Lexical Definition

‎יָכֹל‎ yâkôl (yaw-kole') be able ^H:V
or (fuller) יָכוֹל yâkôwl (yaw-kole'); a primitive root

be able, any at all (ways), attain, can (away with, (-not)), could, endure, might, overcome, have power, prevail, still, suffer.

• to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might)

1) to prevail, overcome, endure, have power, be able
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be able, be able to gain or accomplish, be able to endure, be able to reach
1a2) to prevail, prevail over or against, overcome, be victor
1a3) to have ability, have strength

See Greek: ἀνέχομαι · γίνομαι · δυνατός · ἰσχύω · ποιέω · ὑποφέρω · χωρέω

Extended Information

• Aramaic equivalent: ye.khel (‎י‎ְ‎כ‎ִ‎ל‎ "be able" יְכֵל)

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎יָכֹל‎, ‎יָכוֺל‎₁₉₃ verb be able, have power prevail, endure (Late Hebrew id.; Aramaic ‎יְכִיל‎; Assyrian akâlu, Hpt in KAT^{2 Gloss i},) —

Qal Perfect ‎יָכֹל‎ Gen 32:26* + 8 t.; ‎יָכוֺל‎ 1Sam 4:15 + 2 t.; 3 feminine singular ‎יָ˜כְלָה‎ Gen 36:7; Exod 2:3 2 masculine singular ‎וְיָכָלְתָּ֫‎ Exod 18:23 1 singular ‎יָכֹלְתִּי‎ Gen 30:8 + 2 t.; suffix ‎יְכָלְתִּיו‎ Ps 13:5* 3 plural ‎יָכְ֑לוּ‎ Gen 13:6 + 27 t. + Josh 15:63 Qr; ‎יָכֹ֑לוּ‎ Exod 8:14* + 2 t.; Imperfect 3 masculine singular ‎יוּכָל‎ Gen 13:16 + 34 t.; ‎יוּכָ֑ל‎ Job 4:2 + 4 t.; ‎וַיֻּכָ֑ל‎ Hos 12:5* 3 feminine singular ‎תּוּכַל‎ Amos 7:10 + 2 t.; 2 masculine singular ‎תּוּכַל‎ Gen 15:5 + 16 t.; 1 singular ‎אוּכַל‎ Gen 19:19 + 30 t., etc. (on these Imperfect forms as irregular Qal, see Ges^{«GKC:2»§ 2}, R. 3 Kö^{i. 407} W^{SG 237}; others Hoph`al); Infinitive construct ‎יְכֹ֫לֶת‎ Num 14:16; Deut 9:28 Infinitive absolute ‎יָכוֺל‎ Num 13:20; 2Chr 32:13 ‎יָכֹל‎ Num 22:38; 1Sam 26:25 P 8 t. (not Leviticus), Ezek 3 t.; often J E D Jeremiah, Isa², not seldom in Samuel Kings Chronicles; —

