יָלַךְ
to walk
‘to walk’ is one of 2 main senses fuller range ↓
H3212
Strong's Hebrew
yâlak
Transliteration
/yaw-lak'/
Pronunciation
Usage in the Hebrew Bible
1,044
appearances
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
BDB Definition
to go, walk, come
- (Qal)
- to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away
- to die, live, manner of life (figuratively)
- (Hiphil) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk
Where this word appears
See every Qal verb in the Hebrew Bible →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Verb
- An action or state-of-being word.
- Particle
- A short function word — article, negation, interrogative, the sign of the direct object, and the like.
Stem
- Qal
- The basic, simple active stem — the plain form of the verb (“he wrote”). Here: ‘lit.’
- Hiphil
- The causative active stem (“he caused / brought about”). Here: ‘lead’
Form
- Sequential Imperfect
- An imperfect with prefixed waw — the standard past-narrative form (waw-consecutive imperfect).
- Imperative
- A direct command (“write!”).
- Infinitive Construct
- A bound verbal noun, frequently with prepositions (“to write / in writing”).
- Imperfect
- An incomplete, ongoing, or future action (“he will / would write”).
- Cohortative
- A first-person volitional form expressing wish or resolve (“let me / let us write”).
- Jussive
- A third- or second-person volitional form expressing wish or command (“let him write”).
- Participle Active
- A verbal adjective expressing ongoing or characteristic action (“writing / one who writes”).
- Sequential Perfect
- A perfect with prefixed waw continuing a preceding imperfect or command (waw-consecutive perfect).
- Perfect
- A completed action or state — Hebrew marks aspect (completeness) more than strict tense (“he wrote”).
State
- Absolute
- The independent form of a noun, not bound to a following word.
- Construct
- A noun bound to a following noun in a possessive / “of” relationship (the construct chain).
Person
- 3rd Person
- The one spoken about (“he / she / it / they”).
- 2nd Person
- The one addressed (“you”).
- 1st Person
- The speaker (“I / we”).
Gender
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
- Common
- Either gender — not distinguished for this form.
- Feminine
- Grammatically feminine.
Number
- Singular
- One.
- Plural
- More than one (in Hebrew, generally three or more).
74 verses where H3212 appears in the Qal stem in the Book of 2 Kings. Filtered view — show all forms. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Hebrew form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Hebrew Bible; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences are not indexed here.
2 Kings
- 2 Kings 1:2 לְכ֣וּ Qal impv 2mp Ahaziah fell down through the lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said to them, Go, inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover of this sickness.
- 2 Kings 1:4 וַ/יֵּ֖לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Now therefore thus says Yahweh, You shall not come down from the bed where you are gone up, but shall surely die. Elijah departed.
- 2 Kings 1:6 לְכ֣וּ Qal impv 2mp They said to him, There came up a man to meet us, and said to us, Go, turn again to the king who sent you, and tell him, Thus says Yahweh, Is it because there is no God in Israel, that you send to inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron? therefore you shall not come down from the bed where you are gone up, but shall surely die.
- 2 Kings 2:1 וַ/יֵּ֧לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms It happened, when Yahweh would take up Elijah by a whirlwind into heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
- 2 Kings 2:6 וַ/יֵּלְכ֖וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp Elijah said to him, "Please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me to the Jordan." He said, "As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you." They two went on.
- 2 Kings 2:16 יֵ֣לְכוּ Qal juss 3mp They said to him, See now, there are with your servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray you, and seek your master, lest the Spirit of Yahweh has taken him up, and cast him on some mountain, or into some valley. He said, You shall not send.
- 2 Kings 2:18 תֵּלֵֽכוּ Qal juss 2mp They came back to him, while he stayed at Jericho; and he said to them, "Didn't I tell you, 'Don't go?'"
- 2 Kings 2:25 וַ/יֵּ֥לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.
- 2 Kings 3:7 וַ/יֵּ֡לֶךְ הֲ/תֵלֵ֥ךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms ptcl inter + Qal impf 2ms He went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab has rebelled against me: will you go with me against Moab to battle? He said, I will go up: I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.
- 2 Kings 3:9 וַ/יֵּלֶךְ֩ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom; and they made a circuit of seven days' journey: and there was no water for the host, nor for the animals that followed them.
- 2 Kings 3:13 לֵ֚ךְ Qal impv 2ms Elisha said to the king of Israel, What have I to do with you? get you to the prophets of your father, and to the prophets of your mother. The king of Israel said to him, No; for Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
- 2 Kings 4:3 לְכִ֨י Qal impv 2fs Then he said, Go, borrow you vessels abroad of all your neighbors, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.
- 2 Kings 4:5 וַ/תֵּ֨לֶךְ֙ conj + Qal wimpf 3fs So she went from him, and shut the door on her and on her sons; they brought [the vessels] to her, and she poured out.
- 2 Kings 4:7 לְכִי֙ Qal impv 2fs Then she came and told the man of God. He said, Go, sell the oil, and pay your debt, and live you and your sons of the rest.
- 2 Kings 4:24 וָ/לֵ֑ךְ conj + Qal impv 2ms Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; don't slacken me the riding, except I bid you.
- 2 Kings 4:25 וַ/תֵּ֗לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3fs So she went, and came to the man of God to Mount Carmel. It happened, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is the Shunammite:
- 2 Kings 4:29 וָ/לֵךְ֒ conj + Qal impv 2ms Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up your loins, and take my staff in your hand, and go your way: if you meet any man, Don't greet him; and if anyone greets you, don't answer him again: and lay my staff on the face of the child.
- 2 Kings 4:30 וַ/יֵּ֥לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms The mother of the child said, As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. He arose, and followed her.
- 2 Kings 4:35 וַ/יֵּ֣לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Then he returned, and walked in the house once back and forth; and went up, and stretched himself on him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
- 2 Kings 5:5 לֶךְ וַ/יֵּלֶךְ֩ Qal impv 2ms conj + Qal wimpf 3ms The king of Syria said, Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel. He departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand [pieces] of gold, and ten changes of clothing.
- 2 Kings 5:11 וַ/יֵּלַ֑ךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms But Naaman was angry, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
- 2 Kings 5:12 וַ/יֵּ֥לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Aren't Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
- 2 Kings 5:19 לֵ֣ךְ וַ/יֵּ֥לֶךְ Qal impv 2ms conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He said to him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.
- 2 Kings 5:24 וַ/יֵּלֵֽכוּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house; and he let the men go, and they departed.
- 2 Kings 6:2 נֵֽלְכָה לֵֽכוּ Qal coh 1cp Qal impv 2mp Let us go, we pray you, to the Jordan, and take there every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. He answered, Go you.
- 2 Kings 6:3 וְ/לֵ֣ךְ אֵלֵֽךְ conj + Qal impv 2ms Qal impf 1cs One said, Be pleased, I pray you, to go with your servants. He answered, I will go.
- 2 Kings 6:4 וַ/יֵּ֖לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms So he went with them. When they came to the Jordan, they cut down wood.
- 2 Kings 6:13 לְכ֤וּ Qal impv 2mp He said, Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him. It was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.
- 2 Kings 6:19 לְכ֣וּ וְ/אוֹלִ֣יכָה וַ/יֹּ֥לֶךְ Qal impv 2mp conj + Hiphil coh 1cs conj + Hiphil wimpf 3ms Elisha said to them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek. He led them to Samaria.
- 2 Kings 6:22 וְ/יֵלְכ֖וּ conj + Qal impf 3mp He answered, You shall not strike them: would you strike those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.
- 2 Kings 6:23 וַ/יֵּלְכ֖וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp He prepared great provision for them; and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. The bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
- 2 Kings 7:4 לְכוּ֙ Qal impv 2mp If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there; and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall to the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.
- 2 Kings 7:8 וַ/יֵּלְכ֖וּ וַ/יֵּלְכ֖וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp conj + Qal wimpf 3mp When these lepers came to the outermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and ate and drink, and carried there silver, and gold, and clothing, and went and hid it; and they came back, and entered into another tent, and carried there also, and went and hid it.
- 2 Kings 7:9 לְכ֣וּ Qal impv 2mp Then they said one to another, We aren't doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we hold our peace: if we wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us; now therefore come, let us go and tell the king's household.
- 2 Kings 7:14 לְכ֥וּ Qal impv 2mp They took therefore two chariots with horses; and the king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see.
- 2 Kings 7:15 וַ/יֵּלְכ֣וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp They went after them to the Jordan: and, behold, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. The messengers returned, and told the king.
- 2 Kings 8:1 וּ/לְכִי֙ conj + Qal impv 2fs Now Elisha had spoken to the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go you and your household, and sojourn wherever you can sojourn: for Yahweh has called for a famine; and it shall also come on the land seven years.
- 2 Kings 8:2 וַ/תֵּ֤לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3fs The woman arose, and did according to the word of the man of God; and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years.
- 2 Kings 8:8 וְ/לֵ֕ךְ conj + Qal impv 2ms The king said to Hazael, Take a present in your hand, and go, meet the man of God, and inquire of Yahweh by him, saying, Shall I recover of this sickness?
- 2 Kings 8:9 וַ/יֵּ֣לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Your son Benhadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, Shall I recover of this sickness?
- 2 Kings 8:10 לֵ֥ךְ Qal impv 2ms Elisha said to him, Go, tell him, You shall surely recover; however Yahweh has shown me that he shall surely die.
- 2 Kings 8:14 וַ/יֵּ֣לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Then he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to him, What said Elisha to you? He answered, He told me that you would surely recover.
- 2 Kings 8:18 וַ/יֵּ֜לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab as wife; and he did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh.
- 2 Kings 8:27 וַ/יֵּ֗לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as did the house of Ahab; for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab.
- 2 Kings 8:28 וַ/יֵּ֜לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead: and the Syrians wounded Joram.
- 2 Kings 9:1 וְ/לֵ֖ךְ conj + Qal impv 2ms Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said to him, Gird up your loins, and take this vial of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead.
- 2 Kings 9:4 וַ/יֵּ֧לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead.
- 2 Kings 9:15 לָ/לֶ֖כֶת prep + Qal inf.cs but king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) Jehu said, If this be your mind, then let none escape and go forth out of the city, to go to tell it in Jezreel.
- 2 Kings 9:16 וַ/יֵּ֣לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram.
- 2 Kings 9:18 וַ/יֵּלֶךְ֩ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus says the king, Is it peace? Jehu said, What have you to do with peace? turn you behind me. The watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, but he isn't coming back.
- 2 Kings 9:35 וַ/יֵּלְכ֖וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp They went to bury her; but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.
- 2 Kings 10:12 וַ/יֵּ֖לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He arose and departed, and went to Samaria. As he was at the shearing-house of the shepherds in the way,
- 2 Kings 10:15 וַ/יֵּ֣לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms When he was departed there, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him; and he greeted him, and said to him, Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart? Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me your hand. He gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.
- 2 Kings 10:16 לְכָ֣/ה Qal impv 2ms + sfx h He said, Come with me, and see my zeal for Yahweh. So they made him ride in his chariot.
