תֹּךְ
tokh (H8496)
oppression
AI Word Study
# Analysis of תֹּךְ (tokh) The Hebrew word *tokh* denotes oppression and appears only four times in the biblical text, suggesting it was a specialized or less common term in ancient Hebrew vocabulary. Its limited occurrence indicates that while the concept of oppression was clearly recognized, this particular word was not the primary or most frequent way biblical writers expressed this idea. The rarity of the term itself may signal either a specific nuance in meaning or simply stylistic variation among different biblical authors. Given its definition as "oppression," *tokh* would have conveyed the notion of pressure, constraint, or unjust treatment imposed on others. In ancient Near Eastern contexts, oppression was a serious social and moral concern, and the existence of this word—even in limited use—demonstrates that biblical Hebrew possessed vocabulary to articulate grievances against those who abused power or exploited the vulnerable. The term's sparse distribution across the biblical corpus suggests it may have been selected deliberately when writers wanted to emphasize a particular instance or aspect of oppressive behavior. Without access to the specific biblical passages where *tokh* appears, we cannot determine its precise contextual range or whether it was associated with particular types of oppression or specific social groups. Its significance lies primarily in its presence as part of Hebrew's moral vocabulary for describing injustice.
AI synthesis uses only provided lexicon data -- never training knowledge.
His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression. Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.
Destructive forces are within her. Threats and lies don’t depart from her streets.
He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence. Their blood will be precious in his sight.
The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: Yahweh gives sight to the eyes of both.