1. be able, to do a thing, whether ability be physical, moral, constitutional, or dependent on external authority; usually of man Gen 13:16 (J) +, but also of gods 2Chr 32:13; 2Chr 32:15, and of ‎׳‎‎י‎ Num 14:16 (JE), Deut 9:28; Jer 44:22 occasionally of inanimate things Amos 7:10; Gen 36:7 (P), Song 8:7; Eccl 1:15 (twice in verse), etc.:
a. usually followed by infinitive with ‎לְ‎ (122 t.), Gen 31:35 I am not able to rise up; Gen 45:1 Joseph was not able to restrain himself, vGen 45:3; Gen 48:10; Exod 7:21; Exod 7:24 were not able to drink, Exod 12:39; Josh 24:19 (all E); Gen 13:16 if a man can number the dust, Gen 19:19; Gen 19:22; Gen 43:32; Gen 44:22; Gen 44:26 (twice in verse); Exod 10:5; Exod 19:23 (all J), Gen 15:5; Exod 15:23; Num 11:14 (all J E) + 10 t. J E; Deut 7:17 + 10 t. D; Gen 13:6 they could not dwell together, Gen 34:14; Gen 36:7; Exod 9:11; Exod 40:35; Num 9:6; Josh 9:19 (all P); 1Sam 3:2; 1Sam 6:20; 1Kgs 9:21 (on || 2Chr 8:8 and text of Judg 1:19 see Bu^{RS 8}), Amos 7:10; Hos 5:13; Zeph 1:18; Jer 6:10; Jer 11:11; Jer 13:23; Jer 18:6; Jer 19:11 +.
b. followed by infinitive without ‎לְ‎ (27 t.; not P): Gen 37:4; Exod 2:3; Exod 18:18; Exod 18:23 (all E), Gen 24:50; Gen 44:1 (J), Num 22:37; Num 22:38 (JE), Deut 1:9; Deut 7:22; Deut 14:24; Deut 22:29; Judg 8:3; Jer 49:10; Jer 49:23; Hab 1:13; Isa 46:2; Isa 47:11; Isa 47:12; Isa 57:20; Lam 1:14; Ps 18:39*; Ps 36:13*; Ps 78:20; Prov 30:21; Job 4:2; Job 33:5.
c. with infinitive implicit, always negative, Gen 29:8 go and feed them; and they said, We are not able, cannot (J), Exod 8:14* (P), Isa 29:11; Jer 20:9; Ps 21:12*; Jonah 1:13.
d. with negative = may not (of moral inability): Gen 43:32 (J) the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; Judg 21:18 we may not give them wives; especially D, Deut 7:22; Deut 12:17; Deut 14:24; Deut 16:5; Deut 17:15; Deut 22:3; Deut 28:27; Deut 28:35.
e. be able, followed by imperfect: ‎אוּלַי אוּכַל נַכֶּה‎ Num 22:6 (JE) perchance I am able (so that) we smite (see Di; read perhaps ‎נוּכַל‎ for ‎אוּכַל‎ Ges^{«GKC:120»§ 120}, 1 b); ‎לֹא יוּכְלוּ יִגְּעוּ‎ Lam 4:14 they are unable, they touch = are unable to touch (Dr^{§ 163}, Obs.) feminine be able, followed by perfect consecutive, only very late, ‎אוּכַל וְרָאִיתִי‎ Esth 8:6 (twice in verse), literally how shall I be able and see? — Also in various combinations where English idiom would make it an auxiliary to another verb:
g. able to gain, accomplish: followed by acc ‎לֹא יוּכְלוּ נִקָּיוֺן‎ Hos 8:5 how long will they be unable (to gain) innocence? ‎יָדַעְתִּ֯‎ ‎כִּיכֹֿל תּוּכָ֑ל‎ Job 42:2 I know that thou art able (to do) all things; ‎אֵין הַמֶּלֶךְ יוּכַל אֶתְכֶם דָּבָר‎ Jer 38:5 the king is not (one who is) able (to do) anything with (‎אֶתְכם‎ for ‎אִתְּכֶם‎ see Gf, i.e. against) you.
h. able to endure: ‎לֹא אוּכַל אָוֶן וַעֲצָרָה‎ Isa 1:13 I cannot endure iniquity and (with) a solemn assembly, Ps 101:5.
i. able to reach, followed by ‎לְ‎, Ps 139:6 it is high, ‎לֹא אוּכַל לָהּ‎ I cannot (reach) to it.

2. prevail:
a. absolute prevail, overcome, be victor Gen 30:8 (E), Gen 32:29* (J), Hos 12:5*; 1Sam 26:25; 1Kgs 22:22 = 2Chr 18:21; Jer 20:7; Jer 20:11 of waves Jer 5:22 succeed Isa 16:12; Jer 3:5 (VB hast had they way).
b. followed by ‎לְ‎ person, prevail against, over Gen 32:26* (J), Num 13:30 (JE), Judg 16:5; 1Sam 17:9; Jer 1:19; Jer 15:20; Jer 20:10; Jer 38:22; Obad 1:7; Ps 129:2; Esth 6:13.
c. once with suffix, ‎יְכָלְתִּיו‎ Ps 13:5* I have prevailed over him, + Zech 9:15 (where read ‎וְיָ˜כְלוּם‎ for ‎וְאָֽכְלוּ‎ with ᵐ5 ᵑ7 Klo^{ThLZ 1879. 564} Sta^{ZAW 1881, 18}).

3. absolute have ability, strength, only negative ‎מִשְּׂאֵתוֺ לֹא‎ ‎אוּכָ֑ל‎ Job 31:23 because of his loftiness I have no ability, am inadequate (to anything).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References