אֲחֻזַּת
𐤀𐤇𐤆𐤕
Achuzat
H276 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal name: Achuzzath. Used in the narrative as the name of a Philistine court official or companion of Abimelech, indicating an individual distinct from Israelites or Judahites. The form is related to, but distinct from, the noun for 'possession', and is a proper noun in this context, not indicating ownership but serving as a personal name.
Semantic Range
proper personal name (Achuzzath), related to noun meaning 'possession' but used only as a name for a Philistine official
Root / Etymology
From the root אָחַז (אחז), meaning 'to seize, grasp, take hold.' The form אֲחֻזַּת is a nominal formation, likely related in structure to the more common noun אֲחֻזָּה ('possession, holding'). Here, with a final ת, it appears as a proper name, possibly indicating 'possession' or 'seized one', or as a theophoric or wish-name—a common pattern in ancient Semitic naming. The formation with -ת may also reflect a foreign or non-Israelite onomastic adaptation. Exact etymology as a personal name is uncertain but closely linked to the verb אחז.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, אֲחֻזַּת appears exclusively as a personal name (Genesis 26:26), denoting a Philistine official or close companion of Abimelech, king of Gerar. The name is non-Israelite and reflects naming patterns attested among Philistines and other peoples of the southern Levant (e.g., names meaning 'possession' or expressing wishes/attributes). The proper noun is morphologically related to the more general term אֲחֻזָּה ('property, possession'), but in context, it denotes an individual rather than an object or landholding. Later English translations sometimes render the name as 'Ahuzzath' or 'Achuzzath', and do not indicate its non-Israelite origin unless annotated. No further attestation of this name is found in the Hebrew Bible, and it does not develop a broader semantic range like the related noun. Its appearance as a proper name among Philistines distinguishes it from Israelite names and terms for landholdings, clarifying that it should not be confused with references to possessions or estates elsewhere in the text. The rendering 'a Philistine' in some translations reflects the individual's affiliation rather than the linguistic meaning of the name.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a variation of אֲחֻזָּה; possession; Achuzzath, a Philistine; Ahuzzath.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אחז (ʾ-ḥ-z) — to seize, grasp, take hold
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2372 | חָזָה | he has grasped |
| H270 | אָחַז | he seized |
| H271 | אָחָז | he has grasped |
| H272 | אֲחֻזָּה | hereditary holding |
| H273 | אַחְזַי | Yah Holds-Fast |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H276-01 |
וַ/אֲחֻזַּת֙ | vaachuzat | HC/Np |
and Ahuzzath | and Achuzzath | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H276-01 |
Genesis 26:26 | וַ/אֲחֻזַּת֙ | vaachuzat | HC/Np |
and Ahuzzath | and Achuzzath |