English · KJV
H6009

עָמַק

ʻâmaq /aw-mak'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto be (causatively, make) deep (literally or figuratively)
KJV usage(be, have, make, seek) deep(-ly), depth, be profound.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʻâmaq — 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 ʻâmaq, represented by H6009, is a primitive root used to describe something that is or is made deep, both literally and figuratively. Its base definition includes being profound, seeking deeply, or establishing depth. It appears 9 times across 9 unique verses in the Bible, illustrating concepts ranging from God's profound thoughts to the severity of human rebellion.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H6009 is applied in several distinct ways. It describes literal, physical depth, such as when God offers a sign "in the depth, or in the height above" Isaiah 7:11. It is also used when God prepares Tophet, making it "deep and large" Isaiah 30:33. Figuratively, the term expresses the profound nature of God's thoughts, which are described as "very deep" Psalms 92:5. Conversely, it illustrates the deliberate and hidden nature of human sin, as when people "seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD" Isaiah 29:15 or have "deeply revolted" Isaiah 31:6.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help contextualize the meaning of being deep or profound:

  • H1361 gâbahh: a primitive root; to soar, i.e. be lofty; figuratively, to be haughty; exalt, be haughty, be (make) high(-er), lift up, mount up, be proud, raise up great height, upward. This word serves as a direct antonym, appearing in contrast to depth when a choice is offered for a sign Isaiah 7:11.
  • H4284 machăshâbâh: a contrivance, i.e. (concretely) a texture, machine, or (abstractly) intention, plan (whether bad, a plot; or good, advice); cunning (work), curious work, device(-sed), imagination, invented, means, purpose, thought. This term is directly linked to the figurative depth of thought, as in God's "very deep" thoughts Psalms 92:5 and the "purpose" conceived by Nebuchadrezzar Jeremiah 49:30.
  • H5627 çârâh: from סוּר; apostasy, crime; figuratively, remission; [idiom] continual, rebellion, revolt(-ed), turn away, wrong. This word is paired with H6009 to emphasize the gravity of sin, as when the children of Israel have "deeply revolted" Isaiah 31:6.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H6009 is significant, often creating a contrast between the divine and the human.

  • Divine Profundity: The term is used to express the incomprehensible nature of God. His thoughts are described as "very deep" Psalms 92:5, setting His wisdom and plans apart from human understanding.
  • The Depth of Human Sin: In contrast, H6009 is used to measure the severity of human corruption and rebellion. People are condemned for attempting to "seek deep" to hide their plans from God Isaiah 29:15, for having "deeply corrupted" themselves Hosea 9:9, and for being "profound to make slaughter" Hosea 5:2.
  • A Measure of Extremes: The word establishes a scale for divine action and human choice. It marks the lower bound of a choice between "the depth" and "the height" Isaiah 7:11 and describes the immense scale of a place of judgment made "deep and large" Isaiah 30:33.

Summary

In summary, H6009 is a powerful word that conveys more than simple physical measurement. It is a cornerstone for expressing concepts of profundity, whether it is the unsearchable depth of God's mind or the deep-seated nature of human sin. The word illustrates how the Bible uses tangible concepts like depth to explain intangible realities of theology, counsel, and rebellion.

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 verb across 9 occurrences, inflected in 6 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.

  • הֶעְמִיקוּ
  • הֶעְמִיקוּ
  • הַעְמֵק
  • מַּעֲמִיקִים
  • הֶעְמִיק
  • עָמְקוּ

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H1361 גָּבַהּ a primitive root; to soar, i.e. be lofty; figuratively, to be haughty; exalt, be haughty, be (make) high(-er), lift up, H4284 מַחֲשָׁבָה or מַחֲשֶׁבֶת; from חָשַׁב; a contrivance, i.e. (concretely) a texture, machine, or (abstractly) intention, plan (whethe H5627 סָרָה from סוּר; apostasy, crime; figuratively, remission; [idiom] continual, rebellion, revolt(-ed), turn away, wrong.

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 9 verses across 4 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Isaiah (4 verses); never once in the other 35.

1
Psalms
4
Isaiah
2
Jeremiah
2
Hosea

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.