- 2 Kings 10:25 וַ/יֵּלְכ֖וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp It happened, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and kill them; let none come forth. They struck them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal.
- 2 Kings 10:31 לָ/לֶ֛כֶת prep + Qal inf.cs But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of Yahweh, the God of Israel, with all his heart: he didn't depart from the sins of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to sin.
- 2 Kings 13:2 וַ֠/יֵּלֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin; he didn't depart from it.
- 2 Kings 13:21 וַ/יֵּ֜לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms It happened, as they were burying a man, that behold, they spied a band; and they cast the man into the tomb of Elisha: and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.
- 2 Kings 14:8 לְכָ֖/ה Qal impv 2ms + sfx h Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.
- 2 Kings 16:3 וַ/יֵּ֕לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yes, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations, whom Yahweh cast out from before the children of Israel.
- 2 Kings 16:10 וַ/יֵּ֣לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria, and saw the altar that was at Damascus; and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship of it.
- 2 Kings 17:8 וַ/יֵּֽלְכוּ֙ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp and walked in the statutes of the nations, whom Yahweh cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they made.
- 2 Kings 17:15 וַ/יֵּ֨לְכ֜וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp They rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified to them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and [went] after the nations that were round about them, concerning whom Yahweh had charged those who they should not do like them.
- 2 Kings 17:19 וַ/יֵּ֣לְכ֔וּ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp Also Judah didn't keep the commandments of Yahweh their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.
- 2 Kings 17:22 וַ/יֵּֽלְכוּ֙ conj + Qal wimpf 3mp The children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they didn't depart from them;
- 2 Kings 17:27 הֹלִ֤יכוּ וְ/יֵלְכ֖וּ Hiphil impv 2mp conj + Qal impf 3mp Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry there one of the priests whom you brought from there; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the law of the god of the land.
- 2 Kings 19:36 וַ/יֵּ֔לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and lived at Nineveh.
- 2 Kings 21:21 וַ/יֵּ֕לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshiped them:
- 2 Kings 22:2 וַ/יֵּ֗לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, and walked in all the way of David his father, and didn't turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
- 2 Kings 22:13 לְכוּ֩ Qal impv 2mp Go you, inquire of Yahweh for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found; for great is the wrath of Yahweh that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not listened to the words of this book, to do according to all that which is written concerning us.
- 2 Kings 22:14 וַ/יֵּ֣לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the second quarter); and they talked with her.
- 2 Kings 23:3 לָ/לֶ֜כֶת prep + Qal inf.cs The king stood by the pillar, and made a covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all [his] heart, and all [his] soul, to confirm the words of this covenant that were written in this book: and all the people stood to the covenant.
- 2 Kings 23:29 וַ/יֵּ֨לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms In his days Pharaoh Necoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and [Pharaoh Necoh] killed him at Megiddo, when he had seen him.
- 2 Kings 25:4 וַ/יֵּ֖לֶךְ conj + Qal wimpf 3ms Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war [fled] by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king's garden (now the Chaldeans were against the city round about); and [the king] went by the way of the Arabah.
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
ילך (yâlak) is a Hebrew verb most often rendered “to walk.” Across 5 stems, its meaning turns on the binyan (Qal, Niphal). The Hebrew Bible uses it across 936 verses — among the most common. It first appears in Genesis 3:14. Sharing its root, it stands alongside הלך, הליך and הלך. For the data behind this summary, explore the sense tree and the renderings breakdown below.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
Strong's · 1890
[idiom] again
Modern gloss
to walk
Strong's 1890 sometimes compressed multiple senses — or homonymous roots — under one number, and used 19th-century English phrasing that no longer carries the same connotation. The modern gloss reflects current BDB scholarship; open the Lexicon Entry tab for the full sense breakdown.
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About this word
Strong's H3212 catalogs a Hebrew word from the Hebrew Old Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Hebrew Old Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 936
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 936 distinct verses.
- 34 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 34 of 39 Old Testament books.
- #42
- by frequency
- Top 50 most frequent Hebrew words (rank 42 of 8,640 Hebrew words by occurrence).
View all 936 occurrences in the concordance →
By section of the Old Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Each share is this word’s portion of its verses in that division of the Hebrew canon. Each figure is a share of the word’s 936 distinct verses.
- Prophets (Nevi'im) 577 verses · 62%
- Torah (Pentateuch) 209 verses · 22%
- Writings (Ketuvim) 150 verses · 16%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
- King James Version: Went 172×, Go 171×, Come 56×
- American Standard Version: Went 165×, Go 133×, Come 50×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text: Go 239×, Went 177×, And 84×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders H3212 across 1,046 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 215 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders H3212 across 1,041 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 253 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders H3212 across 1,199 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 118 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
58 senses and sub-senses in the full BDB
Hebrew verbs can shift meaning by stem (binyan): Qal is the basic action, Niphal is often passive or reflexive, Piel often intensifies or makes it factitive, and Hiphil is typically causative. The senses below are grouped under the stem BDB assigns to each. This entry also uses Hithpael (reflexive or reciprocal).
What do BDB’s symbols mean?
BDB uses these scholarly abbreviations:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 𝔊 | the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation, LXX) |
| 𝔙 | the Vulgate (the Latin translation) |
| 𝔖 | the Syriac version (the Peshitta) |
| 𝔗 | the Targum (the Aramaic translation) |
| ψ | the Psalms |
| √ | root (the underlying root or stem) |
| ‖ | parallel passage (a synonymous or contrasted parallel) |
| † | the dagger: every passage where the word occurs is cited |
The 58 senses and sub-senses the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency), with BDB’s own verbatim wording and sub-sense lettering. Shown in Hebrew script with BDB’s own scholarly abbreviations. The condensed entry is in the Lexicon Entry tab. See also the Forms in the corpus table below.
Qal
- Pf. 3 ms. ה׳ Gn 26:26 +; הָלָ֑ךְ 2 S 8:6 +; 3 pl. הָֽלְכוּ Gn 14:24 +; (הֶ)הָֽלְכוּא Jos 10:24 (Ges§ 23, 3; 138, 3 b Köi 414 f.), etc.; Impf. rarely a. 3 ms. יַהֲלֹךְ Je 9:3 + 4 times Jb ψ; וַיַּהֲלֹךְ Jb 14:20; 3 fs. תִּהֲלַךְ ψ 73:9; וַתִּהֲלַךְ Ex 9:23 (Ew§ 138 b Ges§ 69, R. 8 Köi 415); 1 s. אֶהֱלֹךְ Jb 16:22; 23:8 (cf. MI 14.15); יַהֲלֹ֑כוּ Jb 41:11; usually b. (629 times) as if from ילך (ולך; vid. Hiph. Ges§69, 2 R. 8 Köi 414 ff.; PrätZAW 1882, 310 ff.; cf. also יָלַד etc.) 3 ms. יֵלֵךְ Ex 10:24 +; יֵלֵ֑ךְ Ec 5:15 +; וְיֵלַ֑ךְ Jb 27:21; יֵלֶךְ־ Ex 34:9 +; וַיֵּ֫לֶךְ Gn 12:4(×2) + 210 times, וַיֵּלַ֑ךְ Gn 24:61 + 6 times; 3 fs. תֵּלֵךְ Gn 24:39 תֵּלֵ֑ךְ ψ 97:3; וַתֵּ֫לֶךְ Gn 7:18 +; 2 ms. תֵּלֵךְ etc. Gn 3:14 +; 2 fs. תֵּלְכִי etc. Ju 4:8(×2) +; 1 s. אֵלֵךְ Ex 3:11 +; וָאֵלֵךְ Ju 19:18 +; וָאֵלַ֑ךְ Jb 19:10; אֵלְכָה Gn 45:28 +, אֵילְכָה Mi 1:8; 3 mpl. יֵלְכוּ Ex 5:7 +; יֵלֵכ֑וּן ψ 89:31 + 2 times; וַיֵּלְכוּ Gn 9:23 (וילכו also SI 4) +; 3 fpl. תֵּלַכְנָה Ju 11:40 +; 2 mpl. תֵּלְכוּ Gn 42:38 +; תֵּלְכוּן Dt 6:14; תֵּלֵכ֑וּן Ex 3:21 Is 52:12; 2 fpl. תֵּלַכְנָה Ru 1:11; 1 pl. נֵלֵךְ Ex 8:23 +; וַנֵּ֫לֶךְ Dt 1:19, etc.; Imv. rarely a. הֲלוֹךְ Pr 13:20 (Kt; Qr הֹלֵךְ, cf. De Now); mpl. הִלְכוּ Je 51:50; usually b. (241 times) ms. לֵךְ Gn 26:16 + (לִך also MI 14), לֶךְ־ Gn 27:9 +; לְכָה Gn 19:32 +; לְךָ Nu 23:13 Ju 19:13 2 Ch 25:17; לֵ֑כָה 1 S 23:27; fs. לְכִי Ju 9:10 לֵ֑כִי Ex 2:8; mpl. לְכוּ Gn 37:20 +; fpl. לֵ֫כְנָה Ru 1:8, לֵ֫כְןָ Ru 1:12, etc.; Inf. abs. הָלוֹךְ Gn 8:3 +; הָלֹךְ Gn 31:30 +; cstr. rarely a. הֲלֹךְ Ex 3:19 + 4 times; הֲלָךְ־ Ec 6:9; usually b. (129 times) לֶ֫כֶת Mi 6:8 +; לָ֑כֶת Pr 15:21 + 2 times; sf. לֶכְתִּי 1 K 2:8; לֶכְתָּם 2 S 17:21 + 7 times (6 Ez); לֶכְתָּן Ez 1:9, 12, 17, etc.; Pt. הֹלֵךְ Gn 18:16 +; הוֹלֵךְ Gn 15:2 +; f. הֹלְכָה Je 3:6; הֹלֶכֶת Gn 32:21 + 2 times + הֹלֶכֶת֯י 2 K 4:23; pl. הֹלְכִים Ex 33:15 +, etc.; cstr. הֹלְכֵי Ju 5:6 + 3 times; fpl. הֹלְכֹת etc. Ex 2:5 + 3 times;—found in all documents of Hex, especially JE (240 times; D 65 times, P 30 times + H 14 times);— e.g. Genesis 26:26
- I. lit.
