אֲחֻזָּה (H272) — Hebrew Lexicon

אֲחֻזָּה

𐤀𐤇𐤆𐤄

ʼăchuzzâh

H272 noun

SILEX Entry

Root אחז to seize, to grasp, to hold fast

Definition

A parcel of land held as a permanent possession or hereditary property; specifically, land that is held by an individual or kin group as secure tenure, often with legal or ancestral claim. In biblical usage, primarily refers to land intended for long-term retention by a family, clan, or tribe. Can also refer to a settlement, estate, or hereditary domain.

Semantic Range

hereditary property, landed estate, family landholding, parcel of land, permanent possession, possession (especially of land), family settlement, burial site (as held land)

Root / Etymology

אֲחֻזָּה derives from the root אָחַז (to seize, grasp, hold fast). The noun formation indicates 'something that is held or possessed.' The word thus signifies a possession or holding, usually with the sense of something grasped or claimed for ongoing possession, most frequently referring to land.

Historical & Contextual Notes

During the Israelite monarchic period, אֲחֻזָּה primarily denoted hereditary land holdings that were essential to family and tribal identity. The term is especially significant in legislative and legal passages (e.g., Leviticus, Numbers), where the continuity of the family estate is protected by laws regarding redemption and inheritance (e.g., the Jubilee). The use of אֲחֻזָּה reflects not merely physical possession, but also socio-legal rights and responsibilities tied to lineage and covenant. In the patriarchal narratives, it marks landholdings connected to ancestral or burial claims (e.g., Machpelah, Genesis 23). Later, in the Second Temple and post-exilic periods, the term still appeared in legal contexts, but the structure and security of land tenure had changed considerably. The meaning differs from related terms such as נַחֲלָה (inheritance, broader focus on what is received rather than what is held), emphasizing current possession rather than the process of transfer. Many English translations use 'possession,' 'property,' or 'holding,' but these may not fully capture the enduring, often hereditary, nature implied in the biblical social context.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine passive participle from אָחַז; something seized, i.e. a possession (especially of land); possession.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אחז (ʾ-ḥ-z) — to seize, to grasp, to hold fast

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H2372	חָזָה	he has grasped
H270	אָחַז	he seized
H271	אָחָז	he has grasped
H273	אַחְזַי	Yah Holds-Fast
H274	אֲחַזְיָה	Yah Has Seized
H275	אֲחֻזָּם	Grasped-One
H276	אֲחֻזַּת	and Achuzzath
H3059	יְהוֹאָחָז	to YHWH-has-grasped
H3099	יוֹאָחָז	Yahweh-has-grasped

