← H269 H271 →

אָחַז

𐤀𐤇𐤆

ʼâchaz

H270 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To seize or grasp, whether physically (with the hand) or metaphorically (as in taking possession or control). The verb can refer to taking hold of something or someone, capturing, fastening securely, or possessing land or objects. The sense may also involve being overtaken by an emotion or situation.

Semantic Range

to seize (with hands), to hold tight, to fasten, to take possession, to take hold of a person or object, to be overtaken (by emotion, fear), to grasp mentally or metaphorically

Root / Etymology

Root: אחז. From the root meaning 'to seize' or 'to grasp.' The verb form expresses the act of taking, holding, or fastening, and from this core action various extended meanings develop (such as possession or being overtaken by an experience).

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, אָחַז is used primarily to describe physically taking hold of an object (e.g., Gen 22:13—Abraham catches the ram by its horns, Exod 4:4—Moses seizes the serpent by the tail). The term extends metaphorically to denote taking possession of land (e.g., Deut 32:49) or being seized by fear or other emotions (e.g., Jeremiah 6:24—anguish seizes us). In some poetic passages, it may describe the arrival or overtaking of circumstances or entities (e.g., 'terror seizes them,' Exodus 15:14). In legal or ritual contexts, אָחַז can also mean 'to hold fast,' underscoring a secure grip or grasp (physically or by right, as in property). The English term 'possess' often narrows the meaning toward ownership; the biblical Hebrew usage is broader, emphasizing the act of seizing or holding, not always involving legal possession. Related verbs like תָּפַשׂ (ṭāfaś, 'to grasp, take hold of') or לָכַד (lāḵaḏ, 'to capture, seize') overlap in meaning but may nuance the means or manner of seizing (forceful capture vs. taking by hand). The usage of אָחַז remains largely consistent from earliest narrative accounts through poetic and prophetic texts, with both literal and extended/metaphorical senses attested. The root is productive in forming related nouns and participles indicating something or someone tightly held or grasped.

Translation Consistency

primary "seize" 34 occurrences

Seize best covers the dominant semantic range here: physical grabbing or fastening, taking possession or capturing, and the idiom of being overtaken (e.g. "seized by fear"). It matches the majority of existing renderings and is natural English for both concrete and figurative uses, allowing consistent inflection for all forms of H270.

Alternatives (16 occurrences):
"fastened" (3x) "caught" (1x) "grasping" (1x) "acquire" (1x) "took possession" (1x) "portion" (1x) "possession" (1x) "possessed" (1x) "take possession" (1x) "attach" (1x) "taken hold of" (1x) "who takes hold of" (1x) "hold" (1x) "firmly grasping one" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to seize (often with the accessory idea of holding in possession); [phrase] be affrighted, bar, (catch, lay, take) hold (back), come upon, fasten, handle, portion, (get, have or take) possess(-ion).

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

אחז (Achaz) — to seize, to grasp, to take hold

Root אחז to seize, to grasp, to hold tight
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H271 אָחָז he has grasped
H272 אֲחֻזָּה hereditary holding
H273 אַחְזַי Yah Holds-Fast
H274 אֲחַזְיָה Yah Has Seized
H275 אֲחֻזָּם Grasped-One

Word Forms

53 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H270-12 אָחֻז֙ achuz HVqsmsa was taken seized seized 4
H270-01 אָחַ֞ז achaz HVqp3ms has gripped he seized he seized 2
H270-02 אָחֲזָ֥ה achazah HVqp3fs has seized she seized has seized 2
H270-07 אָ֝חַ֗זְתָּ achazeta HVqp2ms you have held you seized you seized 2
H270-14 אֲחוּזִ֑ים achuzim HVqsmpa supports seized ones fastened 2
H270-19 לֶ/אֱחֹז֙ leechoz HR/Vqc that it might take hold to seize to seize 2
H270-32 וַ/תֹּ֜חֶז vatochez HC/Vqw3fs And she held she seized and she seized 2
H270-34 וַ/יֶּאֱחֹ֥ז vayeechoz HC/Vqw3ms and they rested and he seized and he fastened 2
H270-35 וַ/יֹּאחֲז֣וּ vayochazu HC/Vqw3mp and they seized and they seized and they seized 2
H270-38 וְ/אָחַ֣ז veachaz HC/Vqq3ms and seized and he seized and he seized 2

