⦁ Luke 4:16-19 (from Isaiah 61:1-2)
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
⦁ Isaiah 61:1 NKJV
1 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,
Because the LORD has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison (to those who are) bound;
● ● Isaiah 61:1 more literal (per BDB)
1 Spirit of my lord, the LORD, upon me, on account of he anointed the LORD את me announcing of afflicteds. He sent me out to bind beings broken of heart, to proclaim to beings taken captive release, and beings bound ((open to take)).
● Isaiah 61:1
1 ר֛וּחַ אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִ֖ה עָלָ֑י יַ֡עַן מָשַׁח֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֹתִ֜י לְבַשֵּׂ֣ר עֲנָוִ֗ים שְׁלָחַ֨נִי֙ לַחֲבֹ֣שׁ לְנִשְׁבְּרֵי־לֵ֔ב לִקְרֹ֤א לִשְׁבוּיִם֙ דְּרֹ֔ור וְלַאֲסוּרִ֖ים פְּקַח־קֹֽוחַ׃
- Note BDB gives no definition for the words פקח and קוח individually in this setting, only combined as “liberty.” What I put in italics in double parentheses are impressions based on full word studies. ●
🤔 BDB elsewhere gives פקח as “to open” in Genesis 21:10 and as “seeing” in Exodus 4:11 and 23:8 and “to open” in 2 Kings 6:20. There are numerous occurrences of a King named Pekah. In 2 Kings 15:28, it says, “Pekah did evil in the eyes of the LORD and did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam. (See context 2 Kings 15:27-31, but also see 2 Chronicles 28:6.) Here is where it gets tricky because of the karma-like understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures (14. Synthetic Grasp of Life). In 2 Chronicles, Pekah kills many for forsaking the LORD. Did Pekah not depart from the “sins” of Jeroboam or from the “result of the sin,” the guilt-feeling? But, if you look at the passage in 2 Chronicles 28:5-10, you will see that Pekah has been overzealous, and the passage clearly is mirrored by the passage about the woman caught in the very act of adultery (John 8:1-12). See this statement:
⦁ 2 Chronicles 28:9-10: “Behold, because the LORD, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand, but you have killed them in a rage that has reached up to heaven.
10 And now you intend to subjugate the people of Judah and Jerusalem, male and female, as your slaves. Have you not sins of your own against the LORD your God?”
The LORD admonishes his children, but with compassion. He does not over-react. Indeed, that is the message in the rainbow. And remember Yeshua/Jesus calls the LORD Abba, “Father.” See in Appendix 10. Father אב/פח Cognate Permutationsthe meaning of the group is (lovingly instill restraint). A father helps us to know when to hide and when to reveal.
Recall our discussions previously about the LORD not liking extremes. I hope to address that concept again soon, LORD willing.
🤔🤔 remember the man born blind in John 9… read context
⦁ John 9:3
3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.
פְּקַח־קוֹחַ
STRONG’S NUMBER: h6495
Dictionary Definition h6495. פְּקַח־קוֹחַ p̱eqaḥ-qôaḥ; from 6491 redoubled; opening (of a dungeon), i.e. jail-delivery (figuratively, salvation for sin): — opening of the prison.
AV (1) – opening of the prison 1;
opening (of eyes), wide
h6491. פָּקַח p̱âqaḥ; a primitive root; to open (the senses, especially the eyes); figuratively, to be observant: — open.
AV (20) – open 20;
to open (the eyes)
(Qal)
- to open (the eyes)
- to open (the ears)
(Niphal) to be opened
EDBH lists neither פקח nor קוח as roots, and this is the only occurrence of it as a pair in TaNaKh.
● Impression קוה wait; hope אבי my father אקו wild goat וחי and lived/revived יאבdesire; long באך entering you ואך and surely בכה/בכא weep פקח open cognate permutations (encourage/discourage)
- NOTICE this includes the “consequence duo.”
- See בכה weep in the group… 🤔 Are there times of weeping in your life that have helped you to “see,” open your eyes? ●
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⦁ ▸ TaNaKH (17 Results)
1. Shemot 4:11 (Mikraot Gedolot)
וַיֹּאמֶר י־ְהֹוָה אֵלָיו מִי שָׂם פֶּה לָאָדָם אוֹ מִי יָשׂוּם אִלֵּם אוֹ חֵרֵשׁ אוֹ פִקֵּחַ אוֹ עִוֵּר הֲלֹא אָנֹכִי י־ְהֹוָה.
