### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **bedeq**, represented by `{{H919}}`, refers to a **gap or leak (in a building or a ship); breach, [phrase] calker**. It appears **10 times** across **8 unique verses**, primarily dealing with the concept of structural disrepair and the need for maintenance. Its meaning is tied directly to physical points of failure that require mending.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical usage, `{{H919}}` appears in two distinct contexts. The most common is the account of repairing the temple, referred to as the **house** `{{H1004}}` of the **LORD** `{{H3068}}`. King **Jehoash** `{{H3060}}` confronts the **priests** `{{H3548}}` for failing to repair the **breaches** of the house [[2 Kings 12:6-7]], leading to a new system for funding the restoration. The term is also used in a maritime sense, where the men of Gebal are identified as Tyre's **calkers** [[Ezekiel 27:9]], responsible for sealing the leaks in **ships** `{{H591}}`.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the meaning and application of **bedeq**:
* `{{H2388}}` **châzaq** (repair, strengthen): This verb is consistently used with `{{H919}}` to describe the action of fixing a breach. It appears in contexts of mending the temple [[2 Kings 12:8]] and as part of the title for "calkers" who strengthen ships [[Ezekiel 27:9]].
* `{{H1004}}` **bayith** (house): This is the primary object that suffers from the **breaches** `{{H919}}` in the narratives of 2 Kings. The focus is on the temple, the **house** of the **LORD** `{{H3068}}`, highlighting the importance of its physical integrity [[2 Kings 22:5]].
* `{{H2259}}` **chôbêl** (pilot, shipmaster): This word is used alongside **calkers** `{{H919}}` in the description of Tyre's seafaring personnel. It places the work of sealing leaks firmly within the context of maritime trade and operations [[Ezekiel 27:27]].
### Theological Significance
The conceptual weight of `{{H919}}` revolves around themes of decay, maintenance, and integrity.
* **Stewardship of Sacred Space:** The extensive account of repairing the **breaches** `{{H919}}` in the temple underscores the importance of maintaining the physical place of worship. The failure of the **priests** `{{H3548}}` to do so necessitated direct intervention by King **Jehoash** `{{H3060}}` [[2 Kings 12:7]].
* **Vulnerability and Judgment:** In the prophecy against Tyre, the presence of **calkers** `{{H919}}` highlights the city's dependence on maintaining its ships for wealth. However, these skilled workers are listed among those who will **fall** `{{H5307}}` into the **seas** `{{H3220}}` on the day of Tyre's **ruin** `{{H4658}}`, showing that human efforts to seal vulnerabilities cannot prevent divine judgment [[Ezekiel 27:27]].
* **The Need for Restoration:** A **breach** `{{H919}}` is not a final state but a problem demanding a solution. The narratives detail the gathering of **money** `{{H3701}}` and materials to **repair** `{{H2388}}` the damage, involving **masons** `{{H1443}}` and **hewers** `{{H2672}}` of stone [[2 Kings 12:12]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H919}}` **bedeq** is a specific term for a physical weakness, a breach or leak, that requires deliberate repair. Whether applied to the sacred temple needing restoration or to a ship needing to be made seaworthy, the word points to a state of disrepair. It illustrates the biblical emphasis on actively strengthening what is weak, maintaining structures of value, and the ultimate futility of such efforts in the face of divine judgment.
TRV