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Bible Lexicons
Old Testament Hebrew Lexical Dictionary
Strong's #2388 - חָזַק
- Brown-Driver-Briggs
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2152) qzh (ההזק HhZQ) AC: Seize CO: ? AB: Strength: A strong grabbing hold to refrain or support.
V) qzh (ההזק HhZQ) - Seize: To grab hold tightly. To refrain or support by grabbing hold. KJV (290): (vf: Paal, Hiphil, Hitpael, Piel) strong, repair, hold, strengthen, harden, prevail, encourage, take, courage, caught, stronger - Strongs: H2388 (חָזַק)
Nm) qzh (ההזק HhZQ) - Strong: The strength of something that refrains or supports. KJV (60): strong, mighty, sore, hard, hot, impudent, loud, stiffhearted, louder, stronger, strength - Strongs: H2389 (חָזָק), H2390 (חָזֵק), H2391 (חֵזֶק)
Nf1) eqzh (ההזקה HhZQH) - Strength: KJV (10): strong, strength, strengthen, force, mighty, repair, sharply - Strongs: H2393 (חֶזְקָה), H2394 (חָזְקָה)
gm) qzfh (ההוזק HhWZQ) - Strength: KJV (5): strength - Strongs: H2392 (חֹזֶק)
Jeff Benner, Ancient Hebrew Research Center Used by permission of the author.
חָזַק fut. יֶחֱזַק
(1) to tie fast, to bind bonds strongly. (Arab. حزق and حزك id., Syr. to gird. Of the same stock are the Hebrew חָשַׂךְ and Gr. ἴσχω, ἰσχύω, ἰσχύς, both in the signification of adhesion, and in that of strength.) Intrans. to be bound fast, Isaiah 28:22. Hence
(2) to hold fast, to stick fast. 2 Samuel 18:9, וַיֶּחֱזַק רֹאשׁוֹ בָאֵלָה “and his head held (stuck) fast in the terebinth.” So ח׳ בַּתּוֹרָה to adhere to the law, to be zealous for it, 2 Chronicles 31:4 followed by לְ with an inf. to persist in any thing, to be constant, to be earnest, or assiduous, Deuteronomy 12:23; Joshua 23:6; 1 Chronicles 28:7.
(3) to make firm, to strengthen, to confirm. (Verbs of binding, tying, girding, are applied to strength, inasmuch as with muscles well bound and with loins girded, we are stronger; on the other hand, if ungirt, the weaker. See the roots חָבַל, חוּל, קָשַׁל, and the Arabic roots cited by Bochart in Hieroz. i. p. 514, seq., and Schultens in Opp. Min. p. 187, seq.) [Trans.] Ezekiel 30:21, and i.q. to help, 2 Chronicles 28:20. More often intrans, to be firm or strong, to become strong. It is used of men who increase in prosperity, Joshua 17:13; Judges 1:28 of an increasingly severe famine, Genesis 41:56, 57 Genesis 41:57; 2 Kings 25:3; Jeremiah 52:6 of a firm and fixed determination, 2 Samuel 24:4; 1 Chronicles 21:4. Followed by מִן to prevail over, to be stronger than, 1 Samuel 17:50 followed by עַל id. 2 Chronicles 8:3, 27:5, and acc. 1 Kings 16:22. Used figuratively
(a) of the health of the body, to become strong, to recover, Isaiah 39:1.
(b) of the mind, to be strong, to be undaunted. So in the expression חֲזַק וֶאֱמַץ (Gr. ἴσχεω) “be strong in mind,” Deuteronomy 31:23 compare Daniel 10:19 and in the same sense, to be strong, as applied to the hands of any one, Judges 7:11; 2 Samuel 16:21 (comp. what has been said under the root חוּם).
(c) to be confirmed, or established, e.g. as a kingdom, 2 Kings 14:5; 2 Chronicles 25:3.
(d) in a bad sense, to be hardened, to be obstinate, spoken of the heart, Exodus 7:13, 22 comp. Malachi 3:13.
(4) to be urgent upon any one, to be pressing; followed by עַל Exodus 12:33; Ezekiel 3:14 followed by an acc., Jeremiah 20:7.
Piel חִזַּק
(1) causat. of Kal No. 1, to bind a girdle on to some one, to gird him; followed by two accusatives, Isaiah 22:21; Nahum 2:2.
