Word Study for H5914 (עֶכֶס) | Strong's Concordance

ʻekeç /eh'-kes/ Ask about this word

Meaninga fetter; hence, an anklet

KJV usagestocks, tinkling ornament.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʻekeç — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word ʻekeç, represented by H5914, is defined as a fetter, and by extension, an anklet, stocks, or tinkling ornament. It appears only 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible, carrying a dual meaning that contrasts physical adornment with physical punishment.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The two uses of H5914 present a stark contrast. In Isaiah 3:18, it refers to decorative jewelry, where the Lord promises to "take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments" as a sign of judgment. Conversely, in Proverbs 7:22, it signifies a tool of punishment and public shame. The verse describes a fool being led to "the correction of the stocks," comparing his path to that of an ox going to the slaughter.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words illuminate the contexts in which H5914 appears:

H191 ʼĕvîyl (fool): This term, meaning a silly or foolish man, is directly connected to H5914 in Proverbs 7:22. The fool is the one who ends up in the stocks, reinforcing the idea that this form of punishment is a consequence of folly. Other passages note that fools despise wisdom and instruction Proverbs 1:7.
H4148 mûwçâr (correction, discipline): Defined as chastisement, reproof, or instruction, this word is paired with stocks to describe their purpose: "the correction of the stocks" Proverbs 7:22. This highlights the role of H5914 as an instrument of discipline.
H8597 tiphʼârâh (bravery, beauty, glory): Meaning ornament, beauty, or honour, this word is used in Isaiah 3:18 to describe the tinkling ornaments H5914 that will be removed. It establishes the ornaments as symbols of worldly glory and beauty, which are subject to God's judgment.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H5914 is rooted in its contrasting applications:

Pride and Adornment: As a tinkling ornament, H5914 symbolizes worldly pride and vanity. Its removal in Isaiah 3:18 serves as a divine judgment against the haughtiness represented by such finery.
Folly and Consequence: As stocks, H5914 represents the inevitable and public consequence of foolishness. The path of the fool H191 who ignores correction H4148 leads directly to restraint and shame Proverbs 7:22.
A Symbol of Bondage: The core meaning of fetter connects both uses. The tinkling ornaments can be seen as a fetter to worldly pride, while the stocks are a literal fetter for punishment, illustrating how both vanity and folly lead to a form of bondage.

Summary

In summary, ʻekeç H5914 is a term with a powerful dual meaning. Though used sparingly, it effectively contrasts the symbols of human pride with the tools of divine correction. It serves as a concise biblical illustration of two distinct paths: one of wearing adornments that signify worldly bravery Isaiah 3:18 and another that leads a fool to the restraint of the stocks Proverbs 7:22.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

עֲכָסִים
עֶכֶס

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Proverbs and Isaiah (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

Proverbs

Isaiah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.