Part of Speech: Verb
Strong's Number: H2388
Original Word: h?azaq
Usage Notes: "to be strong, strengthen, harden, take hold of." This verb is found 290 times in the Old Testament. The root also exists in Aramaic and Arabic.
The word first occurs in Gen 41:56: "…And the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt" (nasb, niv, "was severe"). The strong form of the verb is used in Exod 4:21: "…I will harden his [Pharaoh's] heart…." This statement is found 8 times. Four times we read: "Pharaoh's heart was hard" (Exod 7:13, 22; Exod 8:19; Exod 9:35, niv; kjv, rsv, nasb, "was hardened"). In Exod 9:34 Pharaoh's responsibility is made clear by the statement "he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart…." In the sense of personal strength h?azaq is first used in Deut 11:8 in the context of the covenant: "Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and possess the land…." Moses was commanded to "charge Joshua, and encourage him" (Deut 3:28). The covenant promise accompanies the injunction to "be strong and of a good courage": "…For the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee" (Deut 31:6). The same encouragement was given to the returned captives as they renewed the work of rebuilding the temple (Zech 8:9, 13; cf. Hag 2:4).
If in the above examples there is moral strength combined with physical, the latter is the sense of Judg 1:28: "And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to [forced labor]…." Israel sinned and the Lord
"strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel" (Judg 3:12). The word is used in reference to a building: "… the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house" (2Kings 12:6), or to a city: "Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem … and fortified them" (2Chron 26:9). In battle h?azaq means: "So David prevailed over the Philistine …" (1Sam 17:50).
As the prophet said, "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them [nasb, "to strongly support them"] whose heart is perfect toward him" (2Chron 16:9). To His Servant, the Messiah, God said: "I … will hold thine hand …" (Isa 42:6); and to Cyrus He said: "… Whose right hand I have holden …" (Isa 45:1).
Other noteworthy uses of the word are: "… Thou shalt relieve him [a poor Israelite]…" (Lev 25:35); and "… [Saul] laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent" (1Sam 15:27).
In summary, this word group describes the physical and moral strength of man and society. God communicates strength to men, even to the enemies of His people as chastisement for His own. Men may turn their strength into stubbornness against God.
Usage Number: 2
Part of Speech: Adjective
Strong's Number: H2389
Original Word: h?azaq
Usage Notes: "strong; mighty; heavy; severe; firm; hard." This adjective occurs about 56 times and in all periods of biblical Hebrew.
First, the word means "firm" or "hard" in the sense that something is impenetrable. In Ezek 3:8-9 the prophet's face is compared to rock; God has made him determined to his task just as Israel is determined not to listen to him: "Behold, I have made thy face [hard] against their faces, and thy forehead [hard] against their foreheads. As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead…." Job 37:18 uses h?azaq of molten solidified metal.
Second, this word means "strong." In its basic meaning it refers to physical strength. God's hand (an anthropomorphism; cf. Deut 4:15, 19) as a symbol of His effecting His will among men is "strong": "And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand" (Exod 3:19, the first biblical occurrence). This word modifies a noun, specifying that it is the opposite of weak, or unable to effect anything (Num 13:18). Isaiah speaks of God's "sore and great and strong sword" (Isa 27:1). When Ezekiel wrote of "fat and strong" animals, he probably meant that they were well fed and healthy (Ezek 34:16).
Third, h?azaq means "heavy." When applied to a battle or war, it describes the event(s) as severe (1Sam 14:52). The word is also used to indicate a severe sickness (1Kings 17:17) and famine (1Kings 18:2).
