אָסוּךְ (a.sukh)
a.sukh
flask
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun asukh refers to a flask or small oil jug designed for pouring. It appears only once in the Old Testament, in 2 Kings 4:2, where the widow of a prophet describes her limited household resources.
This specific vessel was essential for storing and dispensing precious liquids like olive oil, which served as food, medicine, and fuel. In the narrative, Elisha uses this ordinary container to perform a miracle, filling it with enough oil to pay debts. The word highlights how God often works through common, everyday items rather than spectacular displays.
Its singular occurrence underscores the significance of the event in Kings. The asukh represents not just a container, but a tool for provision and deliverance in a time of need.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word asukh describes a simple flask, an everyday vessel for holding precious oil. In the Old Testament, it appears only once, in the story of the widow in 2 Kings 4. She had nothing but this small container, yet God used it to provide for her family’s needs. This reminds us that our resources, however limited they may seem, are never beyond God’s reach.
When we feel overwhelmed by lack or uncertainty, this story offers quiet hope. God does not always use grand displays; often He works through the ordinary things we already possess. Your current situation, like that widow’s flask, can become a channel for provision when placed in His hands. Trust that He sees what you have and can multiply it for good.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a jar of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- אָס֥וּךְ1×
Key Verses
-
II Kings 4:2
Elisha said to her, “What should I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She said, “Your servant has nothing in the house, except a pot of oil.”
This is the only occurrence of the word, where the widow identifies her flask as her sole remaining asset before Elisha’s miracle.