Occurrences in Scripture

68 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H270-22 Genesis 22:13 נֶאֱחַ֥ז neechaz HVNp3ms caught was seized caught
H270-26 Genesis 25:26 אֹחֶ֨זֶת֙ ochezet HVqrfsa was grasping grasping one grasping
H270-43 Genesis 34:10 וְ/הֵֽאָחֲז֖וּ veheachazu HC/VNv2mp and acquire and be seized and acquire
H270-33 Genesis 47:27 וַ/יֵּאָחֲז֣וּ vayeachazu HC/VNw3mp and they acquired and they were seized and they took possession
H270-40 Exodus 4:4 וֶ/אֱחֹ֖ז veechoz HC/Vqv2ms and grasp and seize! and seize!
H270-01 Exodus 15:14 אָחַ֔ז achaz HVqp3ms has gripped he seized he seized
H270-49 Exodus 15:15 יֹֽאחֲזֵ֖/מוֹ yochazemo HVqi3ms/Sp3mp grips them he will seize them seizes them
H270-12 Numbers 31:30 אָחֻ֣ז achuz HVqsmsa portion seized portion
H270-17 Numbers 31:47 הָֽ/אָחֻז֙ haachuz HTd/Vqsmsa the taken portion seized one the seized portion
H270-45 Numbers 32:30 וְ/נֹֽאחֲז֥וּ venochazu HC/VNq3cp they shall have possessions and they were seized and they will have possession
H270-47 Deuteronomy 32:41 וְ/תֹאחֵ֥ז vetochez HC/Vqi3fs and takes hold and she seizes and it seizes
H270-23 Joshua 22:9 נֹֽאחֲזוּ nochazu HVNp3cp they had possessed they were seized they had possessed
H270-43 Joshua 22:19 וְ/הֵאָחֲז֖וּ veheachazu HC/VNv2mp and-take-possession and be seized and take possession
H270-35 Judges 1:6 וַ/יֹּאחֲז֣וּ vayochazu HC/Vqw3mp and they seized and they seized and they seized
H270-35 Judges 12:6 וַ/יֹּאחֲז֣וּ vayochazu HC/Vqw3mp then they seized and they seized and they seized
H270-34 Judges 16:3 וַ/יֶּאֱחֹ֞ז vayeechoz HC/Vqw3ms and took hold of and he seized and he seized
H270-36 Judges 16:21 וַ/יֹּאחֲז֣וּ/הוּ vayochazuhu HC/Vqw3mp/Sp3ms and they seized him they seized him they seized him
H270-31 Judges 20:6 וָֽ/אֹחֵ֤ז vaochez HC/Vqw1cs and I took hold and I seized and I seized
H270-03 2 Samuel 1:9 אֲחָזַ֖/נִי achazani HVqp3ms/Sp1cs has seized me he seized me he seized me
H270-40 2 Samuel 2:21 וֶ/אֱחֹ֣ז veechoz HC/Vqv2ms and seize and seize! and seize!
H270-30 2 Samuel 4:10 וָ/אֹחֲזָ֣/ה vaochazah HC/Vqw1cs/Sh and I seized him and I seized and I seized
H270-37 2 Samuel 6:6 וַ/יֹּ֣אחֶז vayochez HC/Vqw3ms and took hold and he seized and he seized
H270-32 2 Samuel 20:9 וַ/תֹּ֜חֶז vatochez HC/Vqw3fs And took she seized and she seized
H270-01 1 Kings 1:51 אָחַ֞ז achaz HVqp3ms has seized he seized he seized