(2) to make strong, to strengthen, especially to fortify a city, 2 Chronicles 11:11, 12 2 Chronicles 11:12, 26:9 to repair ruins, 2 Kings 12:8, 2 Kings 12:9, 13 2 Kings 12:13, 15 2 Kings 12:15 followed by לְ 1 Chronicles 26:27 compare Nehemiah 3:19. Especially
(a) to heal (see Kal No. 3, a), Ezekiel 34:4, 16 Ezekiel 34:16.
(b) to strengthen one’s hand, i.e. to encourage him, Judges 9:24; Jeremiah 23:14; Job 4:3; 1 Samuel 23:16. חִזַּק יָדָיו to strengthen one’s own hands, to take courage, Nehemiah 2:18.
(c) to aid or assist any one, 2 Chronicles 29:34. Ezra 6:22, 1:6, “and all their neighbours חִזְּקוּ בִּידֵיהֶם בִּכְלֵי־כֶםֶף strengthened them with vessels of silver,” i.e. gave to them, etc.
(d) in a bad sense, with the addition of לֵב to harden the heart, to make obstinate, Exodus 4:21. פָּנָיו, חִזַּק לִבּוֹ to harden one’s own heart or face, to be obstinate, Joshua 11:20; Jeremiah 5:3. Psal. 64:6, יְחַזְּקוּ לָמוֹ דָּבָר רָע “they are obstinate in doing wickedly.”
Hiphil הֶחֱזִיק
(1) to bind fast to anything, hence to join to, in the expression הֶחֱזִיק יָדוֹ בְּ to join one’s hand to something, i.e. to take hold of it (compare Gr. ἴσχω, to hold). Genesis 21:18, הַחֲזִיקִי אֶת־יָדֵךְ בּוֹ “join thy hand to him,” i.e. take hold of him. Elsewhere without יָד, followed by בְּ of the person or thing, to take hold of, to seize, to catch any one, or any thing (comp. Gr. κρατεῖν τινος), Exodus 4:4; Deuteronomy 22:25, 25:11 also followed by לְ 2 Samuel 15:5 עַל Job 18:9 poet. with acc. Isaiah 41:9, 13 Isaiah 41:13; Jeremiah 6:23, 24 8:21 50:43 Micah 4:9, הֶחֱזִיקֵךְ חִיל “pain has taken hold of thee,” and in the same sense [or rather with the figure inverted], Jeremiah 49:24, רֶטֶט הֶחֱזִיקָה “she has taken hold of terror.” (So in Latin the expression is used ignis comprehendit ligna, and vice versâ, domus comprehendit ignem [in English the fire catches the house, and the house catches fire], also capere misericordiam, detrimentum, we are taken hold of by compassion, etc. Compare Heb. אָחַז Job 18:20, 21:6.) But to take hold of any one is often
(a) i.q. to hold fast, to retain, Exodus 9:2; Judges 19:4.
(b) to receive, to take in, to hold, as a vessel, 2 Chronicles 4:5.
(c) to get possession of, Daniel 11:21.
(2) to adhere, to hold fast to any thing, e.g. justice, innocence, Job 2:3, Job 2:9, 27:6 followed by עַל of pers., Nehemiah 10:30.
(3) to make strong or firm, hence
(a) to restore, rebuild or repair (edifices [or any thing similar]), Nehem. 5:16 Ezekiel 27:9, 27 Ezekiel 27:27.
(b) to strengthen [persons], Ezekiel 30:25 and intrans. to be strong, to be powerful (comp. Lat. robur facere, Ital. far forze), 2 Chronicles 26:8; Daniel 11:32.
(c) to aid, assist, followed by בְּ Levit. 25:35 compare מַחֲזִיק a helper, Daniel 11:1 followed by an acc., verse Daniel 11:6.
Hithpael.
(1) to be confirmed, or established, used of a new king, 2 Chronicles 1:1, 12:13 13:21 to strengthen oneself, i.e. to collect one’s strength, Genesis 48:2 to take courage, 2 Chronicles 15:8, 23:1 25:11.
(2) to shew oneself strong, or energetic, 2 Samuel 10:12 followed by לִפְנֵי against some one, to withstand some one, 2 Chronicles 13:7, 2 Chronicles 13:8.
(3) to aid, assist, followed by בְּ and עִם 2 Samuel 3:6; 1 Chronicles 11:10; Daniel 10:21.
Hence the following words [also יְחֶזְקֵאל, יְחִזְקִיָּה, יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ]
the Fourth Week after Epiphany