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בֶּדֶק

𐤁𐤃𐤒

bedeq

H919 noun

SILEX Entry

Root בדק to examine, to inspect, to repair

Definition

A gap, fissure, or crack in a structure (such as a wall, house, or ship), typically the result of wear, stress, or damage; by extension, the term can refer to a breach or flaw that has developed, particularly one that requires repair. Frequently used in contexts involving architectural maintenance, especially the Temple, as well as nautical imagery (such as a leak in a ship).

Semantic Range

gap, fissure, crack in a building, breach in a structure, leak in a vessel, (by extension) place requiring repair

Root / Etymology

From the root בָּדַק (badak), meaning 'to examine, inspect, or repair.' The nominal form בֶּדֶק (bedeq) is derived from this root, indicating the result of inspection—namely, a discovered flaw or gap, and thus by extension, an opening or breach that has developed and may require mending.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, בֶּדֶק primarily appears in passages concerning structural repair, especially the 'repair of the house' (i.e., the Temple in Jerusalem) in texts such as 2 Kings 12 and 2 Chronicles 34, where it refers to physical breaches or cracks that emerge over time and require restoration. In maritime contexts (Ezekiel 27:9, 27), it is used for gaps or leaks in a ship’s hull. English translations often use 'breach,' 'gap,' or 'leak,' but these may not fully convey the term’s association with maintenance and the ongoing care required for large structures or vessels. The term often appears with reference to the process of directing resources toward repairing such damage, underlying its semantic connection to inspection and restoration rather than merely describing the flaw itself. Related terms, such as פֶּרֶץ (perek, 'breach, break') or סֶדֶק (sedek, 'crack'), emphasize the simple fact of a break, whereas בֶּדֶק has a stronger contextual tie to the process of identification and repair. Over biblical periods, its core meaning stayed relatively consistent, but its association with Temple finance and repairs in the monarchic period is especially prominent.

Translation Consistency

primary "crack" 5 occurrences

'Crack' is the most natural, everyday English for a gap, fissure, or breach in a structure. It fits typical uses in walls, buildings, and ship hulls (including causing leaks) and carries the sense of damage that requires repair. It is more natural-sounding than more formal alternatives like 'breach' while covering the primary semantic range of בֶּדֶק.

Alternatives (5 occurrences):
"breach" (2x) "structural breach" (1x) "breach-of" (1x) "breaches" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from בָּדַק; a gap or leak (in a building or a ship); breach, [phrase] calker.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

בדק (b-d-q) — to examine, inspect, repair

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H918 בָּדַק to examine

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H919-02 בֶּ֣דֶק bedeq HNcmsc breach structural breach of structural crack of 6
H919-04 לְ/בֶ֥דֶק levedeq HR/Ncmsc for repairing for breach-of for breach-of 1
H919-01 בָּֽדֶק badeq HNcmsa breach structural breach structural breach 1
H919-03 בִּדְקֵ֑/ךְ bideqekhe HNcmsc/Sp2fs your seams your breach your breach 1
H919-05 בִדְקֵ֣/ך videqekh HNcmsc/Sp2fs your seams your breach your breaches 1

Occurrences in Scripture

10 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H919-02 2 Kings 12:6 בֶּ֣דֶק bedeq HNcmsc the breaches structural breach of structural crack of
H919-01 2 Kings 12:6 בָּֽדֶק badeq HNcmsa breach structural breach structural breach
H919-02 2 Kings 12:7 בֶּ֥דֶק bedeq HNcmsc breach structural breach of structural crack of
H919-02 2 Kings 12:8 בֶּ֣דֶק bedeq HNcmsc the damage structural breach of structural crack of
H919-04 2 Kings 12:8 לְ/בֶ֥דֶק levedeq HR/Ncmsc for repairing for breach-of for breach-of
H919-02 2 Kings 12:9 בֶּ֥דֶק bedeq HNcmsc breach structural breach of structural crack of
H919-02 2 Kings 12:13 בֶּ֣דֶק bedeq HNcmsc breach structural breach of structural crack of
H919-02 2 Kings 22:5 בֶּ֥דֶק bedeq HNcmsc breach structural breach of breach
H919-03 Ezekiel 27:9 בִּדְקֵ֑/ךְ bideqekhe HNcmsc/Sp2fs your seams your breach your breach
H919-05 Ezekiel 27:27 בִדְקֵ֣/ך videqekh HNcmsc/Sp2fs your seams your breach your breaches
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