חָזָק (H2389) — Hebrew Lexicon

חָזָק

𐤇𐤆𐤒

châzâq

H2389 adjective

SILEX Entry

Root חזק to be strong, firm, hard

Definition

Having physical strength, firmness, resilience, or intensity; can also denote figurative or moral strength, persistence, or stubbornness, depending on context. Used both positively (e.g., mighty, courageous) and negatively (e.g., obstinate, hard-hearted) in reference to people, circumstances, or objects. In poetic or elevated passages, denotes 'intense', 'vehement', or 'fortified'.

Semantic Range

strong (physically or morally), firm, mighty, intense, courageous, obstinate, hard, fortified, impudent, stubborn, loud (of voice, as in intensity), severe (of circumstances)

Root / Etymology

From the root חזק meaning 'to be(come) strong, firm, hard'. The adjective חָזָק directly derives from the qal form of the verb and retains the sense of strength or firmness, but extends to a broad range of contexts (physical, emotional, moral, and abstract).

Historical & Contextual Notes

חָזָק occurs widely across biblical texts, describing physical strength (people, armies, walls), inner resolve, or emotional/moral firmness. It is commonly used to reference warriors, rulers, cities, and circumstances requiring resilience (e.g., famine, winds). The sense of strength can be positive (courageous, mighty) or negative (stubborn, hard-hearted). In exilic and post-exilic literature, it connotes both inner resolve in adversity and stubbornness against prophetic messages. The translation as 'impudent' or 'stiff-hearted' reflects a semantic shift from literal strength or firmness to moral or emotional obstinacy. English translations often fail to reflect this nuanced range, sometimes reducing all to 'strong' or 'mighty'. Differentiation from related terms: עצום (ʿāṣūm) generally connotes quantity (numerous, powerful collectively), whereas חָזָק focuses on quality or inner character. The meaning rarely denotes 'violent' intrinsically, but where associated with violence or force, the intensity of the force is in view, not ethical evaluation.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חָזַק; strong (usu. in a bad sense, hard, bold, violent); harder, hottest, [phrase] impudent, loud, mighty, sore, stiff(-hearted), strong(-er).

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Root Family

חזק (ḥ-z-q) — strength, firmness, hardness

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H2388	חָזַק	I will strengthen
H2390	חָזֵק	and strong
H2391	חֵזֶק	my strength
H2392	חֹזֶק	with strength
H2393	חֶזְקָה	according to the forceful-control of
H2394	חׇזְקָה	with forceful strength
H2395	חִזְקִי	My Strength Is
H2396	חִזְקִיָּה	Yah has strengthened
H3169	יְחִזְקִיָּה	and YHWH strengthens him

Word Forms

11 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H2389-03`	חֲזָקָֽה	chazaqah	`HAafsa`	strong	strong, firm	21
`H2389-02`	חָזָ֣ק	chazaq	`HAamsa`	strong	he was strong	14
`H2389-06`	הַ/חֲזָקָ֑ה	hachazaqah	`HTd/Aafsa`	the mighty	the strong (feminine)	10
`H2389-04`	חֲזָקִ֥ים	chazaqim	`HAampa`	strong	strong ones	3
`H2389-09`	וְ/חָזָ֞ק	vechazaq	`HC/Aamsa`	and strong	and strong	2
`H2389-01`	בְּ/חָזָ֣ק	bechazaq	`HR/Aamsa`	with strength	with firmness	1
`H2389-08`	מֵ/חָזָ֣ק	mechazaq	`HR/Aamsa`	from the strong	from a strong one	1
`H2389-07`	הֶ/חָזָ֥ק	hechazaq	`HTi/Aamsa`	strong	strong	1
`H2389-11`	וְ/הַֽ/חֲזָקָ֗ה	vehachazaqah	`HC/Td/Aafsa`	and the strong	and the strong one	1
`H2389-05`	חִזְקֵי	chizeqey	`HAampc`	hard of	strong ones of	1
`H2389-10`	וְ/חִזְקֵי	vechizeqey	`HC/Aampc`	and-strong	and strong ones of	1

