Word Study for H6128 (עֲקַלְקַל)

ʻăqalqal /ak-al-kal'/ Ask about this word

Meaningwinding

KJV usageby(-way), crooked way.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʻăqalqal — 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 ʻăqalqal, represented by H6128, describes something that is winding or crooked. Its base definition is "winding; by(-way), crooked way." This specific term appears only 2 times in 2 unique verses, yet it effectively illustrates both a literal and a figurative path.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The two uses of H6128 highlight its dual meaning. In Judges 5:6, it is used in a literal sense to describe the state of the land when the main highways were unsafe, forcing travelers to walk through "byways" or winding paths. Conversely, Psalms 125:5 uses the term figuratively to describe a moral or spiritual path. It refers to those who "turn aside unto their crooked ways," indicating a deviation from righteousness that aligns them with "the workers of iniquity" Psalms 125:5.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the concept of a "crooked way":

H5186 nâṭâh (to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away... pervert, turn aside): This word describes the action of choosing a crooked path. In Psalms 125:5, it is those who "turn aside" who find themselves on these ways, emphasizing a deliberate moral deflection.
H5410 nâthîyb (a (beaten) track; path(-way)): This word is used alongside H6128 in Judges 5:6 to form the phrase "byways," or winding paths. It provides the core concept of a track or way, which H6128 then qualifies as crooked.
H3212 yâlak (to walk): This verb appears in both contexts where H6128 is found. It describes the physical movement of travelers who "walked" through byways Judges 5:6 and the consequential movement of the unrighteous whom the LORD "shall lead them forth" Psalms 125:5.
H205 ʼâven (iniquity): This term defines the nature of the figurative crooked path in Psalms 125:5. Those who follow such ways are grouped with the "workers of iniquity," showing that a crooked path is one of wickedness and vanity.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H6128 is found in its powerful imagery of paths.

Literal vs. Figurative Ways: The word illustrates how a physical reality—a dangerous, indirect path Judges 5:6—can serve as a powerful metaphor for a spiritual one. The crooked path is one outside of God's prescribed, direct way.
Moral Choice and Deflection: The crooked way is not a path one stumbles onto by accident. It is for those who "turn aside" H5186, representing a conscious decision to depart from a straight course and follow a path of moral compromise.
Association with Sin: The destination of a "crooked way" is association with evil. Psalms 125:5 makes it clear that such paths lead to the same end as that of the "workers of iniquity," reinforcing the idea that deviation from God's way is a path toward sin.

Summary

In summary, H6128 is a concise but potent term. While used only twice, it effectively contrasts a literal, winding "byway" born of necessity with a figurative "crooked way" chosen by those who deliberately turn from righteousness. It serves as a stark reminder that the path one walks, whether physical or spiritual, defines one's direction and ultimate association.

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 an adjective 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.

עֲקַלְקַלּוֹת
עַקַלְקַלּוֹתָ

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 Judges and Psalms (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

Judges

Psalms

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.