H0047 H0047
Mighty, powerful; used of warriors, strong animals (bulls, stallions), the obstinate-hearted, or a chief/leader
Rooted in the idea of raw strength and force, this adjective appears almost exclusively in poetry and always functions as a substantive — 'a mighty one.' It can describe human warriors whom God crushes (Job 34:20), powerful bulls like those of Bashan (Ps 22:13), or swift stallions thundering into battle (Jer 8:16). In Isaiah 46:12 it takes on a moral edge, labeling the 'stout-hearted' who stubbornly resist God's purposes. The Spanish 'poderosos' and 'corceles' neatly capture the split between human and animal referents that English sometimes blurs.
Senses
1. mighty one, warrior — Denotes a mighty person, warrior, or heavenly being — someone possessing extraordinary power or valor. In Psalm 78:25 it refers to angels ('bread of the mighty ones'), while in Job 24:22 and Jeremiah 46:15 it describes violent oppressors or powerful fighters whom God brings low. The Spanish 'poderosos' and French 'puissant' converge on the idea of raw might wielded by a personal agent. Used substantively in construct with possessive suffixes (Judg 5:22; Ps 22:12–13). 8×
AR["أَبْطَالُكَ", "أَقْوِيائِهِ", "أَقْوِيَاءُ", "الأَقْوِيَاءِ", "الْأَقْوِيَاءَ", "جَبَابِرَتِي", "عَظيماً", "كَـ-الْجَبَّارِ"]·ben["আমার-বীরদের", "তার-বীরদের", "তোমার-বলবানরা", "বলবানদের", "শক্তিমানদের", "শক্তিশালী", "শক্তিশালীর-মতো"]·DE["[אביר]", "[אבירי]", "[אביריך]", "[אבירים]", "[כאביר]", "der-mächtig", "sein-maechtig-die", "stark-Leute-von"]·EN["his-mighty-ones", "like-mighty-one", "mighty-ones", "my-mighty-ones", "strong-ones-of", "the-mighty", "your-mighty-one"]·FR["puissant", "son-puissant-les", "אביר", "אבירים"]·heb["אביר", "אבירי", "אביריו", "אביריי", "אביריך", "אבירים", "כ-אביר"]·HI["जैसे-शूरवीर", "तेरे-बलवान", "बलवन्तों-ने", "बलवानों-के-उसके", "मेरे-वीरों-को", "शक्तिशालियों-की", "शक्तिशाली", "शक्तिशाली-को"]·ID["kuda-gagahnya", "orang-orang-kuat", "pahlawan-pahlawan-mu", "pahlawan-pahlawanku", "seperti-yang-perkasa", "yang perkasa", "yang-perkasa"]·IT["il-mighty", "mighty-ones", "potente", "suo-potente-ones"]·jav["ingkang-kuwasa", "jaran-prakosa-piyambakipun", "kados-gagah", "malaikan", "para-prajuritipun", "prajurit-perkosa-kawula", "sapi-lanang-kiyat", "tiyang-kuwat"]·KO["강한-소들-이", "강한-자-같이", "강한-자들-그의-의", "강한-자들-의", "강한-자들을", "강한-자를", "내-용사들-을", "네-힘센-자들이"]·PT["como-poderoso", "dos-poderosos", "fortes-de", "meus-valentes", "os-poderosos", "poderoso", "seus-poderosos", "teu-poderoso"]·RU["как-сильный", "сильного", "сильные", "сильные-твои", "сильных", "сильных-его", "сильных-моих"]·ES["a-los-poderosos", "como-valiente", "fuertes-de", "mis-valientes", "poderoso", "poderosos", "sus-poderosos", "tu-poderoso"]·SW["kama-shujaa", "kwa-mashujaa-wake", "malaika", "mashujaa-wako", "mashujaa-wangu", "wenye-nguvu", "wenye-nguvu-wa"]·TR["guclu-gibi", "güçlü", "güçlüler-benim", "güçlüleri", "güçlülerin", "güçlülerinin"]·urd["اُس-کے-زوراوروں-کا", "بہادر-تیرا", "زبردست-کی-طرح", "زورآوروں-کی", "طاقتور", "طاقتور کو", "طاقتوروں-کو", "میرے-بہادر"]
2. mighty bull or stallion — A strong, vigorous animal — typically a bull or a stallion. The 'bulls of Bashan' (Ps 22:13) are fierce enemies pictured as powerful beasts; in Psalm 50:13 God dismisses the flesh of 'mighty ones' (bulls) as unnecessary sacrifice. Spanish distinguishes cleanly: 'bueyes/toros' for bovines versus 'corceles' for war-horses (Jer 8:16; 47:3). Isaiah 34:7 uses it of wild oxen in Edom's judgment. The animal sense extends the root metaphor of brute physical power into the non-human realm. 6×