⦁ Exodus 4:11
11 So the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? (Have) not I, the LORD?
2. Melakhim II 6:17 (Mikraot Gedolot)
וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אֱלִישָׁע וַיֹּאמַר י־ְהֹוָה פְּקַח נָא אֶת עֵינָיו וְיִרְאֶה וַיִּפְקַח י־ְהֹוָה אֶת עֵינֵי הַנַּעַר וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה הָהָר מָלֵא סוּסִים וְרֶכֶב אֵשׁ סְבִיבֹת אֱלִישָׁע.
3. Melakhim II 6:20 (Mikraot Gedolot)
וַיְהִי כְּבֹאָם שֹׁמְרוֹן וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלִישָׁע י־ְהֹוָה פְּקַח אֶת עֵינֵי אֵלֶּה וְיִרְאוּ וַיִּפְקַח י־ְהֹוָה אֶת עֵינֵיהֶם וַיִּרְאוּ וְהִנֵּה בְּתוֹךְ שֹׁמְרוֹן.
⦁ 2 Kings 6:17-20
17 And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Thenthe LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
19 Now Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, nor is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” But he led them to Samaria.
20 So it was, when they had come to Samaria, that Elisha said, “LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and there they were, inside Samaria!
4. Melakhim II 15:25 (Mikraot Gedolot)
וַיִּקְשֹׁר עָלָיו פֶּקַח בֶּן רְמַלְיָהוּ שָׁלִישׁוֹ וַיַּכֵּהוּ בְשֹׁמְרוֹן בְּאַרְמוֹן בֵּית [הַמֶּלֶךְ] (מלך) אֶת אַרְגֹּב וְאֶת הָאַרְיֵה וְעִמּוֹ חֲמִשִּׁים אִישׁ מִבְּנֵי גִלְעָדִים וַיְמִתֵהוּ וַיִּמְלֹךְ תַּחְתָּיו.
5. Melakhim II 15:27 (Mikraot Gedolot)
בִּשְׁנַת חֲמִשִּׁים וּשְׁתַּיִם שָׁנָה לַעֲזַרְיָה מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה מָלַךְ פֶּקַח בֶּן רְמַלְיָהוּ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה.
6. Melakhim II 15:29 (Mikraot Gedolot)
בִּימֵי פֶּקַח מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּא תִּגְלַת פִּלְאֶסֶר מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר וַיִּקַּח אֶת עִיּוֹן וְאֶת אָבֵל בֵּית מַעֲכָה וְאֶת יָנוֹחַ וְאֶת קֶדֶשׁ וְאֶת חָצוֹר וְאֶת הַגִּלְעָד וְאֶת הַגָּלִילָה כֹּל אֶרֶץ נַפְתָּלִי וַיַּגְלֵם אַשּׁוּרָה.
7. Melakhim II 15:30 (Mikraot Gedolot)
וַיִּקְשׇׁר קֶשֶׁר הוֹשֵׁעַ בֶּן אֵלָה עַל פֶּקַח בֶּן רְמַלְיָהוּ וַיַּכֵּהוּ וַיְמִיתֵהוּ וַיִּמְלֹךְ תַּחְתָּיו בִּשְׁנַת עֶשְׂרִים לְיוֹתָם בֶּן עֻזִּיָּה.
8. Melakhim II 15:31 (Mikraot Gedolot)
וְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי פֶקַח וְכׇל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה הִנָּם כְּתוּבִים עַל סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
9. Melakhim II 15:37 (Mikraot Gedolot)
בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם הֵחֵל י־ְהֹוָה לְהַשְׁלִיחַ בִּיהוּדָה רְצִין מֶלֶךְ אֲרָם וְאֵת פֶּקַח בֶּן רְמַלְיָהוּ.
⦁ 2 Kings 15:25-37 about Pekah son of Remaliah
25 Then Pekah the son of Remaliah, an officer of his, conspired against him and killed him in Samaria, in the citadel of the king’s house, along with Argob and Arieh; and with him were fifty men of Gilead. He killed him and reigned in his place.
