Bible Lexicons

The particles אַךְ‎, רַק‎ only, serve to introduce restrictive clauses, and גַּם‎, אַף‎ also, besides, even, intensive clauses. It is to be observed that the force of these particles does not necessarily affect the word which immediately follows (as is the case with אַךְ‎ Genesis 7:23, Genesis 34:15; רַק‎ Genesis 6:5, Amos 3:2; even הֲרַק אַךְ‎ hath he indeed only? Numbers 12:2; גַּם‎ Genesis 27:34, Job 7:11; אַף‎ Deuteronomy 15:17), but very frequently extends to the whole of the following sentence. Thus with אַךְ‎, e.g. Numbers 14:9, 1 Kings 17:13, Proverbs 17:11, Job 13:15, Job 14:22, Job 16:7, Job 23:6; רַק‎ Genesis 20:11, Genesis 24:8, Psalms 32:6, Proverbs 13:10; גַּם‎ Genesis 27:33, Genesis 32:21 (גַּם הִנֵּה‎), 44:10; 1 Samuel 22:7, 1 Samuel 28:20, Zechariah 9:11, Proverbs 17:26, Proverbs 20:11; אַף‎ Job 14:3, Job 15:4.—In Malachi 1:10 and Job 2:10 גַּם‎ is placed before two co-ordinate sentences, although, strictly speaking, it applies only to the second. Cf. the analogous examples in §150m.