- 1. of persons,
- a. go, proceed, move, walk Gn 22:6, 8 Ex 17:5 Am 3:3 Zp 1:17 + often; of cherubim Ez 10:16 = living creatures 1:9, 12, 19, 20, 21, 24; opp. to sitting (ישׁב) Dt 6:7; 11:19 (both c. בַּדֶּרֶךְ); ‖ running (רוץ) Pr 4:12 Is 40:31, cf. also 2 Ch 30:6; distinguished from riding, driving Gn 24:65 (J; sq. בַּשָּׂדֶה לִקְרָאתֵנוּ), Ju 5:10 (עַל־הַדֶּרֶךְ), Is 41:3 (בְּרַגְלָיו), cf. Ec 5:1 (sq. אֶל), 10:7 (sq. עַל־הָאָרֶץ); on usage with prep. v. infr.; but also ‖ וַיִּרְכַּב 1 K 13:13; 18:45 cf. 2 K 9:16; וַיֵּלֶךְ רֹכֵב הַסּוּס v 18 (sq. לִקְרָאתוֹ); נְהַג וָלֵךְ … וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתָּבֹא 4:24 drive and go forward … and she went, and came. e.g. Genesis 22:6
- b. depart, go away: Gn 18:33 (J), and י׳ departed, Gn 34:17 (P) then we will take our daughter and depart; cf. 1 S 14:3; 15:27 Ex 3:19 (J), 12:28 (P) 2 K 5:25 +; go, go out (to a specific duty etc.): of Samuel 1 S 7:16, Barak Ju 4:8(×2); go out, forth (opp. שׁוּב) Ru 1:21 +; = go into exile (without modifier) 1 Ch 5:41 cf. Je 22:10 (הֹלֵךְ of one going into exile; opp. death); v. further אֲשֶׁר הָֽלְכוּ שָׁם Ez 37:21. e.g. Genesis 18:33
- c. less often where Eng. idiom requires or prefers come, (approach, arrive), vb. in Heb. being referred to starting point; mostly c. prep. (on usage c. prep. in gen. v. infr.):—לְכָה אֵלַי 1 S 17:44; so in prayer to י׳, וּלְכָה לִישֻׁעָ֫תָה לָ֫נוּ ψ 80:3; also in Yahweh’s exhortations to Isr. Is 55:1 (לַמַּיִם), v 3 (אֵלַי); come to, arrive at a land (ָה loc.) Gn 29:1; come unto (אֶל) a people Ru 2:11; but cf. especially (without prep.) Imv. followed by another Imv., etc., v. infr. 5 f, & partic. cases like Nu 22:6, 11, 17; 23:7(×2) Is 55:1(×2) etc., where actual summons to approach the speaker. e.g. 1 Samuel 17:44
- d. with modifiers: (1) α. of space traversed: אֵת כָּל־הַמִּדְבָּר Dt 1:19 (cf. I. אֵת 2), כָּל־הַבִּתְרוֹן 2 S 2:29; especially c. acc. דֶּרֶךְ way, Gn 35:3 (E) Nu 20:17 (JE) Dt 1:31 2 S 4:7, 1 K 13:12(×2); Je 52:7 cf. וְלֹא תָשׁוּב בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר הָלָ֑כְתָּ 1 K 13:9; הֹלֵךְ דֶּרֶךְ = traveller Is 35:8; sq. אֳרָחוֹת Ju 5:6 (song), ptcp. cstr. הֹלְכֵי נְתִיבוֹת v 6 goers of paths (wayfarers); c. acc. דֶּרֶךְ = journey Pr 7:19; β. c. acc. of time Dt 2:14 2 S 2:32, cf. Jos 5:6; 14:10; also, with combination of ideas of space & time דֶּרֶךְ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים Ex 3:18 (+ בַּמִּדְבָּר v. infr.) cf. 5:3; 8:23; 15:22 (all JE) Nu 33:8 (P) 1 K 19:4. (2) c. prep.: α. sq. בְּ of space (territory, country, etc.) in which בַּמִּדְבָּר Ju 11:16, 18; cf. וַיֵּלֶךְ בַּבַּיִת אַחַת הֵנָּה וְאַחַת הֵנָּה 2 K 4:35 and he walked in the house once hither, once thither; especially + acc. of time or distance (cf. supr.) Jos 5:6; 14:10 (both D) 1 K 19:4; בָּֽעֲרָבָה 2 S 2:29; cf. בַּיַּבָּשָׁה Ex 14:29 = 15:19 (P?); בְּתוֹךְ הָעֵמֶק Jos 8:13 (JE); sq. בְּ of way, path בְּדֶרֶךְ 1 K 18:6(×2) בַּדּ׳ Nu 21:22 (JE) Jos 24:17 (E) Dt 1:33; 2:27; Ju 18:6; 1 S 28:22; לֹא תָשׁוּב לָלֶכֶת בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר הָלַכְתָּ בָּהּ 1 K 13:17 (הָלַךְ of both going & coming); so often fig., cf. infr. II. 3; walk in the streets בִּרְחֹבֹת La 4:18, walk by the way בַּדּ׳ (opp. יָשַׁב sit) Dt 6:7; 11:19; β. sq. עַל, go or walk on (by) עַל־יַד הַיְאֹר Ex 2:5; עַל־הַדֶּרֶךְ 1 S 9:6 (i.e. set out, start, upon cf. Dr); cstr. sq. על Ju 5:10. (3) go to, unto: α. sq. acc., in general בְּכָל־אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵךְ Gn 28:15 (J) whithersoever thou goest Jos 1:7, 9 (D), cf. 2 S 7:9; 8:6, 14 = 1 Ch 17:8; 18:6, 13; more definitely, to a land with or without ארץ Ju 1:26; 21:21; Je 37:12; so fig. Ho 7:11 resort to (acc.) Asshur (‖ קרא); to a city 1 S 11:14, 15; 23:5 1 K 2:8; 11:24; 12:1; 14:2, 4 2 K 9:1; 1 Ch 11:4; 2 Ch 8:3; Ezr 8:31; to a house בַּיִת 2 S 13:7, 8, house of י׳ ψ 122:1; a field, Gn 27:5 (J; + Inf. of purpose); valley of salt 2 Ch 25:11. β. sq. ָה loc., אַ֫רְצָה Gn 11:31; 12:5, פַּדֶּ֜נָה אֲרָם 28:2, 5, 7 (all P) cf. 29:1 (E) Nu 32:39 (JE) 2 S 14:23; of city Gn 18:22; 28:10 (both J) Ju 9:1; 1 S 15:34; 16:13; 19:22; 2 S 15:9; 1 K 3:4; 18:45; 2 Ch 10:1; of river Euphrates Je 13:4, 6, 7; of a wood 1 S 23:16; a mountain Jos 2:16 (JE); cf. also אָ֫נָה הָֽלְכוּ whither have they gone Gn 16:8; 32:18; Jos 2:6 (all JE) cf. Ne 2:16; Ct 6:1; Ju 19:17, אָ֫נֶה וָאָ֫נָה 1 K 2:42 (but also אָן ה׳ 1 S 10:14); שָׁ֫מָּה Je 40:4 but also שָׁם 1 S 9:6; Je 45:5; הֵ֫נָּה 2 K 4:35. γ. c. prep.: (a) most often sq. אֶל־ unto, e.g, unto the place, הַמָּקוֹם, Gn 22:3 (E) 30:25 (J), ect.; of land Gn 22:2 (E) 24:4, 10 (J) 36:6 (P) Jos 22:9 (D), etc.; of city Gn 22:19 (E) 1 S 9:10 Jon 3:3, etc.; of house Gn 24:38 (J) Ec 7:2(×2); house of God Ec 4:17; of people Ex 19:10 (E) etc.; in other designations of place, Jos 8:9 (JE), Ezr 10:6 Ru 2:9, etc.; also sq. אֶל = against, of military expedition: Ju 1:10 against Canaanites; a city Ju 9:1 1 K 22:15 = 2 Ch 18:5, 14; also sq. אֶל of individual persons Gn 26:1, 26 (both J), 41:55 (E) 2 K 6:22, 23; 22:14 = 2 Ch 34:22 Je 41:14 +; once with implic. coire cum femina Am 2:7 (cf. בּוֹא 1 e, p. 98); vid. especially לַהֲלֹךְ אֶל־אֵל בַּמִּשְׁפָּט Jb 34:23 of judicial inquiry by God; come unto the speaker Nu 22:16, 37 (both JE), unto the one addressed Is 60:14. (b) rarely sq. עַל־ unto (Je K Ez) c. בַּיִת 1 K 20:43, שָׂדֶה 1 K 2:26 (+ acc. loc.), cf. עַל־כָּל אֲשֶׁר Je 1:7, עַל־אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה שָׁם Ez 1:12 (of the רוּחַ; cf. אֶל־אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה שָׁ֫מָּה v 20); also וַאֲנִי הוֹלֵךְ עַל אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִי הוֹלֵךְ 2 S 15:20 = I am going I know not where cf. Lag Psalt. Hieron. 1874, 156 f. DrSm v. further Je 3:6 (sq. both עַל & אֶל; on confusion of אֶל and עַל vid. these words); sq. עַל against city 1 K 22:6, king 2 Ch 22:5. (c) sq. עַד as far as, unto, place עַד־כֹּה Gn 22:5 (E), cf. 1 K 12:30 (וַיֵּלְכוּ הָעָם לִפְנֵי הָאֶחָד עַד דָּ֑ן), 2 K 6:2; 10:25; 7:15 cf. 2 Ch 26:8; persons 1 S 9:9. (d) sq. לְ, to a land 1 K 10:13 etc.; a city 2 Ch 8:17; a mountain 1 Ch 4:42; a bamah 2 Ch 1:3; cf. לִמְבוֹא גְדֹר 1 Ch 4:39 & v. infr.; also before n.pr. of pers. Gn 24:56 (J); further לַמִּלְחָמָה Ez 7:14; לְסִבְלֹתֵיכֶם Ex 5:4 (J) go to your burdens cf. Is 60:3, וְהַתּוֹדָה הַשֵּׁנִית הַהוֹלֶכֶת לְמוֹאל Ne 12:38 the second thanksgiving choir, that went the opposite way; frequently לְדַרְכּוֹ etc., go (to, on) one’s way Gn 19:2 (J) 32:2 (E) Nu 24:25 Jos 2:16 (both JE) Ju 18:26 1 S 1:18; 26:25 +; לְמַסָּעָיו Gn 13:3 (J); cf. הַהוֹלֵךְ לְמֶרְחֲבֵי־אֶרֶץ Hb 1:6 that marcheth through the breadth of the land (of invader); note especially in sense of depart to, go away to, almost = return to; וְהָלַכְתָּ לְאֹהָלֶיךָ Dt 16:7 and thou shalt go (back) to thy tents, so Ju 19:6; 20:8 1 K 8:66; 12:16 = 2 Ch 10:16; לְבֵיתוֹ 1 S 10:26 cf. 14:8; 23:18 1 K 14:12 1 Ch 16:43; לִמְקוֹמוֹ 1 S 2:20 (cf. VB Dr) 14:46; v. also go away or off to 1 Ch 4:42 2 Ch 8:17. (e) sq. בְּ into בַּשָּׂדֶה Nu 22:23 (of Balaam’s ass); especially in ה׳ בַּשְּׁבִי go into captivity Am 9:4 Na 3:10 Dt 28:41 Je 20:6; 22:22; 30:16 La 1:18 (= ה׳ שְּׁבִי v 5) cf. Ez 30:17, 18 Is 46:2; 48:11 ה׳ בַּגּוֹלָה Je 