26 Now the rest of the acts of Pekahiah, and all that he did, indeed they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
27 In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah the son of Remaliah became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned twenty years. 28 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin. 29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maachah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria. 30 Then Hoshea the son of Elah led a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and struck and killed him; so he reigned in his place in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.
31 Now the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he did, indeed they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
32 In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, Jotham the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, began to reign. 33 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. 34 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD; he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done. 35 However the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. He built the Upper Gate of the house of the LORD.
36 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 37 In those days the LORD began to send Rezin king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah against Judah.
10. Melakhim II 19:16 (Mikraot Gedolot)
הַטֵּה י־ְהֹוָה אׇזְנְךָ וּשְׁמָע פְּקַח י־ְהֹוָה עֵינֶיךָ וּרְאֵה וּשְׁמַע אֵת דִּבְרֵי סַנְחֵרִיב אֲשֶׁר שְׁלָחוֹ לְחָרֵף אֱלֹהִים חָי.
⦁ 2 Kings 19:16
16 Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God.
11. Yeshayahu 37:17 (Mikraot Gedolot)
הַטֵּה י־ְהֹוָה אׇזְנְךָ וּשְׁמָע פְּקַח י־ְהֹוָה עֵינֶךָ וּרְאֵה וּשְׁמַע אֵת כׇּל דִּבְרֵי סַנְחֵרִיב אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַח לְחָרֵף אֱלֹהִים חָי.
⦁ Isaiah 37:17
17 Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God.
12. Yeshayahu 61:1 (Mikraot Gedolot)
רוּחַ אֲדֹנָי יֱ־הֹוִה עָלָי יַעַן מָשַׁח י־ְהֹוָה אֹתִי לְבַשֵּׂר עֲנָוִים שְׁלָחַנִי לַחֲבֹשׁ לְנִשְׁבְּרֵי לֵב לִקְרֹא לִשְׁבוּיִם דְּרוֹר וְלַאֲסוּרִים פְּקַח קוֹחַ.
⦁ Isaiah 61:1
1 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,
Because the LORD has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
13. Tehillim 146:8 (Mikraot Gedolot)
י־ְהֹוָה פֹּקֵחַ עִוְרִים י־ְהֹוָה זֹקֵף כְּפוּפִים י־ְהֹוָה אֹהֵב צַדִּיקִים.
● Psalms 146:8
8 The LORD opens (the eyes) of the blind;
The LORD raises those who are bowed down;
The LORD loves the righteous.
14. Mishlei 20:13 (Mikraot Gedolot)
אַל תֶּאֱהַב שֵׁנָה פֶּן תִּוָּרֵשׁ פְּקַח עֵינֶיךָ שְׂבַע לָחֶם.
⦁ Proverbs 20:13
13 Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty;
Open your eyes, (and) you will be satisfied with bread.
15. Iyyov 27:19 (Mikraot Gedolot)
עָשִׁיר יִשְׁכַּב וְלֹא יֵאָסֵף עֵינָיו פָּקַח וְאֵינֶנּוּ.
⦁ Job 27:19
19 The rich man will lie down,
But not be gathered (up);
He opens his eyes,
And he (is) no more.
16. Daniel 9:18 (Mikraot Gedolot)
הַטֵּה אֱלֹהַי אׇזְנְךָ וּשְׁמָע [פְּקַח] (פקחה) עֵינֶיךָ וּרְאֵה שֹׁמְמֹתֵינוּ וְהָעִיר אֲשֶׁר נִקְרָא שִׁמְךָ עָלֶיהָ כִּי לֹא עַל צִדְקֹתֵינוּ אֲנַחְנוּ מַפִּילִים תַּחֲנוּנֵינוּ לְפָנֶיךָ כִּי עַל רַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים.
⦁ Daniel 9:18
18 O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies.
17. Divrei HaYamim II 28:6 (Mikraot Gedolot)
וַיַּהֲרֹג פֶּקַח בֶּן רְמַלְיָהוּ בִּיהוּדָה מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף בְּיוֹם אֶחָד הַכֹּל בְּנֵי חָיִל בְּעׇזְבָם אֶת י־ְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתָם.
⦁ 2 Chronicles 28:6
6 For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed one hundred and twenty thousand in Judah in one day, all valiant men, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.