Word Forms

19 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H272-02`	אֲחֻזַּת	achuzat	`HNcfsc`	possession	hereditary holding of	11
`H272-08`	לַ/אֲחֻזָּ֑ה	laachuzah	`HR/Ncfsa`	for a possession	for a hereditary landholding	8
`H272-05`	אֲחֻזָּת֔/וֹ	achuzato	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	of his possession	his hereditary holding	8
`H272-03`	אֲחֻזָּתָ֔/ם	achuzatam	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	their possession	their hereditary landholding	7
`H272-09`	לַ/אֲחֻזַּ֖ת	laachuzat	`HR/Ncfsc`	as a possession	for a hereditary holding of	5
`H272-04`	אֲחֻזַּתְ/כֶֽם	achuzatekhem	`HNcfsc/Sp2mp`	of your possession	your hereditary holding	4
`H272-10`	לַ/אֲחֻזָּתֽ/וֹ	laachuzato	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`	to his possession	to his held-estate	3
`H272-01`	אֲחֻזָּה֙	achuzah	`HNcfsa`	a possession	hereditary holding	3
`H272-13`	מֵ/אֲחֻזָּת֑/וֹ	meachuzato	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`	from his possession	from his hereditary holding	3
`H272-07`	בַּ/אֲחֻזָּתֽ/וֹ	baachuzato	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`	as his possession	in his hereditary holding	2
`H272-14`	וּ/מֵ/אֲחֻזַּ֤ת	umeachuzat	`HC/R/Ncfsc`	and from the possession	and from hereditary holding of	2
`H272-19`	וְ/לַ/אֲחֻזַּ֣ת	velaachuzat	`HC/R/Ncfsc`	and-for-possession-of	and for the hereditary holding of	2
`H272-17`	וַ/אֲחֻזָּתָ/ם֙	vaachuzatam	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp3mp`	their possessions	and their hereditary landholding	2
`H272-18`	וַ֝/אֲחֻזָּתְ/ךָ֗	vaachuzatekha	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp2ms`	and your possession	your hereditary holding	1
`H272-06`	בַּ/אֲחֻזָּתָ֖/ם	baachuzatam	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3mp`	in-their-possession	in their hereditary holding	1
`H272-11`	מֵ/אֲחֻזַּ֣ת	meachuzat	`HR/Ncfsc`	from the possession	from the held-estate of	1
`H272-16`	וַ/אֲחֻזַּ֨ת	vaachuzat	`HC/Ncfsc`	possession	and hereditary holding of	1
`H272-12`	מֵ/אֲחֻזָּתָ֔/ם	meachuzatam	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3mp`	from their possession	from their hereditary landholding	1
`H272-15`	וַ/אֲחֻזָּ֗ה	vaachuzah	`HC/Ncfsa`	and possession	hereditary landholding	1

