Lexical Summary yak: To be precious, to be esteemed, to be valuable Original Word: יַךְ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance wayside By erroneous transcription for yad; a hand or side -- (way-)side. see HEBREW yad NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originscribal error for yad, q.v. Yekoneyah Definition see NH3204. Topical Lexicon Root Association and Semantic Field Strong’s Hebrew 3197, יַךְ (yakh), is a verbal form related to the well-attested root נכה, “to strike,” “to smite,” “to wound,” or “to beat.” Although this exact form is unattested in the Hebrew canon, it belongs to the same semantic family that supplies some of the Old Testament’s most vivid descriptions of both divine and human action—acts of judgment, discipline, warfare, and sometimes even deliverance. Canonical Context of the Root נכה 1. Divine judgment: “The LORD will strike Egypt with a plague; He will strike them and heal them” (Isaiah 19:22). These texts confirm that the wider root family conveys both punitive and protective dimensions—Yahweh smites His enemies yet also smites in order to heal or to preserve covenant holiness. Historical Background In the Ancient Near East, “striking” language permeated legal documents, royal inscriptions, and battlefield records. Kings boasted that their deity enabled them to “strike” foes, and treaties threatened divine smiting upon violators. Israel’s Scriptures adopt that common tongue yet redirect the focus: only Yahweh ultimately “strikes,” and He does so in perfect righteousness (Psalm 94:1–2). Theological Themes 1. Divine Sovereignty: The root underscores that judgment is in God’s hand alone (Psalm 135:10). Christological Fulfillment The Gospels portray Jesus as the Suffering Servant who endures the ultimate “striking.” Matthew 26:67 records, “Then they spat in His face and struck Him.” Peter interprets this in 1 Peter 2:24, declaring that Christ “bore our sins in His body on the tree,” so that the blows of judgment fell on Him instead of upon those who believe. Ministry Implications 1. Preaching and Teaching: Highlight the tension between God’s righteous smiting and His restorative purpose. The same hand that disciplines also heals. Practical Reflection • Personal Holiness: Just as God smote Egypt’s firstborn yet spared Israel under the blood, believers today live under Christ’s atoning protection, motivating holiness rather than presumption. Conclusion Although the specific form יַךְ does not appear in the biblical text, its root family permeates Scripture, weaving a consistent message: the God who smites is also the God who saves. Properly understood, the theme urges reverence, repentance, and resilient hope anchored in the finished work of the One who was “stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted” for our redemption. Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance mî·yā·ṭə·ḇā·ṯāh — 1 Occ.yā·ṭə·ḇā·ṯāh — 1 Occ. wə·yūṭ·ṭāh — 1 Occ. yuṭ·ṭāh — 1 Occ. wî·ṭūr — 1 Occ. yə·ṭūr — 2 Occ. bay·ya·yin — 5 Occ. bə·ya·yin — 1 Occ. bə·yên — 1 Occ. hay·yayn — 1 Occ. kə·ya·yin — 1 Occ. kə·yên — 2 Occ. lay·ya·yin — 1 Occ. mî·yā·yin — 9 Occ. mî·yê·nāh — 1 Occ. mî·yê·nōw — 1 Occ. ū·mî·yên — 1 Occ. ū·ḇay·ya·yin — 1 Occ. ū·ḇə·yên — 1 Occ. ḇay·ya·yin — 1 Occ. |