אַךְ

1. surely.

2. with a restrictive force, emphasizing what follows:
\ \ a. in contrast to what precedes, howbeit;
\ \ b. in contrast with other ideas generally, only

1. asseverative, often introducing with emphasis the expression of a truth (or supposed truth) newly perceived, especially in colloquial language, surely, no doubt (doch wohl); 1 Mos 26,9 אַךְ הִנֵּה אִשְׁתְּךָ הִוא of a surety, lo, she is thy wife ! 1 Mos 29,14; 1 Mos 44,28; Dom 3,24; Dom 20,39; 1 Sam 16,6 surely the anointed of ׳י is before him ! 1 Sam 25,21; Jer 5,4; Sl 58,12; Sl 73,1; Sl 73,13 but also in other cases, though rarely, Es 34,14; Es 34,15; Sef 3,7; Sl 23,6; Sl 139,11; Sl 140,14; Job 16,7; Job 18,21 & rather singularly 2 Mos 12,15; 2 Mos 31,13; 3 Mos 23,27; 3 Mos 23,39 (all P).

2. restrictive:
\ \ a. in contrast to what precedes, howbeit, yet, but : 1 Mos 9,4 howbeit, flesh with the life thereof . . . ye shall not eat, 1 Mos 20,12; 2 Mos 21,21; 3 Mos 21,23; 3 Mos 27,26; 4 Mos 18,15; 4 Mos 18,17; 2 Sam 3,13; Jer 10,24 correct me, אַךְ בְּמִשְׁפָּט but with judgment, Job 2,6; Job 13,15 sometimes with an adversative force, as Es 14,15; Es 43,24 before an imperative (minimizing the request), 1 Mos 23,13 only, if thou wilt, I pray thee, hear me ! 1 Mos 27,13; Dom 10,15; 1 Sam 18,17; 1 Kong 17,13 and elsewhere So 1 Sam 8,9 אַךְ כִּי (see כִּי; and compare πλὴν ὅτι).
\ \ b. in contrast to other ideas generally : — (α) 1 Mos 7,23; 1 Mos 18,32 אַךְ הַפַּעַם only this once (so 2 Mos 10,17 and elsewhere) 2 Mos 34,15; 2 Mos 12,16 (note accents), 1 Sam 18,8 וְעוֺד לוֺ אַךְ תַמְּלוּכָה and there yet remains for him only the kingdom, 1 Sam 21,5; Es 45,14 אַךָ בְּךָ אֵל only in thee is God! Sl 62,2 etc. Job 14,22; Sl 37,8 fret not thyself אַךְ לְהָרֵעַ (which leadeth) only to do evil, Ord 11,24 he that withholdeth more than is meet אַךְ לְמַחְסוֺר (tendeth) only to penury, Ord 14,23; Ord 21,5; Ord 22,16 (β) attaching itself closely to the following word (usually an adjective, rarely a verb), only, i.e. exclusively, altogether, utterly 5 Mos 16,15 and thou shalt be אַךְ שָׂמֵחַ altogether rejoicing, 5 Mos 28,29 (compare v5 Mos 28,33 רַק) Es 16,7 אַךְ נְכָאִים utterly stricken, Es 19,11; Jer 16,19 nought but lies, Jer 32,30; Hos 12,12; Job 19,13 אַךְ זָרוּ are wholly estranged (with play on אַכְזָר cruel).
\ \ c. as an adverb of time (with infinitive absolute), twice: 1 Mos 27,30 אַךְ יָצאֹ יָצָא יַעֲקֹבוְ֗֗֗עֵשָׂו בָּא only just (or scarcely) had Jacob gone out, . . . and (= when) Esau came in, Dom 7,19. — וְאַח thrice : 1 Mos 9,5 and only (second limitation of v1 Mos 9,3); 4 Mos 22,20 but only; Jos 22,19 but howbeit.