אָחָז
𐤀𐤇𐤆
Achaz
H271 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Ahaz, a personal name meaning 'he has grasped' or 'he has taken hold'. In the Hebrew Bible, it designates: (1) a king of Judah during the 8th century BCE; (2) a member of the genealogies associated with the tribe of Benjamin. The semantic implications of the name center on the action of grasping or holding, likely reflecting a wish or characterization for the bearer.
Semantic Range
personal name: 'he has grasped,' 'he has taken hold'; name of a monarch (king of Judah), name in a tribal genealogy
Root / Etymology
The name אָחָז (ʼÂchâz) is derived from the verb אָחַז (ʼāchaz), meaning 'to grasp, to seize, to take hold of.' The formation of the name likely reflects a participial or substantival form: 'one who has grasped' or 'he has taken hold.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, the name Ahaz primarily refers to the son of Jotham and king of Judah (2 Kings 16; Isaiah 7–9), who reigned in the late 8th century BCE. This king is noted for political alliances and religious changes. Another bearer of the name appears in genealogical lists (1 Chronicles 8:35; 9:42), associated with the tribe of Benjamin. English translations frequently use 'Ahaz' for this personal name, but occasionally substitute later religious or ethnic terms such as 'Jewish king,' which can be anachronistic for pre-exilic monarchic contexts; a more accurate description would be 'Judahite king' or 'king of Judah.' Theophoric elements do not appear present; the name reflects a common pattern in Hebrew anthroponymy, where a verb form expresses qualities or actions. There is no evidence the name was commonly used outside personal naming (i.e., not a title or general noun).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אָחַז; possessor; Achaz, the name of a Jewish king and of an Israelite; Ahaz.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אחז (ʾ-ḥ-z) — to grasp, to seize, to take hold
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2372 | חָזָה | he has grasped |
| H270 | אָחַז | he seized |
| H272 | אֲחֻזָּה | hereditary holding |
| H273 | אַחְזַי | Yah Holds-Fast |
| H274 | אֲחַזְיָה | Yah Has Seized |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H271-01 |
אָחָ֥ז | achaz | HNp |
Ahaz | he has grasped | 37 |
H271-03 |
וְ/אָחָֽז | veachaz | HC/Np |
and Ahaz | and he grasped | 3 |
H271-02 |
לְ/אָחָ֖ז | leachaz | HR/Np |
of Ahaz | to He-has-taken-hold | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
41 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H271-01 |
2 Kings 15:38 | אָחָ֥ז | achaz | HNp |
Ahaz | he has grasped |
H271-01 |
2 Kings 16:1 | אָחָ֥ז | achaz | HNp |
Ahaz | he has grasped |
H271-01 |
2 Kings 16:2 | אָחָ֣ז | achaz | HNp |
Ahaz | he has grasped |
H271-01 |
2 Kings 16:5 | אָחָ֔ז | achaz | HNp |
Ahaz | he has grasped |
H271-01 |
2 Kings 16:7 | אָחָ֜ז | achaz | HNp |
Ahaz | he has grasped |
H271-01 |
2 Kings 16:8 | אָחָ֜ז | achaz | HNp |
Ahaz | he has grasped |
H271-01 |
2 Kings 16:10 | אָחָ֡ז | achaz | HNp |
Ahaz | he has grasped |
H271-01 |
2 Kings 16:10 | אָחָ֜ז | achaz-2 | HNp |
Ahaz | he has grasped |
H271-01 |
2 Kings 16:11 | אָחָ֜ז | achaz | HNp |
Ahaz | he has grasped |
H271-01 |
2 Kings 16:11 | אָחָ֖ז | achaz-2 | HNp |
Ahaz | he has grasped |