Occurrences in Scripture

56 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H2389-03`	Exodus 3:19	חֲזָקָֽה	chazaqah	`HAafsa`	mighty	strong, firm
`H2389-03`	Exodus 6:1	חֲזָקָה֙	chazaqah	`HAafsa`	strong	strong, firm
`H2389-03`	Exodus 6:1	חֲזָקָ֔ה	chazaqah-2	`HAafsa`	strong	strong, firm
`H2389-02`	Exodus 10:19	חָזָ֣ק	chazaq	`HAamsa`	strong	he was strong
`H2389-03`	Exodus 13:9	חֲזָקָ֔ה	chazaqah	`HAafsa`	strong	strong, firm
`H2389-02`	Exodus 19:16	חָזָ֣ק	chazaq	`HAamsa`	loud	he was strong
`H2389-03`	Exodus 32:11	חֲזָקָֽה	chazaqah	`HAafsa`	strong hand	strong, firm
`H2389-07`	Numbers 13:18	הֶ/חָזָ֥ק	hechazaq	`HTi/Aamsa`	strong	strong
`H2389-02`	Numbers 13:31	חָזָ֥ק	chazaq	`HAamsa`	strong	he was strong
`H2389-03`	Numbers 20:20	חֲזָקָֽה	chazaqah	`HAafsa`	strong	strong, firm
`H2389-06`	Deuteronomy 3:24	הַ/חֲזָקָ֑ה	hachazaqah	`HTd/Aafsa`	the mighty	the strong (feminine)
`H2389-03`	Deuteronomy 4:34	חֲזָקָה֙	chazaqah	`HAafsa`	mighty	strong, firm
`H2389-03`	Deuteronomy 5:15	חֲזָקָ֖ה	chazaqah	`HAafsa`	mighty	strong, firm
`H2389-03`	Deuteronomy 6:21	חֲזָקָֽה	chazaqah	`HAafsa`	strong	strong, firm
`H2389-03`	Deuteronomy 7:8	חֲזָקָ֑ה	chazaqah	`HAafsa`	strong	strong, firm
`H2389-06`	Deuteronomy 7:19	הַ/חֲזָקָה֙	hachazaqah	`HTd/Aafsa`	mighty	the strong (feminine)
`H2389-03`	Deuteronomy 9:26	חֲזָקָֽה	chazaqah	`HAafsa`	mighty	strong, firm
`H2389-06`	Deuteronomy 11:2	הַ/חֲזָקָ֔ה	hachazaqah	`HTd/Aafsa`	the-strong	the strong (feminine)
`H2389-03`	Deuteronomy 26:8	חֲזָקָה֙	chazaqah	`HAafsa`	strong	strong, firm
`H2389-06`	Deuteronomy 34:12	הַ/חֲזָקָ֔ה	hachazaqah	`HTd/Aafsa`	the-strong	the strong (feminine)
`H2389-03`	Joshua 4:24	חֲזָקָ֖ה	chazaqah	`HAafsa`	is mighty	strong, firm
`H2389-02`	Joshua 14:11	חָזָ֗ק	chazaq	`HAamsa`	strong	he was strong
`H2389-02`	Joshua 17:18	חָזָ֖ק	chazaq	`HAamsa`	strong	he was strong
`H2389-04`	Judges 18:26	חֲזָקִ֥ים	chazaqim	`HAampa`	strong	strong ones
`H2389-03`	1 Samuel 14:52	חֲזָקָ֣ה	chazaqah	`HAafsa`	fierce	strong, firm
`H2389-06`	2 Samuel 11:15	הַֽ/חֲזָקָ֔ה	hachazaqah	`HTd/Aafsa`	the fiercest	the strong (feminine)
`H2389-06`	1 Kings 8:42	הַֽ/חֲזָקָ֔ה	hachazaqah	`HTd/Aafsa`	the mighty	the strong (feminine)
`H2389-02`	1 Kings 17:17	חָזָ֣ק	chazaq	`HAamsa`	severe	he was strong