48:11 Ez 25:3; v. also ה׳ בַּכְּלִמָּה Is 45:16; ה׳ בַּמִּלְחָמָה 1 S 17:13; ה׳ בַּקְּרָ֑ב 2 S 17:11 (but v. Dr). (4) go from, depart from, sq. מִן, e.g. 1 K 2:41, etc., מִשָּׁם Gn 42:26 (E) 1 K 19:19; cf. אָנָה אֵלֵךְ מֵרוּחֶ֑ךָ ψ 139:7; note especially וּמַלְאַךְ י׳ הָלַךְ מֵעֵינָיו Ju 6:21 cf. 1 S 14:17 (מֵעִמָּנוּ), Ho 9:6 (מִשֹּׁד, from destruction); also sq. מֵאֵת of divorced woman Je 3:1 (מֵאִתּוֹ), cf. also Gn 26:31 (J), Jos 22:9 (? P) מֵאֵצֶל 1 K 20:36. (5) c. prep. denoting other relations:—α. אֵת of accompaniment, ה׳ אִתִּי (on warlike expedition) Gn 14:24 cf. 2 S 15:11 Jos 10:24 Ju 1:3 (sq. בְּ into), 7:4(×2), v. also 1 S 23:23 2 S 16:17 +. β. עִם Ju 4:8(×2), 9(×2); 7:4; 11:8 1 S 30:22(×2) 2 S 19:26 Nu 22:13, 14 (JE) +. γ. בְּ with (cf. בְּ III. 1, p. 89), especially Ex 10:9, cf. Ho 5:6 בְּצֹאנָם וּבִבְקָרָם יֵלְכוּ לְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת־י׳, of vain sacrifices; 2 Ch 30:6 the runners went with (בְּ) letters. δ. בְּקֶרֶב in the midst of, Ex 34:9 (JE). ε. לִפְנֵי in front of, before, before Cyrus Is 45:2, (cf. of fire & pestilence, infr. 3); of י׳ going before Isr. Ex 13:21 Nu 14:14, cf. also Ex 23:23; 32:34 & (in meaning) 33:14 (פָּנַי יֵלֵ֑כוּ), v 15, Is 52:12, with which comp. וה׳ לְפָנֶיךָ צִדֱק֑ךָ 58:8; of other gods Ex 32:1, 23 (all JE); לְנֶגְדֶּ֑ךָ Gn 33:12 (J). ה׳ לִפְנֵי also (less often) = go (and present oneself) before a deity or shrine 1 K 12:30 1 Ch 21:30 (cf. בוא לפני Ex 28:30, קִדֵּם פְּנֵי y 95ò2). ζ.c. אַחַר go after, follow, persons Gn 37:17 (J) 2 K 7:15; אַחֲרֵי Gn 24:5, 8, 39, 61 (all J), Jos 3:3 (D) Nu 16:25 (JE) +; cf. also II. 3 d (going after false gods etc.); מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶם Ex 14:19 (J). η. לְ with sense of dativ. ethic.: וַיֵּלֶךְ לוֹ אֶל־אַרְצוֹ Ex 18:27 (E) and he gat him (betook himself) to his country; אֵ֫לֶךְ לִי אֶל Ct 4:6 I will get me unto; וְנֵלְכָה־לָנוּ 1 S 26:11 and let us be gone, cf. v 12, Ct 2:11 (of rain cf. infr. 3); Imv. in same construction: לֶךְ־לְךָ אֶל Gn 22:2 (E) get thee unto, לְכוּ לָכֶם לְאָהֳלֵיכֶם Jos 22:4 (D) also לֶךְ־לְךָ מִן Gn 12:1 (J), & לְכִי־לָךְ Ct 2:10, 13 get thee away, come away. θ. adverbial phrases of manner c. prep.: (a) בְּ, ה׳ בְּשָׁלוֹם go in peace Gn 26:31 (J) 1 S 29:7 2 S 3:21, 22, 23; 15:9; ה׳ בְּכֹחַ הָאֲכִילָה הַהִיא 1 K 19:8, ה׳ בְּחֵמָה 2 K 5:12 cf. also 1 S 17:39 Is 52:12; וְה׳ בְּסַעֲרוֹת תֵּימָן Zc 9:14 of י׳, and he shall go in (or with) storms of the south; בְּ pretii, הַהֹלְכִים בְּנַפְשׁוֹתָם 2 S 23:17 who went at risk of their life (otherwise in ‖ I Ch 11:19); cf. (b) אֶל, ה׳ אֶל־נַפְשׁוֹ 1 K 19:3 he went for his life. (c) לְ, ה׳ לְרַגְלָהּ 1 S 25:42 go according to her foot, i.e. follow, attend her; לֵךְ לְשָׁלוֹם go to, for (in) peace Ex 4:18 (E) Ju 18;6 1 S 1:17; 20:13, 42 2 K 5:19; וְהֹלְכִים לְתֻמָּם 2 S 15:11. κ. with adj. or noun, agreeing with subj. of vb., in acc. (Ges§ 118.5), sometimes where Lat. & Eng. use an attributive or appositive: walk barefoot 2 S 15:30; walk naked and barefoot Is 20:3 (c. acc. of duration); וַתֵּלַכְנָה נְטֻו֯וֹת גָּרוֹן וגו׳ Is 3:16; cf. 1 K 8:66; also לֹא תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל בְּעַמֶּ֑ךָ Lv 19:16 (H) thou shalt not walk as a slanderer among thy people, Je 9:3, הוֹלֵךְ רָכִיל Pr 11:13; 20:19; and even הֹלְכֵי רָכִיל Je 6:28 (yet רכיל poss. abstr., ה׳ ר׳ walk in slander); with adv. accus., construed more generally (Ges§ 118, 5. c, Ew§ 279 c): ye shall not walk loftily (רוֹמָה) Mi 2:3; they shall come bending (שְׁחוֹחַ) Is 60:14; and Agag came delicately (מַעֲדַנֹּת) 1 S 15:32; cf. also Lv 26:23 (II. 3b) Ex 3:21 2 S 17:18. e.g. Deuteronomy 1:19
- 2. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations: הָלַךְ Na 2:12 walk about, prowl (lions, fig. of rulers of Assyria); Pr 30:29 (vid. v 30, 31, of three beasts & a king); walk, go, move בִּמְסִלָּה אַחַת ה׳ 1 S 6:12 (of cows bringing ark), horses in Zec.’s vision Zc 6:7 וַיְבַקְשׁוּ לָלֶכֶת לְהִתְהַלֵּךְ בָּאָרֶץ; of beasts & birds Je 9:9, cf. 50:3 both man & beast, they are fled, they are gone; of flocks and herds (מִקְנֶה) יֵלֵךְ עִמָּנוּ Ex 10:26 they shall go with us; ה׳ מֵהַר אֶל־גִּבְעָה Je 50:6 they have gone from mt. to hill (Isr. under fig. of wandering sheep); in 1 S 14:26 read prob. הָלַךְ for הֵלֶךְ q.v.; especially in laws of clean & unclean Lv 11:20, 21 every swarming winged thing that goeth on (הַהֹלֵךְ עַל) all fours, cf. v 27, 42; also v 27 everything that goeth on its paws, & v 42 everything that goeth on (its) belly, (all P), so of serpent Gn 3:14 on thy belly (עַל־גְּחֹנְךָ) shalt thou go (J), cf. also Je 46:22 קוֹלָהּ כַּנָּחָשׁ יֵלֵךְ; (where appar. rel. cl., her voice like the serpent that moves, i.e. like the rustling sound of a gliding serpent, cf. VB); locusts Jo 2:7 (אִישׁ בִּדְרָכָיו), v 8 (גֶּבֶר בִּמְסִלָּתוֹ). e.g. Nahum 2:12
- 3. in like manner of inanimate things, as: the ark (הַתֵּבָה) Gn 7:18 (P; sq. עַל־פְּנֵי הַמָּ֑יִם); ships 1 K 22:49 (sq. ָה loc.) = 2 Ch 20:36 (sq. acc. of limit), cf. 2 Ch 9:21 (sq. acc.) 20:37 (אֶל); of אֳנִי־שַׁיִט Is 33:21 ‘galley with oars’ (sq. בְּ of place in which); wheels (in Ezekiel’s vision) Ez 1:17(×2), 19, 21; 10:11(×4); moon Jb 31:26; wind ψ 78:39 Ec 1:6(×2); of streams (הַנְחָלִים) = flow אֶל־הַיָּם Ec 1:7; cf. אֶל־מְקוֹם שֶׁהַנְחָלִים הֹלְכִים שָׁם הֵם שָׁבִים לָלֶכֶת v 7 unto the place whither the streams flow, thither they flow again; also אֲפִיקִים, sq. מַיִם as accus. of that with wh., Jo 4:18 ‖ of hills flowing חָלָב, with milk; cf. further fig. כָּל־בִּרְכַּיִם תֵּלַכְנָה מַיִם Ez 7:17; 21:13 all knees shall flow down in water, i.e. be as weak as water; נְהָרוֹת Ez 31:4 (sq. סָבִיב); וְהָלַךְ עַל־כָּל־גְּדוֹתָיו Is 8:7 i.e. overflow (‖ עָלָה עַל־כָּל־אֲפִיקָיו) cf. Jos 4:18 (JE); so of water (as (SI4) Is 8:6, 1 K 18:35 (וַיֵּלְכוּ הַמַּיִם סָבִיב לַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ), ψ 105:41 (הָֽלְכוּ בַּצִּיּוֹת נָהָר, they flowed through dry regions as a river); (on Inf. abs. used of waters of flood, Gn 8:3, 5, cf., infr. 4 c (4), (5)); of the sea הַיָּם הוֹלֵךְ וְסֹעֵר Jon 1:11, 13 was going on and being stormy = was growing more and more stormy (cf. infr. 4 d); of wine (יַיִן) Ct 7:10 that goeth down, for my beloved, smoothly (simile); also of lightning go, dart (בָּרָק) Jb 38:35, so אֵשׁ Ex 9:23 (E) וַתִּהֲלַךְ אֵשׁ אָ֑רְצָה and fire darted to earth (on form, here & ψ 73:9 infr., as intens., of rapid motion, cf. Thes Ew§ 138 b Köi. 415); אֵשׁ לְפָנָיו תֵּלֵךְ ψ 97:3; of torches, in fig. of violent breathing of crocodile מִפִּיו לַפִּידִים יַהֲלֹ֑כוּ Jb 41:11; of sword אַחֲרַיִךְ תֵּ֫לֶךְ חָ֑רֶב Je 48:2, of arrow בָּרָק Jb 20:25 drawn from a wound; of pestilence דֶּבֶר (personified) ψ 91:6 (בָּאֹפֶל), Hb 3:5 (לְפָנָיו); of fame שָׁמְעוֹ הוֹלֵךְ בְּכָל־הַמְּדִינוֹת Est 9:4; of the tongue (bad sense) וּלְשׁוֹנָם תִּהֲלַךְ בָּאָרֶץ ψ 73:9 (cf. Ex 9:23 supr.; ‖ שַׁתּוּ בַשָּׁמַיִם פִּיהֶם); of sound of trumpet Ex 19:19 (Pt. cf. infra 4 d); of letters אִגְּרוֹת Ne 6:17 (sq. עַל, unto); of dew (טַל, ‖ עֲנַן־בֹּקֶר sim. of Isr.’s חֶסֶד Ho 6:4 cf. 13:3 like dew that passeth away; so of עָנָן Jb 7:9 כָּלָה עָנָן וַיֵּלַ֑ךְ; of rain הַגֶּשֶׁם הָלַף הָלַךְ לוֹ Ct 2:11 the rain is over, it hath taken itself away; of ark of י׳ (אֲרוֹן י׳) 1 S 6:8 depart (cf. also 5 d); of shadow on dial go forward 2 K 20:9 (opp. שׁוּב; ‖ נָטָה v 20 & יָרַד Is 38:8); grow, of wicked under fig. of trees, יֵלְכוּ גַּם־עָשׂוּ פֶּ֑רִי Je 12:2; cf. יֵלְכוּ יוֹנְקוֹתָיו Ho 14:7 his branches shall spread, said of Isr. under fig. of tree; of name (= fame) 2 Ch 26:8 (sq. עַד־לְבֹא מִצְרַיִם); also of a thing that does not actually move; וְהָלַךְ הַגְּבוּל אֶל Jos 17:7 and the boundary went unto etc., cf. 16:8 (sq. מִן & ָה loc.);—in 2 K 13:21 and it (the dead body) went i.e. was let down into the grave, read וַיֵּלְכוּ for וַיֵּלֶךְ 𝔊L Th Klo, and they went away. e.g. Genesis 7:18