Occurrences in Scripture

66 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H272-09`	Genesis 17:8	לַ/אֲחֻזַּ֖ת	laachuzat	`HR/Ncfsc`	as a possession	for a hereditary holding of
`H272-02`	Genesis 23:4	אֲחֻזַּת	achuzat	`HNcfsc`	possession	hereditary holding of
`H272-09`	Genesis 23:9	לַ/אֲחֻזַּת	laachuzat	`HR/Ncfsc`	as a possession	for a hereditary holding of
`H272-09`	Genesis 23:20	לַ/אֲחֻזַּת	laachuzat	`HR/Ncfsc`	for a possession	for a hereditary holding of
`H272-03`	Genesis 36:43	אֲחֻזָּתָ֔/ם	achuzatam	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	of their possession	their hereditary landholding
`H272-01`	Genesis 47:11	אֲחֻזָּה֙	achuzah	`HNcfsa`	a possession	hereditary holding
`H272-02`	Genesis 48:4	אֲחֻזַּ֥ת	achuzat	`HNcfsc`	possession	hereditary holding of
`H272-09`	Genesis 49:30	לַ/אֲחֻזַּת	laachuzat	`HR/Ncfsc`	as a possession	for a hereditary holding of
`H272-09`	Genesis 50:13	לַ/אֲחֻזַּת	laachuzat	`HR/Ncfsc`	for a possession	for a hereditary holding of
`H272-08`	Leviticus 14:34	לַ/אֲחֻזָּ֑ה	laachuzah	`HR/Ncfsa`	for a possession	for a hereditary landholding
`H272-04`	Leviticus 14:34	אֲחֻזַּתְ/כֶֽם	achuzatekhem	`HNcfsc/Sp2mp`	of your possession	your hereditary holding
`H272-05`	Leviticus 25:10	אֲחֻזָּת֔/וֹ	achuzato	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his property	his hereditary holding
`H272-05`	Leviticus 25:13	אֲחֻזָּתֽ/וֹ	achuzato	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his property	his hereditary holding
`H272-04`	Leviticus 25:24	אֲחֻזַּתְ/כֶ֑ם	achuzatekhem	`HNcfsc/Sp2mp`	of your possession	your hereditary holding
`H272-13`	Leviticus 25:25	מֵ/אֲחֻזָּת֑/וֹ	meachuzato	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`	some of his property	from his hereditary holding
`H272-10`	Leviticus 25:27	לַ/אֲחֻזָּתֽ/וֹ	laachuzato	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`	to his possession	to his held-estate
`H272-10`	Leviticus 25:28	לַ/אֲחֻזָּתֽ/וֹ	laachuzato	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`	to his possession	to his held-estate
`H272-03`	Leviticus 25:32	אֲחֻזָּתָ֑/ם	achuzatam	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	of their possession	their hereditary landholding
`H272-05`	Leviticus 25:33	אֲחֻזָּת֖/וֹ	achuzato	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	of his possession	his hereditary holding
`H272-03`	Leviticus 25:33	אֲחֻזָּתָ֔/ם	achuzatam	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	their possession	their hereditary landholding
`H272-02`	Leviticus 25:34	אֲחֻזַּ֥ת	achuzat	`HNcfsc`	possession	hereditary holding of
`H272-02`	Leviticus 25:41	אֲחֻזַּ֥ת	achuzat	`HNcfsc`	the possession	hereditary holding of
`H272-08`	Leviticus 25:45	לַֽ/אֲחֻזָּֽה	laachuzah	`HR/Ncfsa`	for a possession	for a hereditary landholding
`H272-01`	Leviticus 25:46	אֲחֻזָּ֔ה	achuzah	`HNcfsa`	possession	hereditary holding
`H272-05`	Leviticus 27:16	אֲחֻזָּת֗/וֹ	achuzato	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	of his possession	his hereditary holding
`H272-05`	Leviticus 27:21	אֲחֻזָּתֽ/וֹ	achuzato	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his possession	his hereditary holding
`H272-05`	Leviticus 27:22	אֲחֻזָּת֑/וֹ	achuzato	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his possession	his hereditary holding
`H272-02`	Leviticus 27:24	אֲחֻזַּ֥ת	achuzat	`HNcfsc`	possession	hereditary holding of
`H272-05`	Leviticus 27:28	אֲחֻזָּת֔/וֹ	achuzato	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	of his possession	his hereditary holding
`H272-01`	Numbers 27:4	אֲחֻזָּ֔ה	achuzah	`HNcfsa`	a possession	hereditary holding
`H272-02`	Numbers 27:7	אֲחֻזַּ֣ת	achuzat	`HNcfsc`	possession	hereditary holding of
`H272-08`	Numbers 32:5	לַ/אֲחֻזָּ֑ה	laachuzah	`HR/Ncfsa`	for a possession	for a hereditary landholding
`H272-08`	Numbers 32:22	לַ/אֲחֻזָּ֖ה	laachuzah	`HR/Ncfsa`	for-possession	for a hereditary landholding
`H272-08`	Numbers 32:29	לַ/אֲחֻזָּֽה	laachuzah	`HR/Ncfsa`	for a possession	for a hereditary landholding
`H272-02`	Numbers 32:32	אֲחֻזַּ֣ת	achuzat	`HNcfsc`	possession	hereditary holding of
