תֹּךְ (tokh)
tokh
oppression
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun tokh describes injury or oppression, often carrying the specific nuance of fraud or deceit. It appears in only three verses, primarily within Psalms and Proverbs, where it highlights the harm caused by dishonesty. The term points to a violation of justice that stems from trickery rather than mere physical force.
Its meaning extends beyond simple mistreatment to include the deceptive practices that undermine trust. In Proverbs, this word underscores the damage done by those who use lies to exploit others. The connection between oppression and deceit suggests that true injustice often begins with a breach of truth, making tokh a powerful descriptor for ethical corruption in social relationships.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word tokh reminds us that injustice is not always loud or violent. Often, it hides behind a smile, using lies and tricks to take what belongs to others. This kind of oppression breaks trust and hurts the vulnerable in quiet but deep ways. It shows how dishonesty can be just as damaging as physical force.
God sees these hidden harms. He cares about the poor person who is cheated out of their fair share. He also knows the heart of the one doing the cheating. True justice requires honesty and fairness, not just the absence of violence. We are called to live with integrity, protecting others from deceit.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- oppression<s>1×
- from/ oppression1×
- and/ oppression1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תְּכָכִ֣ים1×
- מִ/תּ֣וֹךְ1×
- וָ/תֹ֑ךְ1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 10:7
His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression. Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.
This verse links oppression directly with deceit and cursing, showing that verbal dishonesty is a form of harm.
-
Psalms 72:14
He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence. Their blood will be precious in his sight.
Here, God’s redemption includes rescuing people from the specific injury of tokh, highlighting His role as protector of the oppressed.
-
Proverbs 29:13
The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: Yahweh gives sight to the eyes of both.
This passage shows that both the victim and the oppressor need God’s sight, reminding us that He sees the full picture of injustice.