- 4. The Inf. abs. is often used
- a. as in other vbs., quite independently (Ges§ 113, 1): הֲגָנֹב … וְהָלֹךְ אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים Je 7:9 (series of 6 Inf. abs.) (are there) stealing, murdering, and adultery and false swearing and incense-burning to the Baal, and going after other gods …? as obj., וְלֹא־אָבוּ בִדְרָכָיו הָלוֹךְ Is 42:24 and they desired not walking in his ways; as appos. of obj., Je 23:14 I have seen … an abominable thing, committing adultery and walking in lies (נָאוֹף וְהָלוֹךְ בַּשֶּׁקֶר); cf. וַיַּעַשׂ כֵּן הָלוֹךְ עָרוֹם וְיָחֵף Is 20:2 and he did so, a walking naked and barefoot, where also two adverb. accus. modifying the Inf. abs. (Ges§ 113, 2). e.g. Jeremiah 7:9
- b. to intensify meaning of finite form of הָלַךְ (Ges§ 113, 3): (1) before finite vb. הָלוֹךְ אֵלֵךְ עִמָּךְ Ju 4:9 I will surely go with thee, cf. Je 37:9; הָלֹךְ הָלַכְתָּ Gn 31:30 concessive, thou art indeed gone, הָלוֹךְ הָֽלְכוּ הָעֵצִים Ju 9:8 introductory, the trees went forth on a time to anoint them a king. (2) after finite vb. וַיֵּלֶךְ הָלוֹךְ 2 S 3:24 and he is actually gone! (a grave imprudence to permit it!), נֵלְכָה הָלוֹךְ לְחַלּוֹת אֶת־פְּנֵי י׳ Zc 8:21 let us by all means go to seek the favour of י׳. e.g. Judges 4:9
- c. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs. (1) with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simultaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance; α. both Infs. preceding the finite vb., הָלוֹךְ וְטָפֹף תֵּלַכְנָה Is 3:16 a going and a tripping they go, i.e. they keep tripping as they go; so הָלוֹךְ וּבָכוֹ יֵלֵ֑כוּ Je 50:4 continually weeping they shall go; β. one Inf. before, & one after the fin. vb. הָלוֹךְ יֵלֵךְ וּבָכֹה ψ 126:6 continually may one go weeping; γ. elsewhere both after fin. vb. Jos 6:9 the rearguard was going (הֹלֵךְ) after the ark, continually blowing on the trumpets (הָלוֹךְ וְתָקוֹעַ בַּשּׁוֹפָרוֹת), cf. v 13 (where הָו֯לֹךְ cf. infr.; both JE), וַיֵּלֶךְ … הָלוֹךְ וּבָכוֹ 2 S 3:16, of cows הָֽלְכוּ הָלוֹךְ וְגָעוֹ 1 S 6:12 they went continually lowing, וַיֵּלֶךְ הָלוֹךְ וְאָכֹל Ju 14:9 and he went on, eating as he went; הֹלְכִים הָלוֹךְ וְדַבֵּר 2 K 2:11 they were going on, talking as they went; in הֹלֵךְ הָלֹךְ וּבֹכֶה Je 41:6, the pt. בֹּכֶה is peculiar, read perhaps בָּכֹה, and for הֹלֵךְ read הֹלְכִים 𝔊 Hi cf. Gf. (2) with a foll. vb.fin.c. ו consec. (rare): הֹלְכִים הָלוֹךְ וְתָֽקְעוּ Jos 6:13 (JE) they were going along continually blowing on the trumpets; וַתֵּלֶךְ הָלוֹךְ וְזָעָ֑קָה 2 S 13:19 and she went, crying out as she went; הֹלֵךְ … הָלוֹךְ וַיְקַלֵּל 2 S 16:13 he went along … cursing as he went; so 1 S 19:23 and he went on, prophesying as he went, until he came, etc. (3) in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. + adj. denoting progress, advance: וַיֵּלֶךְ הָלוֹךְ וְקָרֵב 2 S 18:25 and he came continually nearer (nearer & nearer); elsewhere with idea of actual motion lost from vb. fin.: וַיֵּלֶךְ הָלוֹךְ וָרָ֑ב 1 S 14:19 and the tumult kept growing greater and greater; so וַיֵּלֶךְ דָּוִד הָלוֹךְ וְגָדוֹל 2 S 5:10 = 1 Ch 11:9; cf. Ju 4:24 and the hand of the sons of Israel kept growing more and more severe (וַתֵּלֶךְ … הָלוֹךְ וְקָשָׁה) upon Jabin; note especially וַיִּגְדַּל הָאִישׁ וַיֵּלֶךְ הָלוֹךְ וְגָדֵל עַד־כִּי־גָדַל מְאֹד Gn 26:13 (J) and the man grew great and kept on growing greater and greater until etc. (גָּדֵל partic. adj.). (4) twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion: וַיָּשֻׁבוּ הַמַּיִם … הָלוֹךְ וָשׁוֹב Gn 8:3 (J) and the waters retired continually more and more; וַיִּסַּע אַבְרָם הָלוֹךְ וְנָסוֹעַ הַנֶּ֫גְבָּה Gn 12:9 (J) and Abram journeyed on continually further toward the south country. (5) quite by itself is Gn 8:5 (P) וְהַמַּיִם הָיוּ הָלוֹךְ וְחָסוֹר and the waters, they continually diminished (were a going and a diminishing; the Infs. abs. being predicate). (6) 13 times the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec. (chiefly in Je): הָלוֹךְ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֫ 2 S 24:12 go and speak, so Je 35:2; ה׳ וְאָמַרְתָּ֫ go and say, Is 38:5 Je 28:13; 34:2; 35:13; 39:16; ה׳ וְקָרָאתָ Je 2:2; 3:12; also ה׳ וְרָחַצְתָּ֫ 2 K 5:10 go and wash, ה׳ וְקָנִיתָ Je 13:1; 19:1 go and buy, ה׳ וְעָמַדְתָּ֫ 17:19 go and stand. e.g. Isaiah 3:16
- d. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt. הֹלֵךְ + adj. (or pt.): וַיֵּלֶךְ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי הֹלֵךְ וְקָרֵב 1 S 17:41 and the Philistine came continually nearer (cf. 2 S 18:25 supr.); in other cases as predicate, with same idea of growing, increasing: וְדָוִד הֹלֵךְ וְחָזֵק וּבֵית שָׁאוּל הֹלְכִים וְדַלִּים 2 S 3:1 and David was growing stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul were growing weaker and weaker, cf. 2 Ch 17:12 Est 9:4 (of individuals), 2 S 15:12 (of people); + 2 adj. וְהַנַּעַר שְׁמוּאֵל הֹלֵךְ וְגָדֵל וָטוֹב 1 S 2:26; cf. (with different order) of wind, Ec 1:6 goeth (הוֹלֵךְ) toward the south, and turneth about (סוֹבֵב) unto the north, the wind turneth about and about continually (סוֹבֵב סֹבֵב הוֹלֵךְ הָרוּחַ); of sea הַיָּם הוֹלֵךְ וְסֹעֵר Jon 1:11, 13 the sea was growing more and more stormy; also וַיְהִי קוֹל הַשֹּׁפָר הוֹלֵךְ וְחָזֵק מְאֹד Ex 19:19 and the sound of the trumpet kept growing louder and louder; & in metaph. אֹרַח צַדִּיקִים כְּאוֹר נֹ֑גַהּ הוֹלֵךְ וָאוֹר עַד־נְכוֹן הַיּוֹם Pr 4:18 the path of just men is like a shining light, growing lighter and lighter until the full day. e.g. 1 Samuel 17:41
- 5. In combination with other verbal forms:
- a. sq. Inf. of purpose (c. לְ) Gn 25:22; 31:19; 37:25 (all JE) Nu 14:38 (P) 24:1 (JE), Ju 8:1; 9:8, 9, 11, 13 + often; especially ה׳ לִקְרַאת go to meet Jos 9:11 (JE), 2 S 19:16 1 K 18:16(×2) +; sometimes with hostile sense 1 S 23:28 1 K 20:27 2 K 23:29; also ה׳ לָשׁוּב go to return, Ex 4:21 (RV go back), cf. also שׁוּב לָלֶכֶת return again Ec 1:7; 5:14; ה׳ לָבוֹא go to come (enter, etc.) Je 41:17 cf. 2 Ch 26:8. e.g. Genesis 25:22
- b. sq. finite vb. go and do so and so: Gn 22:13; 27:14 Ex 2:8; 4:27, 29 (all JE), Dt 13:7, 14; 17:3; 24:2 Is 2:3 = Mi 4:2 Je 11:12 + often; וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיָּשָׁב Ex 4:18 (E), יֵלֵךְ וְיָשֹׁב Dt 20:5, 6, 7, 8, וַיֵּלְכוּ וַיָּשׁוּבוּ Ju 21:23 cf. Ho 2:9; 5:15; ה׳ וַיָּבוֹא went & came Nu 13:26 (P), Ru 2:3 1 S 22:5 2 S 11:22 2 K 4:25; notably וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיִּשְׁלַח 2 K 3:7 and he went and sent. e.g. Genesis 22:13
- c. following other verbs: וַיָּקֻמוּ וַיֵּלְכוּ Gn 22:19 (E) cf. 24:10 (J) 43:8 (J) Nu 16:25 (JE) Ju 4:9; נִסְעָה וְנֵלֵ֑כָה Gn 33:12 (J). e.g. Genesis 22:19