`H272-03`	Numbers 35:2	אֲחֻזָּתָ֖/ם	achuzatam	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	their-possession	their hereditary landholding
`H272-11`	Numbers 35:8	מֵ/אֲחֻזַּ֣ת	meachuzat	`HR/Ncfsc`	from the possession	from the held-estate of
`H272-05`	Numbers 35:28	אֲחֻזָּתֽ/וֹ	achuzato	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	of his possession	his hereditary holding
`H272-08`	Deuteronomy 32:49	לַ/אֲחֻזָּֽה	laachuzah	`HR/Ncfsa`	as a possession	for a hereditary landholding
`H272-07`	Joshua 21:12	בַּ/אֲחֻזָּתֽ/וֹ	baachuzato	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`	as his possession	in his hereditary holding
`H272-02`	Joshua 21:41	אֲחֻזַּ֣ת	achuzat	`HNcfsc`	possession	hereditary holding of
`H272-04`	Joshua 22:4	אֲחֻזַּתְ/כֶ֔ם	achuzatekhem	`HNcfsc/Sp2mp`	of your possession	your hereditary holding
`H272-03`	Joshua 22:9	אֲחֻזָּתָ/ם֙	achuzatam	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	their possession	their hereditary landholding
`H272-04`	Joshua 22:19	אֲחֻזַּתְ/כֶ֗ם	achuzatekhem	`HNcfsc/Sp2mp`	possession-of-you	your hereditary holding
`H272-02`	Joshua 22:19	אֲחֻזַּ֤ת	achuzat	`HNcfsc`	possession	hereditary holding of
`H272-15`	Ezekiel 44:28	וַ/אֲחֻזָּ֗ה	vaachuzah	`HC/Ncfsa`	and possession	hereditary landholding
`H272-03`	Ezekiel 44:28	אֲחֻזָּתָֽ/ם	achuzatam	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	their possession	their hereditary landholding
`H272-08`	Ezekiel 45:5	לַ/אֲחֻזָּ֖ה	laachuzah	`HR/Ncfsa`	for a possession	for a hereditary landholding
`H272-16`	Ezekiel 45:6	וַ/אֲחֻזַּ֨ת	vaachuzat	`HC/Ncfsc`	possession	and hereditary holding of
`H272-19`	Ezekiel 45:7	וְ/לַ/אֲחֻזַּ֣ת	velaachuzat	`HC/R/Ncfsc`	and for the possession of	and for the hereditary holding of
`H272-02`	Ezekiel 45:7	אֲחֻזַּ֣ת	achuzat	`HNcfsc`	possession of	hereditary holding of
`H272-08`	Ezekiel 45:8	לַֽ/אֲחֻזָּ֖ה	laachuzah	`HR/Ncfsa`	for a possession	for a hereditary landholding
`H272-03`	Ezekiel 46:16	אֲחֻזָּתָ֥/ם	achuzatam	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	their-possession	their hereditary landholding
`H272-12`	Ezekiel 46:18	מֵ/אֲחֻזָּתָ֔/ם	meachuzatam	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3mp`	from their possession	from their hereditary landholding
`H272-13`	Ezekiel 46:18	מֵ/אֲחֻזָּת֖/וֹ	meachuzato	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`	from his possession	from his hereditary holding
`H272-13`	Ezekiel 46:18	מֵ/אֲחֻזָּתֽ/וֹ	meachuzato-2	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`	from his possession	from his hereditary holding
`H272-02`	Ezekiel 48:20	אֲחֻזַּ֖ת	achuzat	`HNcfsc`	possession of	hereditary holding of
`H272-19`	Ezekiel 48:21	וְ/לַ/אֲחֻזַּ֪ת	velaachuzat	`HC/R/Ncfsc`	and-for-possession-of	and for the hereditary holding of
`H272-14`	Ezekiel 48:22	וּ/מֵ/אֲחֻזַּ֤ת	umeachuzat	`HC/R/Ncfsc`	and from the possession	and from hereditary holding of
`H272-14`	Ezekiel 48:22	וּ/מֵ/אֲחֻזַּ֣ת	umeachuzat-2	`HC/R/Ncfsc`	and from the possession	and from hereditary holding of
`H272-18`	Psalms 2:8	וַ֝/אֲחֻזָּתְ/ךָ֗	vaachuzatekha	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp2ms`	and your possession	your hereditary holding
`H272-07`	Nehemiah 11:3	בַּ/אֲחֻזָּת/וֹ֙	baachuzato	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`	in his possession	in his hereditary holding
`H272-17`	1 Chronicles 7:28	וַ/אֲחֻזָּתָ/ם֙	vaachuzatam	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp3mp`	their possessions	and their hereditary landholding
`H272-06`	1 Chronicles 9:2	בַּ/אֲחֻזָּתָ֖/ם	baachuzatam	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3mp`	in-their-possession	in their hereditary holding
`H272-17`	2 Chronicles 11:14	וַ/אֲחֻזָּתָ֔/ם	vaachuzatam	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp3mp`	and their possessions	and their hereditary landholding
`H272-10`	2 Chronicles 31:1	לַ/אֲחֻזָּת֖/וֹ	laachuzato	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`	to-his-possession	to his held-estate

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