English · KJV
H689

אַקּוֹ

ʼaqqôw /ak-ko'/ Ask about this word
Rootprobably from אָנַק
Meaningslender, i.e. the ibex
KJV usagewild goat.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʼaqqôw — 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 ʼaqqôw, represented by H689, translates to wild goat. Based on its root, it likely refers to a slender animal, such as an ibex. It appears only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the entire Bible, marking it as a highly specific term.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The single appearance of H689 is in a list of animals permitted for food under the Law of Moses. In Deuteronomy 14:5, it is included among a group of clean, hoofed animals that could be eaten by the Israelites. The verse lists "The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois" Deuteronomy 14:5.

Related Words & Concepts

The context of Deuteronomy 14:5 groups H689 with several other specific animal terms, highlighting a diverse fauna recognized in the biblical world:

  • H354 ʼayâl (hart): A stag or male deer, this animal is mentioned alongside the roebuck as clean to eat Deuteronomy 12:15 and is used metaphorically for spiritual longing Psalms 42:1.
  • H6643 tsᵉbîy (roebuck): A term for a gazelle, also noted for its splendor and beauty. It is frequently paired with the hart Deuteronomy 12:15 and is used to describe a beloved person Song of Solomon 2:9.
  • H3180 yachmûwr (fallow deer): A kind of deer included in the provisions for Solomon's table 1 Kings 4:23 and also in the list of clean animals.
  • H8377 tᵉʼôw (wild ox): A species of antelope that is also mentioned in the context of judgment, where sons lie in the streets "as a wild bull in a net" Isaiah 51:20.

Theological Significance

The significance of H689 is found primarily in its context rather than in direct theological application.

  • Divine Provision and Law: Its sole mention is within a list of clean animals, emphasizing God's provision for His people while also establishing the legal boundaries that defined Israel's consecrated life.
  • Part of a Symbolic Group: While ʼaqqôw is not used symbolically itself, it is listed with animals that are. The hart H354 symbolizes spiritual desire and restored joy, and the roebuck H6643 is a metaphor for beauty and swiftness, connecting the wild goat to a class of creatures with rich poetic meaning elsewhere in scripture.

Summary

In summary, H689 ʼaqqôw is a specific term for the wild goat or ibex. Its only biblical appearance is in Deuteronomy's list of clean animals fit for consumption. While the word itself carries no extensive theological weight, its inclusion in this list marks it as part of God's provision and associates it with other animals, like the hart and roebuck, which are used to convey profound spiritual and poetic themes throughout the Old Testament.

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 1 occurrence, inflected in 1 grammatical form — 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.

  • אַקּוֹ

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.

H354 אַיָּל an intensive form of אַיִל (in the sense of ram); a stag or male deer; hart. H6643 צְבִי from צָבָה in the sense of prominence; splendor (as conspicuous); also a gazelle (as beautiful); beautiful(-ty), gloriou H3180 יַחְמוּר from חָמַר; a kind of deer; fallow deer. H8377 תְּאוֹ and תּוֹא; (the original form), from תָּאָה; a species of antelope (probably from the white stripe on the cheek); wild b

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

1 verse, all in Deuteronomy — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

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.