- d. especially as result of action expr. in preced. vb., such as vb. of sending, etc.: וַיְשַׁלַּח אֶת־אֶחָיו וַיֵּלֵ֑כוּ Gn 45:24 (E) cf. Jos 1:16 (D) 1 S 6:8 Jb 38:35; also יִשָּׂאֵהוּ קָדִים וְיֵלֵ֑ךְ 27:21 an east wind shall carry him off, and he shall depart; וַיְגָֽרֲשֵׁהוּ וַיֵּלַ֑ךְ ψ 34:1 (title). (Cf. depart also of inanimate things 3 supr.) e.g. Genesis 45:24
- e. in longer series: וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיֵּבְרַח וַיִּמָּלֵט 1 S 19:12; וַיִּסַּע וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיָּשָׁב … וַיֵּשֶׁב 2 K 19:36 = Is 37:37; cf. Nu 24:25 (JE); וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיָּבֹא Ju 19:10; also וַיָּקָם וַיָּבֹא וַיֵּלֶךְ 2 K 10:12. e.g. 1 Samuel 19:12
- f. often in Imv. foll. by 2nd Imv. or equiv., (1) לֵךְ קַח־לִי Gn 27:13 (J) go, bring me (them), cf. Ho 1:2; לְכוּ רְעוּ Gn 29:7 (J) go, feed (them), cf. 37:14 42:19 Ex 4:19 + (in all c. 57 times; only JED in Hex); but also (2) weakened to mere introductory word (as also supr. passim: especially 2 K 3:7 etc.), go to, or come, do (let us do) so & so; לְכָה נִכְרְתָה בְרִית Gn 31:44 come, let us make a compact, cf. לְכָה נַשְׁקֶה 19:32 (where subj. fem.); לְכוּ וְנֵלְכָה 1 S 9:9 come, and let us go, so v 10, 11:4 Is 2:3 = Mi 4:2, cf. Zc 6:7 +; even לֵךְ בֹא וְאֶשְׁלְחָה 2 K 5:5 go to, come, and let me send, cf. Is 22:15; 26:20 Ex 3:4, 11; further Ju 19:11, 13 1 S 9:5 1 K 1:12 ψ 34:5 + (in all c. 49 times; only JE in Hex). (3) apparently intermediate, and shewing transition from (1) to (2) are: לֶךְ־רֵד Ex 19:24; 32:7 cf. Ju 18:2; לְכוּ סֻרוּ רְדוּ 1 S 15:6; לֵךְ עֲלֵה מִזֶּה Ex 33:1; לְכוּ וְהִתְהַלְּכוּ בָּאָרֶץ Jos 18:8 & לְכוּ בֹּאוּ אַרְצָה Gn 47:17 cf. 1 S 22:5 1 K 1:13 2 K 7:9; v. further לֵכְנָה שֹׁבְנָה Ru 1:8 & שֹׁבְנָה לֵכְןָ v 12; also 2 S 3:16 1 K 19:15, 20 + (in all c. 36 times) e.g. Genesis 27:13
- 1. of persons,
- II. Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:
- 1. pass away, die; in phrases denoting or implying death (cf. Arabic هَلَكَ perish); וְהִנֵּה אָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ הַיּוֹם בְּדֶרֶךְ כָּל־הָאָרֶץ Jos 23:14 (D) lo, I am going to-day the way of all the earth cf. 1 K 2:2; perhaps also Gn 15:2 (JE) I pass away childless, but possibly sub 2 infr.; also 2 S 12:23 I am going (אֲנִי הֹלֵךְ) to him 2 S 12:23; so of mankind דּוֹר הֹלֵךְ וְדוֹר בָּא Ec 1:4; more explicitly, הַכֹּל הוֹלֵךְ אֶל־מָקוֹם אֶחָ֑ד הַכֹּל הָיָה מִן הֶעָפָר וְהַכֹּל שָׁב אֶל־הֶעָפָר Ec 3:20 cf. 6:6; also בִּשְׁאוֹל אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה הֹלֵךְ שָׁ֑מָּה 9:10, & הֹלֵךְ הָאָדָם אֶל־בֵּית עוֹלָמוֹ 12:5; cf. בְּטֶרֶם אֵלֵךְ וְאֵינֶנִּי ψ 39:14 before I depart and be not; so acc. to some 2 Ch 21:20 but cf. infr. 3 a (2); once with weaker sense sq. inf., הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ לָמוּת Gn 25:32 (J). e.g. Joshua 23:14
- 2. live (‘walk’), in general (cf. Pi. Hithp.) (usually poet., with modifying words): כִּי־אֵלֵךְ בְּגֵיא צַלְמָוֶת ψ 23:4 though I walk in a valley of deep darkness; cf. 138:7 & אֵ֫לֶךְ חֹשֶׁךְ Jb 29:3; קֹדֵר אֵלֵךְ ψ 42:10; ה׳ חֲשֵׁכִים Is 50:10, v. also Ez 3:14; perhaps also Gn 15:2 cf. 1 supr.; יֵלְכוּ מֵחַיִל אֶל־חָ֑יִל ψ 84:8 they go from strength to strength; הוֹלֵךְ בַּתֹּם יֵלֶךְ בֶּטַח, Pr 10:9; especially e.g. Psalms 23:4
- 3. of moral and religious life; יְיַשֶּׁר־לָ֑כֶת Pr 15:21 he maketh straight to walk (walketh straight, upright); partic. e.g. Proverbs 15:21
- a. walk in (בְּ) ways (counsels, statutes, etc.), (1) in good sense: (α) ה׳ בְּדֶרֶךְ תָּמִים ψ 101:6, cf. Is 30:21 Je 6:16 1 K 8:36 = 2 Ch 6:27; (β) in (בְּ) ways of י׳, especially D: Dt 8:6 (‖ לְיִרְאָה אֹתוֹ) cf. 10:12, 11:22 (‖ לְאַהֲבָה אֶת־י׳ etc.), 28:9 (‖ שָׁמַר מִצְוֹת י׳); v. also 13:15 +; 1 K 11:33 (sq. לַעֲשׂוֹת), v 38 (sq. וְעָשִׂיתָ) 2 K 21:22 ψ 119:3; 128:1; בְּאֹרְחֹתָיו Is 2:3 = Mi 4:2; further (sq. דֶּרֶךְ) Ju 2:17; (γ) †in commandments of י׳ 2 Ch 17:4; (δ) in his law(s) (תּוֹרָה) Ex 16:4, 14 (J) 2 K 10:31 Je 9:12; 44:23 (+ בְּחֻקֹּת & בְּעֵדְוֹת), 2 Ch 6:16 Dn 9:10, cf. Ne 10:30 (of אֱלֹהִים); (ε †in his ordinances, statutes (חֻקּוֹת) Lv 26:3 1 K 6:12 Je 44:10, 23 (v. supr.), Ez 5:6, 7; 11:20; 18:9, 17; 20:13, 16, 19, 21, cf. בְּחֻקּוֹת חַיִּים 33:15; also בְּחֻקֵּי 1 K 8:61 Ez 11:12; 36:27; (ζ) †in his judgments (מִשְׁפָּטִים) ψ 89:31 Ez 37:24; (η) † in ordinances of David 1 K 3:3, cf. also infr.; (θ) in way(s) of good man 1 S 8:3, 5 2 Ch 21:12, of David 2 Ch 11:17; 34:2, of David & Sol. 17:3 (2) in bad sense, (α) in (evil) ways c. בְּ 2 K 21:21 Ez 16:47; 23:31 2 Ch 22:3; cf. also (prob.) 2 Ch 21:20 וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּלֹא חֶמְדָּה and he lived undesirably (cf. 𝔊 𝔙 Kmp Öt); > others he departed (died) unregretted, so AV RV; (β) sq. acc. 2 K 21:21 Je 18:15 (ה׳ נְתִיבוֹת); (γ) c. adverb. acc. הוֹלֵךְ עִקְּשׁוּת פֶּה Pr 6:12 one walking in perversity (falseness) of mouth (cf. צְדָקוֹת Is 33:15); (δ) in (בְּ) ordinances, statutes (חֻקּוֹת) of bad men Lv 18:3; 20:23 (both H) 2 K 17:8, 19 Ez 20:18 (בְּחוּקֵּי). e.g. Psalms 101:6
- b. walk with (אֶת, עִם) i.e. associate, be familiar with: בְּשָׁלוֹם וּבְמִישׁוֹר ה׳ אִתִּי Mal 2:6 in peace and uprightness he walked with me (י׳); הַצְנֵעַ לֶכֶת עִם־אֱלֹהֶיךָ Mi 6:8; but also of people at variance with י׳ וַהֲלַכְתֶּם עִמִּי קֶ֑רִי Lv 26:23 cf. v 27, 40; & of י׳ at variance with people וְהָלַכְתִּי … עִמָּכֶם בְּקֶ֑רִי v 24 cf. v 28 (all H); with men, אֶת־חֲכָמִים Pr 13:20; עִם אַנְשֵׁי רֶשַׁע Jb 34:8; cf. walk with (עִם) vanity Jb 31:5. e.g. Malachi 2:6
- c. walk before י׳ (לִפְנֵי י׳; c. בֶּאֱמֶת, בְּכָל־לִבָּם etc.) 1 K 2:4; 3:6; 8:23, 25; 9:4 2 Ch 6:16; 7:17 cf. ה׳ קְדֹרַנִּית מִפְּנֵי י׳ Mal 3:14; walk before the living (i.e. walk aright before them) Ec 6:8. e.g. 1 Kings 2:4
- d. walk, go, after (אַחֲרֵי) (1) י׳ Dt 13:5 1 K 14:8 Je 2:2 Ho 11:10 +; (2) other gods, Ju 2:12 especially D: Dt 4:3; 6:14; 8:19; 13:3; 28:14 Je 2:23; 7:6; 8:2; 11:10; 16:11; 25:6 +; cf. go & serve other gods Jos 23:16 Dt 13:7, 14; 17:3; 29:17 (cf. 28:14 supr.); (3) things which do not profit Je 2:8; (4) vanity Ho 5:11 (reading שָׁוְא cf. VB); v. also Am 2:4. e.g. Deuteronomy 13:5
- e. walk in (1) one’s integrity, etc., בְּתֻמִּי ψ 26:11 cf. 84:12 Pr 10:9, v. also ה׳ תָּמִים ψ 15:2, הֹלְכֵי תֹם Pr 2:7; (2) bad sense, in (בְּ) sin 1 K 15:3, 26, 34; 16:2, 26 2 K 13:6, 11 + (especially of wicked kings); (evil) counsel 2 Ch 22:5 cf. ψ 1:1. e.g. Psalms 26:11
- f. (1) לֵב as subj., (α) = thoughts, לֹא לִבִּי הָלַךְ 2 K 5:26 did not my thoughts go forth; (β) evil inclination, Jb 31:7; אֶל־לֵב שִׁקּוּצֵיהֶם … לִבָּם הֹלֵךְ Ez 11:21; sq. אַחֲרֵי גִלּוּלֵיהֶם 20:16, אַחֲרֵי בִצְעָם 33:31; (2) נֶפֶשׁ = desire, טוֹב מַרְאֵה עֵינַיִם מֵהֲלָךְ־נֶפֶשׁ Ec 6:9 better is sight of the eyes than outgoing of desire. e.g. 2 Kings 5:26
- 4. other fig. uses: depart from מִפְּנֵי Ho 11:2 (from prophets as God’s messengers; opp. קָרָא); go into, הָֽלְכוּ בַכְּלִמָּה Is 45:16 they have gone into confusion (judgment on idol-makers); etc. e.g. Hosea 11:2
Niphal
- Pf. 1 s. כְּצֵל כִּנְטוֹתוֹ נֶהֱלָ֑כְתִּי ψ 109:23 like a shadow when it stretches out I am gone (cf. היה Niph.) e.g. Psalms 109:23
Piel
