יוֹכַ֣ח yokhach HVhj3ms rebuke let him render judgment rebuke 1
H3198-21 וְ/הוּכַ֣ח vehukhach HC/VHq3ms and-he-is-reproved and he was reproved and he was reproved 1

Occurrences in Scripture

59 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H3198-25 Genesis 20:16 וְ/נֹכָֽחַת venokhachat HC/VNrfsa you are vindicated the one being reproved the one being reproved
H3198-20 Genesis 21:25 וְ/הוֹכִ֥חַ vehokhicha HC/Vhp3ms reproved and he reproved and he rebuked
H3198-03 Genesis 24:14 הֹכַ֨חְתָּ֙ hokhacheta HVhp2ms you have appointed you have reproved you have appointed
H3198-05 Genesis 24:44 הֹכִ֥יחַ hokhicha HVhp3ms has appointed he adjudicated has appointed
H3198-29 Genesis 31:37 וְ/יוֹכִ֖יחוּ veyokhichu HC/Vhj3mp let them judge and let them decide and let them decide
H3198-17 Genesis 31:42 וַ/יּ֥וֹכַח vayokhach HC/Vhw3ms and rebuked and he decided and he rebuked
H3198-04 Leviticus 19:17 הוֹכֵ֤חַ hokhecha HVha surely-rebuke to render judgment to rebuke
H3198-13 Leviticus 19:17 תּוֹכִ֨יחַ֙ tokhicha HVhi2ms you-shall-rebuke you shall reprove you shall reprove
H3198-18 2 Samuel 7:14 וְ/הֹֽכַחְתִּי/ו֙ vehokhachetiv HC/Vhq1cs/Sp3ms I will correct him and I will reprove him and I will correct him
H3198-20 2 Kings 19:4 וְ/הוֹכִ֨יחַ֙ vehokhicha HC/Vhq3ms and will rebuke and he reproved and he will rebuke
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