H270-11 1 Kings 6:6 אֲחֹ֥ז achoz HVqc attach to seize attach
H270-34 1 Kings 6:10 וַ/יֶּאֱחֹ֥ז vayeechoz HC/Vqw3ms and they rested and he seized and he fastened
H270-48 Isaiah 5:29 וְ/יֹאחֵ֣ז veyochez HC/Vqi3ms and lay hold and he seizes and he will seize
H270-53 Isaiah 13:8 יֹֽאחֵז֔וּ/ן yochezun HVqi3mp/Sn shall take hold of them they will seize they will seize
H270-10 Isaiah 21:3 אֲחָז֔וּ/נִי achazuni HVqp3cp/Sp1cs have taken hold of me they seized me they seized me
H270-02 Isaiah 33:14 אָחֲזָ֥ה achazah HVqp3fs has seized she seized has seized
H270-52 Jeremiah 13:21 יֹאחֱז֔וּ/ךְ yochezukhe HVqi3mp/Sp2fs take hold of you they will seize you they will seize you
H270-04 Jeremiah 49:24 אֲחָזַ֖תָּ/ה achazatah HVqp3fs/Sp3fs have taken hold of her she seized her have taken hold of her
H270-14 Ezekiel 41:6 אֲחוּזִ֑ים achuzim HVqsmpa supports seized ones fastened
H270-14 Ezekiel 41:6 אֲחוּזִ֖ים achuzim-2 HVqsmpa supports seized ones fastened
H270-05 Psalms 48:7 אֲחָזָ֣תַ/ם achazatam HVqp3fs/Sp3mp took-hold-of-them she seized them seized them
H270-15 Psalms 56:1 בֶּֽ/אֱחֹ֨ז beechoz HR/Vqc when seized in seizing in seizing
H270-07 Psalms 73:23 אָ֝חַ֗זְתָּ achazeta HVqp2ms you have held you seized you seized
H270-07 Psalms 77:5 אָ֭חַזְתָּ achazeta HVqp2ms you have held you seized you seized
H270-06 Psalms 119:53 אֲ֭חָזַתְ/נִי achazateni HVqp3fs/Sp1cs has seized me she seized me has seized me
H270-28 Psalms 137:9 שֶׁ/יֹּאחֵ֓ז sheyochez HTr/Vqi3ms who takes hold of who seizes who takes hold of
H270-46 Psalms 139:10 וְֽ/תֹאחֲזֵ֥/נִי vetochazeni HC/Vqi3fs/Sp1cs and will hold me she will seize me and will hold me
H270-38 Job 16:12 וְ/אָחַ֣ז veachaz HC/Vqq3ms and seized and he seized and he seized
H270-48 Job 17:9 וְ/יֹאחֵ֣ז veyochez HC/Vqi3ms and will hold fast and he seizes and he will seize
H270-51 Job 18:9 יֹאחֵ֣ז yochez HVqi3ms grabs he seizes he seizes
H270-09 Job 18:20 אָ֣חֲזוּ achazu HVqp3cp seize they seized they seized
H270-38 Job 21:6 וְ/אָחַ֥ז veachaz HC/Vqq3ms takes hold and he seized and seizes
H270-02 Job 23:11 אָחֲזָ֣ה achazah HVqp3fs has held fast she seized has seized
H270-21 Job 26:9 מְאַחֵ֥ז meachez HVprmsa obscures firmly grasping one firmly grasping one
H270-50 Job 30:16 יֹ֭אחֲז֣וּ/נִי yochazuni HVqi3mp/Sp1cs have seized me they seize me they seize me
H270-19 Job 38:13 לֶ֭/אֱחֹז leechoz HR/Vqc that it might take hold to seize to seize
← H269 Hebrew Lexicon H271 →