- (chiefly poet. & late) Pf. הִלַּכְתִּי Jb 30:28 ψ 131:1; הִלָּ֑כְתִּי ψ 38:7; 3 pl. הִלְּכוּ Jb 24:10 La 5:18; Impf. יְהַלֵּךְ Ez 18:9 + 2 times; וַיְהַלֵּךְ 1 K 21:27; 1 s. אֲהַלֵּךְ ψ 86:11 + 2 times; 3 mpl. יְהַלֵּ֑כוּ Hb 3:11 + 2 times; יְהַלֵּכ֑וּן ψ 89:16 + 2 times; 1 pl. נְהַלֵּךְ ψ 55:15 Is 59:9; Imv. הַלֵּךְ Ec 11:9; Pt. מְהַלֵּךְ Pr 6:11 ψ 104:3; מְהַלְּכִים Ec 4:15;— e.g. Job 30:28
- 1. walk in or with a throng sq. בְּ loc.: בְּבֵית א׳ נְהַלֵּךְ בְּרָ֑גֶשׁ ψ 55:15; walk, tread on coals עַל־הַגֶּחָלִים Pr 6:28; of idols ψ 115:7 they do not walk, have not the power of walking (cf. יִצְעָ֑דוּ Je 10:5); of one tramping, formidable, sim. of poverty וּבָא־כִמְהַלֵּךְ רֵאשֶׁ֑ךָ Pr 6:11,—a highwayman according to Ges Ew Hi Now, cf. 𝔊; ‖ מַחְסֹרְךָ כְּאִישׁ מָגֵן (cf. also Hithp. 24:34); of י׳, walking (in majesty), marching, עַל־כַּנְפֵי רוּחַ ψ 104:3 on the wings of the wind; of righteousness, personified, צֶדֶק לְפָנָיו יְהַלֵּךְ ψ 85:14; of wisdom בְּאֹרַח צְדָקָה אֲהַלֵּךְ Pr 8:20 in the path of righteousness do I walk (stedfastly, unswervingly); of animals, go about, prowl, עַל הַר־צִיּוֹן שֶׁה֯שָּׁמֵם שׁוּעָלִים הִלְּכוּ ב֑וֹ (Qr שֶׁשָּׁמֵם) La 5:18, of ships, in (stately) movement ψ 104:26; of springs 104:10 between mountains they go (run, flow); of arrows Hb 3:11 at the light of thine arrows that go (fly, shoot; cf. Hithp. ψ 77:18). e.g. Psalms 55:15
- 2. also of walking about = living הַמְֿהַלְּכִים תַּחַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ Ec 4:15; עָרוֹם הִלְּכוּ בְּלִי לְבוּשׁ Jb 24:10 naked they keep going about (freq.), without clothing; so of going about as mourner קֹדֵר הִלַּכְתִּי Jb 30:28 ψ 38:7 (cf. Qal ψ 42:10); בַּאֲפֵלוֹת נְהַלֵּךְ Is 59:9 in darkness we walk (of distress); on the other hand בְּאוֹר פָּנֶיךָ יְהַלֵּכ֑וּן ψ 89:16 (of blessedness & prosperity). e.g. Ecclesiastes 4:15
- 3. depart, go entirely away (מִן) מִמְּקוֹם קָדוֹשׁ יְהַלֵּ֑כוּ Ec 8:10 from the holy place they must depart (on text cf. VB; ‖ וְיִשְׁתַּכְּחוּ בָעִיר). e.g. Ecclesiastes 8:10
- 4. fig. of mode of life, action, etc.: of particular path of one’s life בְּאֹרַח־זוּ אֲהַלֵּךְ ψ 142:4; specif. in good sense וַיְהַלֵּךְ אַ֑ט 1 K 21:27 and he (Ahab) walked softly (as a penitent); oftener c. בְּ of path in which: בִּדְרָכַי יְהַלֵּ֑כוּ ψ 81:14 that in my ways they would walk! cf. 86:11 (בַּאֲמִתֶּ֑ךָ), Ez 18:9 (בְּחֻקּוֹתַי); in bad or doubtful sense וְהַלֵּךְ בְּדַרְכֵי לִבְּךָ וּבְמַרְאֵי עֵינֶי֑ךָ Ec 11:9; cf. also לֹא הִלַּכְתִּי בִּגְדֹלֹת ψ 131:1 I do not walk (move, tread) among great things (‖ וּבְנִפְלָאוֹת מִמֶּנִּי; fig. of humility, cf. also v a). e.g. Psalms 142:4
Hithpael
- Pf. הִתְהַלֶּךְ־ Gn 6:9 1 S 30:31; וְהִתְהַלֵּךְ consec. Ex 21:19 1 S 2:35; 2 ms. הִתְהַלָּ֑כְתָּ Ez 28:14 Jb 38:16; 1 s. הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי Gn 24:40 + 5 times, etc.; Impf. יִתְהַלֵּךְ Pr 23:31; יִתְהַלָּ֑ךְ Jb 18:8; 22:14; 1 s. אֶתְהַלֵּךְ ψ 43:2 + 2 times; וְאֶתְהַלְּכָה ψ 119:45; 3 mpl. יִתְהַלְּכוּ 1 S 2:30 + 2 times; וַיִּתְהַלְּכוּ Ju 21:24 + 3 times; יִתְהַלָּ֑כוּ 1 S 23:13 + 3 times; יִתְהַלָּכ֑וּן ψ 12:9; 3 fpl. וַתִּתְהַלַּכְנָה Zc 6:7, etc.; Imv. הִתְהַלֵּךְ Gn 13:17; 17:1; הִתְהַלְּכוּ Jos 18:8 Zc 6:7; Inf. (לְ)הִתְהַלֵּךְ ψ 56:14 + 4 times; sf. הִתְהַלֶּכְךָ Pr 6:22; Pt. מִתְהַלֵּךְ Gn 3:8 + 7 times; fs. מִתְהַלָּכֶת Ez 1:13; mpl. מִתְהַלְּכִים 1 S 25:27;—walk, walk about, move to and fro: e.g. Genesis 6:9
- 1. lit.
- a. traverse, in this direction and that, Gn 13:17 (J; בָּאָרֶץ) Jos 18:4 (JE), v 8 (id.; לְכוּ וְהִתְה׳ בָּאָרֶץ); cf. Jb 1:7 = 2:2 (both ‖ שׁוּט) Zc 1:10, 11; similarly also 1 Ch 21:4; of fiery appearance in Ezek.’s vision מִתְה׳ בֵּין הַחַיּוֹת Ez 1:13; of horses in Zec.’s vision Zc 6:7 (לָלֶכֶת לְהִתְ׳ בָּאָרֶץ), v 7 (לְכוּ הִתְהַלְּכוּ בָּא׳), v 7; go in different directions וַיִּתְה׳ מִשָּׁם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל … אִישׁ לְשִׁבְטוֹ Ju 21:24 (‖ וַיֵּצְאוּ מִשָּׁם etc.); so of lightning flashes as arrows of י׳ ψ 77:18 went hither & thither; of water running off different ways 58:8 (sim. of vanishing of wicked). e.g. Genesis 13:17
- b. walk, walk about הִתְהַלֵּךְ בַּחוּץ עַל־מִשְׁעַנְתּוֹ Ex 21:19 (JE) i.e. leaning upon his staff; Pr 6:22 (distinguished from שָׁכַב, הֵקִיץ); 2 S 11:2 (עַל־גַּג בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ); וּבְחֵקֶר תְּהוֹם הִתְהַלָּ֑כְתָּ Jb 38:16 and in the farthest ground of the deep hast thou walked? בְּתוֹךְ אַבְנֵי־אֵשׁ הִתְהַלָּ֑כְתָּ Ez 28:14; so also of י׳, walking on earth, in anthropomorphic conception קוֹל י׳ אֱלֹהִים מִתְהַלֵּךְ בַּגָּן Gn 3:8 (J) the sound of י׳ Elohim walking about in the garden; of God וְחוּג שָׁמַיִם יִתְהַלָּ֑ךְ Jb 22:14 and the vault of heaven he walketh; walk about in front of (לִפְנֵי) Est 2:11; attend, follow, of retainers הַמִּתְהַלְּכִים בְּרַגְלֵי אֲדֹנִי 1 S 25:27; wander, of Israel מִגּוֹי אֶל־גּוֹי ψ 105:13 = 1 Ch 16:20; rove about, of David and his band אֲשֶׁר־הִתְהַלֶּךְ־שָׁם 1 S 30:31; וַיִּתְהַלְּכוּ בַּאֲשֶׁר יִתְהַלָּ֑כוּ 23:13 (on this phr. cf. Lag Psalt. Hieron. 1874, 156 f. DrSm); walk about, prowl, of Jehoiachin under fig. of lion, וַיִּתְה׳ בְּתוֹךְ־אֲרָיוֹת Ez 19:6; cf. also וּבָא־מִתְהַלֵּךְ רֵישֶׁ֑ךָ Pr 24:34 and thy poverty cometh marching (cf. Pi. 6:11); glide, flow of wine יִתְה׳ בְּמֵישָׁרִים Pr 23:31 glideth down smoothly (VB; cf. Qal 3 Ct 7:10); note especially the foll., where emphasis lies not on verb, but on an auxiliary word; these cases form the natural transition to the figurative use:—ψ 12:9 on every side wicked men are walking; בְּצֶלֶם יִתְהַלֶּךְ־אִישׁ 39:7 in appearance (semblance, lit. image cf. Che crit. n.) walketh a man; also לָמָּה קֹדֵר אֶתְהַלֵּךְ 43:2 (cf. Qal 42:10, Pi. 38:7 Jb 30:28). e.g. Exodus 21:19
- 2. fig. walk about = live; the king before (לִפְנֵי) his people 1 S 12:2, so of Samuel v 2; of priest 2:35 (לִפְנֵי מְשִׁיחִי); of friendly intercourse with (אֶת) men 1 S 25:15; cf. כְּרֵעַ כְּאָה־לִי הִתְהַלָּ֑כְתִּי ψ 35:14; of man’s relation to God: especially sq. לִפְנֵי, ה׳ לְפָנַי וֶהְיֵה תָמִים Gn 17:1 (P) walk before me (live constantly in my presence) and (so) be perfect, cf. 24:40 (J), 48:15 (E); ה׳ לְפָנֶיךָ בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְלֵבָב שָׁלֵם 2 K 20:3 = Is 38:3; as token of divine favour יִתְהַלְּכוּ לְפָנַי עַד־עוֹלָם 1 S 2:30 (v. especially Dr, on sense here & elsewhere); ψ 116:9 אֶתְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵי י׳ בְּאַרְצוֹת הַחַיִּים, 56:14 (בְּאוֹר הַחַיִּים); יִתְה׳ בִּשְׁמוֹ Zc 10:12 they shall walk in his name; c. אֶת, of Enoch and Noah ה׳ אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים Gn 5:22, 24; 6:9 (denoting intimacy, fellowship: all P); further ה׳ בַּאֲמִתֶּ֑ךָ ψ 26:3 I have walked in thy faithfulness; מִתְה׳ בְּתֻמּוֹ צַדִּיק Pr 20:7 he that walketh justly in his (own) integrity; אֶתְה׳ בְּתָם־לְבָבִי בְּקֶרֶב בֵּיתִי ψ 101:2; cf. also ψ 119:45 and let me walk in a large place (untrammelled, undismayed); of the wicked מִתְהַלֵּךְ בַּאֲשָׁמָיו ψ 68:22 one going on in his guilty deeds; בַּחֲשֵׁכָה יִתְה׳ ψ 82:5 they walk in darkness (‖ לֹא יָֽדְעוּ וְלֹא יָבִינוּ); of their exposure עַל־שְׂבָכָה יִתְה׳ Jb 18:8 he walketh on net-work, (snare, cf. שׂבכה; ‖ שֻׁלַּח בְּרֶשֶׁת בְּרַגְלָיו); especially of י׳ as accompanying Israel מִתְה׳ בְּקֶרֶב מַחֲנֶךָ Dt 23:15 walk in the midst, etc., בְּתוֹכְכֶם Lv 26:12; 2 S 7:7 wherever (בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר) I have walked with (among בְּ) all (the sons of) Isr. = 1 Ch 17:6; as inhabiting a tent, on the march, וָאֶהְיֶה מִתְהַלֵּךְ בְּאֹהֶל וּבְמִשְׁכָּ֑ן 2 S 7:6 and I was walking in a tent and in a tabernacle. e.g. 1 Samuel 12:2
