Lexical Definition

‎עָקַב‎ ʻâqab (aw-kab') to assail ^H:V
a primitive root; properly, to swell out or up; used only as denominative from ‎עָקֵב‎,

take by the heel, stay, supplant, [idiom] utterly.

• to seize by the heel
• figuratively, to circumvent (as if tripping up the heels)
• also to restrain (as if holding by the heel)

1) to supplant, circumvent, take by the heel, follow at the heel, assail insidiously, overreach
1a) (Qal) to supplant, overreach, attack at the heel
1b) (Piel) to hold back

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎עָקַב‎ verb follow at the heel, figurative assail insidiously, circumvent, overreach (denominative from ‎עָקֵב‎; compare Arabic follow (at the heel), succeed, III. bring consequence on, i.e. punish, Qor 22:59; IV. make to follow, i.e. reward or punish, end, final lot 6:11 reward 6:136 hold back (rare), follow, Pa`el investigate, search out: Ethiopic is keep, guard); —

Qal Perfect 3 masculine singular Hos 12:4* ‎בַּבֶּטֶן עָקַב אֶתאָֿחִיו‎ he attacked his brother at the heel (compare Gen 25:26 below ‎עָקֵב‎); Imperfect 3 masculine singular Gen 27:36 ‎הֲכִי קָרָא שְׁמוֺ יַעֲקֹב וַיַּעְקְבֵנִי‎ ‎זֶה פַעֲמַיִם‎ and he hath overreached me now twice; + Infinitive abs Jer 9:3* ‎בָּלאָֿח עָקוֺב יַעֲקֹב‎ surely overreacheth (|| ‎רָכִיל יַהֲלֹח‎). [ᵐ5](/btb/not_created.html) πτερνίζω, to attack with the heel; but this dubious In 'supplant,' also, the figurative is a different one.] Pi`el Job 37:4 ‎וְלֹא יְעַקְּבֵם‎ dubious; poss attack at the heel (compare ‎זִנֵּב‎), hence figurative hold back; more probably read ‎וְלֹא‎ ‎יְעַכְּבֵם‎ holdeth them not back (that is ‎בְּרָקָיו‎ his lightnings), when his voice is heard from ‎עִכֵּב‎ to hold back (common in Late Hebrew; ᵑ7 ‎עַכֵּב‎).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References