AR["أَبْطَالِهِ", "أَقْوِيَائِهِ", "الأقْوياءِ-", "الأقْوِياء", "الْأَقْوِيَاءِ", "كَالْجِيَادِ"]·ben["ঘোড়াগুলোর-মতো", "তার-বীরদের", "তার-শক্তিশালীদের", "বলবানদের", "শক্তিশালীদের", "ষাঁড়দের"]·DE["Stiere", "[אביריו]", "[אבירים]", "[כאברים]"]·EN["bulls", "his-stallions", "like-stallions", "mighty-bulls"]·FR["puissant"]·heb["אביריו", "אבירים", "כ-אבירים"]·HI["उसके-बलवानों", "घोड़ों-की-तरह", "बलवान-उसके-की", "बलवानों", "सांड़ों-का"]·ID["kuda-kuda-jantan-gagahnya", "kuda-kudanya-yang-perkasa", "lembu-lembu-jantan", "seperti-kuda-jantan", "yang-kuat"]·IT["potente"]·jav["daging", "kados-jaran-lanang", "kapal-kakungé", "kapalipun", "lembu-lembu-jaler", "sapi-sapi-lanang"]·KO["강한-것들-의", "강한-것들과", "그의-강한-것들의", "그의-힘센-말들의", "수말들처럼", "황소-들-의"]·PT["como-garanhões", "seus-cavalos", "seus-garanhões", "touros"]·RU["быков", "жеребцов-его", "как-жеребцы", "коней-его-сильных", "могучими"]·ES["bueyes", "como-corceles", "sus-corceles", "sus-sementales", "toros"]·SW["farasi-wake-wenye-nguvu", "farasi-zake-wenye-nguvu", "kama-farasi-wenye-nguvu", "la-ng'ombe-dume", "ng'ombe", "wenye-nguvu"]·TR["-gibi-aygırlar", "aygirlarinin", "aygyrlarının", "boğaların", "etini", "guclulerin"]·urd["بیلوں-کا", "جنگی-گھوڑوں-اُس-کے-کی", "زور-آوروں-کے", "سانڈوں-کا", "سورماؤں-اُس-کے", "گھوڑوں-کی-طرح"]
3. stout-hearted, obstinate — In the fixed phrase 'abbire lev' (mighty of heart), the word shifts from physical power to moral obstinacy — those who are defiant and unyielding before God. Isaiah 46:12 addresses the 'stout-hearted who are far from righteousness,' and Psalm 76:6 describes warriors so stubborn that their courage becomes their undoing. Spanish 'valientes de corazón' and English 'stouthearted' both capture this negative connotation of hardened resistance rather than admirable bravery. 2×
AR["أَقْوِيَاءَ", "أَقْوِيَاءُ"]·ben["সাহসী-", "হে-কঠিন-হৃদয়েরা"]·DE["[אבירי]", "der-stouthearted"]·EN["mighty-ones-of", "the-stouthearted"]·FR["puissant"]·heb["אבירי"]·HI["अब्बीरे", "कठोर-हृदय-वालो"]·ID["orang-orang-yang-keras-hati", "orang-orang-yang-perkasa"]·IT["potente"]·jav["ingkang-wangkot", "tiyang-tiyang-kendel"]·KO["강한-자들아", "용감한-자들-이"]·PT["obstinados-de", "os-valentes"]·RU["сильные", "храбрые"]·ES["fuertes-de", "valientes-de"]·SW["wenye-mioyo-migumu", "wenye-nguvu-wa"]·TR["inatcilari-", "yürekli"]·urd["بہادر", "سخت-دل"]
4. chief, leader — A chief or principal person, emphasizing rank and social authority rather than physical strength. This rare usage appears in 1 Samuel 21:8, where Doeg the Edomite is described as the 'chief' of Saul's shepherds. The multilingual evidence (English, Spanish, French all rendering 'chief/jefe') confirms this is a distinct administrative sense, though textual emendations have been proposed (cf. BDB's note on alternative readings). 1×
AR["رَئِيسُ"]·ben["প্রধান"]·DE["chief"]·EN["chief"]·FR["chief"]·heb["אביר"]·HI["प्रधन"]·ID["kepala"]·IT["capo"]·jav["pangageng"]·KO["우두머리"]·PT["chefe-de"]·RU["главный"]·ES["jefe-de"]·SW["mkuu"]·TR["başı"]·urd["سردار"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† אַבִּיר adj. mighty, valiant—א׳ Jb 34:20 + Is 10:13 Kt (Qr כַּבִּיר; cstr. id. 1 S 21:8; pl. אַבִּירִים Jb 24:22 +;—mighty (alw. = subst. & poet. exc.1 S 21:8). 1. men Jb 24:22(= violent) 34:20 Je 46:15 1 S 21:8 (read א׳ הָרָצִים Gr Dr, cf. 22:17; but LagProbebibel אֹבִיל הָעֲיָרִים v. Id. BN 45; Klo גִּבּוֹר), La 1:15; אַבִּירֵי לֵב stout of heart Is 46:12 (= obstinate) ψ 76:6. 2. angels ψ…