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Be encouraged…
“ENTERING YOU” באך
1. Bereshit 19:22 (Mikraot Gedolot)
מַהֵר הִמָּלֵט שָׁמָּה כִּי לֹא אוּכַל לַעֲשׂוֹת דָּבָר עַד בֹּאֲךָ שָׁמָּה עַל כֵּן קָרָא שֵׁם הָעִיר צוֹעַר.
⦁ Genesis 19:22
22 Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing until you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
2. Shofetim 11:33 (Mikraot Gedolot)
וַיַּכֵּם מֵעֲרוֹעֵר (וְעַד בֹּאֲךָ) מִנִּית עֶשְׂרִים עִיר וְעַד אָבֵל כְּרָמִים מַכָּה גְּדוֹלָה מְאֹד וַיִּכָּנְעוּ בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
⦁ Judges 11:33 ESV
33 And he struck them from Aroer to the (neighborhood) of Minnith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel-keramim, with a great blow. So the Ammonites were subdued before the people of Israel.
⦁ Judges 11:33 NKJV
33 And he defeated them from Aroer (as far as) Minnith—twenty cities—and to Abel Keramim, with a very great slaughter. Thus the people of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.
⦁ Judges 11:33 more literal per BDB
33 And strikes from Aroer (and until your entering) Minnith tens city and until Abel Keramim plague/wound great muchness, and were humbled sons of Ammon from face of sons of Israel.
3. Shemuel I 29:6 (Mikraot Gedolot)
וַיִּקְרָא אָכִישׁ אֶל דָּוִד וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו חַי י־ְהֹוָה כִּי יָשָׁר אַתָּה וְטוֹב בְּעֵינַי צֵאתְךָ וּבֹאֲךָ אִתִּי בַּמַּחֲנֶה כִּי לֹא מָצָאתִי בְךָ רָעָה מִיּוֹם בֹּאֲךָ אֵלַי עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה וּבְעֵינֵי הַסְּרָנִים לֹא טוֹב אָתָּה.
⦁ 1 Samuel 29:6
6 Then Achish called David and said to him, “As the LORD lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that you should march out and come in with me in the campaign. For I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords do not approve of you.
4. Shemuel II 5:25 (Mikraot Gedolot)
וַיַּעַשׂ דָּוִד כֵּן כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּהוּ י־ְהֹוָה וַיַּךְ אֶת פְּלִשְׁתִּים מִגֶּבַע (עַד בֹּאֲךָ) גָזֶר.
⦁ 2 Samuel 5:25 NKJV
25 And David did so, as the LORD commanded him; and he drove back the Philistines from Geba (as far as) Gezer.
⦁ 2 Samuel 5:25 more literal per BDB
25 And does David thus like which commands the LORD and strikes את Philistines from Geba (until your entering) Gezer.
5. Melakhim I 2:13 (Mikraot Gedolot)
וַיָּבֹא אֲדֹנִיָּהוּ בֶן חַגִּית אֶל בַּת שֶׁבַע אֵם שְׁלֹמֹה וַתֹּאמֶר הֲשָׁלוֹם בֹּאֶךָ וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁלוֹם.
⦁ 1 Kings 2:13
13 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, “Do you come peacefully?” He said, “Peacefully.”
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- From your past, what has “entered you?” What have been the many different witnesses that have shaped the stories that you hold closely in your life? There are many things to look at, but look back at post 02. Multiple Witnesses near the beginning of the website. First, really try to discern true witnesses from false witnesses. And make sure there was not just one episode/witness to you. It takes multiple witnesses to establish truth. How are you trapped/bound in your life by witnesses that have no truth in them?
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In AlHaTorah, קוח appears only within other words, not stand-alone. Most commonly it is a form of לקח “to take.” This was the reason for the impression I gave above.
So, my question for you is what really the idea is in Isaiah 61:1, and repeated by Yeshua/Jesus in Luke 4? I think Isaiah 6:6-13 helps us, especially with verses 9 and 10 being repeated in Matthew 13:13-17. We must actually be able to step back a few steps and view our own lives as parables. Learn to “really see.” We must take time and distance from what we are living and ask ourselves what the LORD is wanting us to learn. I admit I have been a very slow learner in life. And I am SO very grateful for the longsuffering/patience of the LORD. See 2 Peter 3:9; Ecclesiastes 8:11; Psalm 50:21 (remember “context” always).
Blessings, PG
Ⓒ Copyright Philip E. Gates; LogAndSpeck.com, January 2026. Please cite if you use this material.