`H2389-02`	1 Kings 18:2	חָזָ֥ק	chazaq	`HAamsa`	was severe	he was strong
`H2389-09`	1 Kings 19:11	וְ/חָזָ֞ק	vechazaq	`HC/Aamsa`	and strong	and strong
`H2389-11`	Isaiah 27:1	וְ/הַֽ/חֲזָקָ֗ה	vehachazaqah	`HC/Td/Aafsa`	and the strong	and the strong one
`H2389-02`	Isaiah 28:2	חָזָ֤ק	chazaq	`HAamsa`	mighty	he was strong
`H2389-01`	Isaiah 40:10	בְּ/חָזָ֣ק	bechazaq	`HR/Aamsa`	with strength	with firmness
`H2389-03`	Jeremiah 21:5	חֲזָקָ֑ה	chazaqah	`HAafsa`	strong	strong, firm
`H2389-02`	Jeremiah 31:11	חָזָ֥ק	chazaq	`HAamsa`	stronger	he was strong
`H2389-03`	Jeremiah 32:21	חֲזָקָה֙	chazaqah	`HAafsa`	strong	strong, firm
`H2389-02`	Jeremiah 50:34	חָזָ֗ק	chazaq	`HAamsa`	is strong	he was strong
`H2389-10`	Ezekiel 2:4	וְ/חִזְקֵי	vechizeqey	`HC/Aampc`	and-strong	and strong ones of
`H2389-05`	Ezekiel 3:7	חִזְקֵי	chizeqey	`HAampc`	hard of	strong ones of
`H2389-04`	Ezekiel 3:8	חֲזָקִ֖ים	chazaqim	`HAampa`	strong	strong ones
`H2389-02`	Ezekiel 3:8	חָזָ֖ק	chazaq	`HAamsa`	strong	he was strong
`H2389-02`	Ezekiel 3:9	חָזָ֥ק	chazaq	`HAamsa`	harder	he was strong
`H2389-03`	Ezekiel 20:33	חֲזָקָ֜ה	chazaqah	`HAafsa`	strong	strong, firm
`H2389-03`	Ezekiel 20:34	חֲזָקָה֙	chazaqah	`HAafsa`	strong	strong, firm
`H2389-03`	Ezekiel 26:17	חֲזָקָ֤ה	chazaqah	`HAafsa`	mighty	strong, firm
`H2389-06`	Ezekiel 30:22	הַ/חֲזָקָ֖ה	hachazaqah	`HTd/Aafsa`	the strong	the strong (feminine)
`H2389-06`	Ezekiel 34:16	הַ/חֲזָקָ֛ה	hachazaqah	`HTd/Aafsa`	the strong one	the strong (feminine)
`H2389-09`	Amos 2:14	וְ/חָזָ֖ק	vechazaq	`HC/Aamsa`	and the strong	and strong
`H2389-08`	Psalms 35:10	מֵ/חָזָ֣ק	mechazaq	`HR/Aamsa`	from the strong	from a strong one
`H2389-03`	Psalms 136:12	חֲ֭זָקָה	chazaqah	`HAafsa`	mighty	strong, firm
`H2389-02`	Proverbs 23:11	חָזָ֑ק	chazaq	`HAamsa`	is strong	he was strong
`H2389-02`	Job 5:15	חָזָ֣ק	chazaq	`HAamsa`	of the strong	he was strong
`H2389-04`	Job 37:18	חֲ֝זָקִ֗ים	chazaqim	`HAampa`	strong	strong ones
`H2389-03`	Daniel 9:15	חֲזָקָ֔ה	chazaqah	`HAafsa`	mighty	strong, firm
`H2389-06`	Nehemiah 1:10	הַ/חֲזָקָֽה	hachazaqah	`HTd/Aafsa`	the-strong	the strong (feminine)
`H2389-06`	2 Chronicles 6:32	הַ/חֲזָקָ֔ה	hachazaqah	`HTd/Aafsa`	the mighty	the strong (feminine)

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