Hiphil
- Pf. 3 ms. הוֹלִיךְ (as if from ילך, i.e. a verb פ״ו, cf. reff. sub Qal Impf. supr.) 2 K 24:15; sf. הוֹלִיכְךָ Dt 8:2, וְהוֹלִיכוֹ consec. Pr 16:29, etc.; Impf. יוֹלִיךְ Ec 10:20, יוֹלִךְ Je 32:5; juss. יוֹלֵךְ Dt 28:36; שֶׁיֹּלֵךְ Ec 5:14; וַיּוֹ֫לֶךְ Ex 14:21 וַיֹּ֫לֶךְ 2 K 6:19 + 2 times; וַיֹּלַ֖ךְ La 3:2; sf. וַיּוֹלִכֵנִי Ez 40:24; 43:1; 47:6 1 s. אוֹלִיךְ 2 S 13:13 Ez 32:14, cohort. וְאוֹלִיכָה 2 K 6:19, וָאוֹלֵךְ Am 2:10 + 3 times, etc.; Imv. הוֹלֵךְ Nu 17:11; fs. הֵילִיכִי Ex 2:9 (Böii 461, § 1103; but read prob. הוֹלִיכִי Ol§ 256, b Ges§ 69x); mpl. הֹלִיכוּ 2 K 17:27; Inf. sf. לְהֹלִיכוֹ 2 Ch 36:6; Pt. מוֹלִיךְ Je 2:6 + 4 times; sf. מוֹלִיכְךָ Dt 8:15, מוֹלִכֵךְ Je 2:17; מוֹלִיכָם Is 63:13; fpl. מוֹלִכוֹת Zc 5:10;— e.g. 2 Kings 24:15
- 1. lead, bring: sq. acc. usually of person;
- a. c. בְּ of space or region through which, Dt 8:15 (Isr. in wilderness) Je 2:6 ψ 136:16, so also Is 48:21; בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ Je 2:17; cf. Jos 24:3 (E), Is 63:13 ψ 106:9; also fig. Is 42:16 and I will lead (the) blind in a way (בְּדֶרֶךְ) they know not; e.g. Deuteronomy 8:15
- b. c. acc. pers., בְּ of space + acc. of time וָאוֹלֵךְ אֶתְכֶם אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה בַּמִּדְבָּר Dt 29:4; so Am 2:10 (sq. Inf. of purpose c. לְ). e.g. Deuteronomy 29:4
- c. sq. acc. pers. + acc. of way, road, Dt 8:2, cf. דֶּרֶךְ הַדָּרוֹם Ez 40:24 (acc. of direction). e.g. Deuteronomy 8:2
- d. sq. acc. pers. + acc. of place or condition to which אֶת־נְשֵׁי הַמֶּלֶךְ … הוֹלִיךְ גּוֹלָה 2 K 24:15 the women of the king, etc., he led into exile (מִירוּשָׁלַםִ בָּבֶ֑לָה); so also, of exile וְהוֹלַכְתִּיהָ הַמִּדְבָּר Ho 2:16; בָּבֶל Je 32:5; cf. of Yahweh’s chastisement, La 3:2 me hath he driven and brought, into darkness and not into light; sq. acc. pers. + אֶל: אֶל־גּוֹי etc. Dt 28:36 (of exile); אֶל־נַחֲלֵי־מַיִם Je 31:9; אֶל־הַשַּׁעַר Ez 43:1; אֶל־הָעֵדָה Nu 17:11 (P; implic. obj. being censer); אֶל of pers. 2 K 6:19 Je 52:26, עַל in ‖ 2 K 25:20; עַל also 1 K 1:38 וַיֹּלִכוּ אֹתוֹ עַל־גִּיחוֹן (see sub עַל 7 c β). e.g. 2 Kings 24:15
- e. sq. acc. pers. + ה—ָ loc.: שֹׁמְרֹ֫נָה 2 K 6:19; בָּבֶ֫לָה 2 Ch 33:11; 36:6 (cf. 2 K 24:15 supr.); cf. שָׁ֫מָּה 2 K 17:27. e.g. 2 Kings 6:19
- 2. lead away sq. acc. pers. + appos.; מוֹלִיךְ יוֹעֲצִים שׁוֹלָ֑ל Jb 12:17 he (י׳) leadeth away counsellors despoiled cf. v 19; of Yahweh’s judgment on the wicked ψ 125:5 י׳ will lead them away with (אֶת) the workers of iniquity. e.g. Job 12:17
- 3. carry, bring: c. obj. helpless, or inanimate:
- a. + acc. loc., Josiah to Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלִַם) 2 Ch 35:24 (וַיְבִיאֻהוּ in ‖ 2 K 23:30); cf. Zc 5:10 whither are these carrying the ephah? אָ֫נָה אוֹלִיךְ אֶת־חֶרְפָּתִי 2 S 13:13. e.g. 2 Chronicles 35:24
- b. carry, take, take away, הֵילִיכִי אֶת־הַיֶּלָד Ex 2:9 (E; on form cf. supr.); also carry away בְּיָדוֹ, in his hand, Ec 5:14; of the spread of a careless speech Ec 10:20 fowl of the heavens shall carry the voice (‖ בַּעַל ה֯כְּנָפַיִם יַגֵּיד דָּבָר). e.g. Exodus 2:9
- 4. fig., of influence on character: c. acc. pers. + בְּ into: Pr 16:29 and he will lead him into a way that is not good (i.e. sinful). e.g. Proverbs 16:29
- 5.
- a. cause to walk, go, men (i.e. עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל) on (עַל) the mountains of Israel Ez 36:12 (‖ וִירֵשׁוּךָ, וְהָיִיתָ לָהֶם לְנַחֲלָה); cf. וָאוֹלֵךְ אֶתְכֶם קוֹמֲמִיּוּת Lv 26:13 and I caused you to walk upright (fig.; opp. to being bowed down by a yoke); Is 63:12 that caused his glorious arm to go at (לְ) the right hand of Moses. e.g. Ezekiel 36:12
- b. cause to flow, run Ez 32:14 and rivers like oil will I cause to flow. e.g. Ezekiel 32:14
- c. cause to depart, retire, go back, י׳, the sea, Ex 14:21 (בְּ instr., בְּרוּחַ קָדִים). e.g. Exodus 14:21
Senses from the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon (Brown, Driver, Briggs; Oxford 1906 — public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). Full attribution on Sources.
Word origin
vb. go, come, walk (MI ואהלך, לך; SI וילכו; NH הִלֵּךְ (rare), Aramaic הֲלַךְ, הַךְ (also Biblical Aramaic), oftener הַלֵּיךְ Pa., ܗܰܠܶܟ, Palm. Ithp. אתילכא Vog No. 15, 1. 4; Assyrian alâku DlW; also Arabic هَلَكَ perish)—
— Brown-Driver-Briggs (Oxford 1906, public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). See Sources.
Derived from הלך (hâlak) (H1980) — to walk.
Jastrow Dictionary
A second Hebrew/Aramaic lexicon for comparison, covering Aramaic and post-biblical (Talmudic, Targumic, Midrashic) usage that the biblical-Hebrew BDB does not. Matched by lemma rather than by Strong’s number, so a lemma may carry more than one Jastrow headword (shown separately below), and the entries cover usage well beyond the Bible.
יָלַךְ
- , Hif. הוֹלִיךְ, v. הָלַךְ
A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature (Marcus Jastrow; London, Luzac, 1903) — Public Domain. Digitized via Sefaria. Digitized via Sefaria. Full attribution on Sources.
Forms in the corpus
The 389 distinct written forms H3212 takes in the Hebrew Bible, most frequent first — each parse links to that stem’s occurrences in the concordance. Hebrew forms include their vowel points and cantillation, so a single lemma takes many written forms.
The 60 most common forms are shown; 329 rarer forms follow in the full concordance.
Same root — word family
Other BDB entries built from the same root as H3212, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derives from
Shares the same root
- הליך hâlîyk H1978 step
- הלך hălak H1981 to walk
- הלך hêlek H1982 traveller
- מהלך mahlêk H4108 walk
- מהלך mahălâk H4109 walk
- תהלכה tahălukâh H8418 procession
Derived from this word
Proper names from this root
People and places named from this root — a name, not an additional meaning of the word.
Compare all same-root words → Showing 4 of 9 — not the complete family. 1 of the same-root words is a proper name (a person or place). They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint verse parallels
This word appears in 897 verses that also exist in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), out of the 936 Hebrew verses it occurs in. You can read those verses in Greek by switching the Old Testament edition to the Septuagint.
Read these verses in the Septuagint
- Genesis 3:14
- Exodus 2:1
- Leviticus 18:3
- Numbers 10:29
- Deuteronomy 1:19
- Joshua 1:7
- Judges 1:3
- Ruth 1:1
- 1 Samuel 1:17
- 2 Samuel 2:19
- 1 Kings 1:12
- 2 Kings 1:2
This is a verse-level parallel only — the same verses exist in both the Hebrew and Greek Old Testaments. No word-level Hebrew↔Greek correspondence is claimed: the data carries no such alignment, so no Greek word is shown as this Hebrew word’s translation. Coverage is not total — the Septuagint omits the deuterocanon and renumbers the Psalms, so some Hebrew verses have no direct Greek parallel.
