H0553 H0553
To be strong, courageous, or firm; in Piel, to strengthen, encourage, or harden; reflexively, to show resolve or determination.
Amats covers the full arc of strength and resolve in the Hebrew Bible, from the rousing battlefield command 'be strong and courageous!' to the quiet inner determination of Ruth pressing on toward Bethlehem. In its Qal stem it describes being strong or prevailing — the younger nation will be stronger than the elder (Gen 25:23). The Piel is richly causative: Job's friends once 'strengthened' failing knees (Job 4:4), yet the same form can harden a heart in obstinacy (Deut 2:30). The word's pairing with chazaq is nearly formulaic in Moses' and Joshua's commissioning speeches, a doublet that rings across Deuteronomy and Joshua like a liturgical refrain. Spanish captures the positive pole with sé fuerte and the negative with endurecer, while German toggles between Mut fassen and verhärten.
1. be strong, be courageous — The Qal imperative and stative sense: to be strong, be courageous, take heart. Almost always paired with chazaq ('be strong') in the commissioning formulae of Deuteronomy and Joshua (Deut 31:6-7, 23; Josh 1:6-7, 18). The exhortation extends to the Psalms' communal encouragement: 'Wait for the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage' (Ps 27:14; 31:24). Spanish sé fuerte/ten ánimo and German sei mutig both select courage-specific vocabulary, while the Arabic cognate confirms the root sense of firmness and resolve. Sense 4's Psalms occurrences (Ps 27:14, 31:24) belong here as jussive forms of this same exhortation. 17×
AR["أَقْوَى","قَوُوا","وَ-تَشَجَّعُوا","وَ-تَشَجَّعْ","وَ-تَقَوَّوا","وَتَشَجَّعْ","وَتَغَلَّبوا","وَتَقَوَّ","وَتَقَوَّوْا","يَقْوَى"]·ben["আর-দৃঢ়-হও","আর-শক্তিশালী-হলো","আর-সাহসী-হও","এবং-সাহসী-হও","ও-দৃঢ়-হও","তারা-আমার-চেয়ে-শক্তিশালী-ছিল","তারা-শক্তিশালী","শক্তিশালী","শক্তিশালী-হবে"]·DE["sie-sind-stronger","sie-waren-auch-mächtig","sie-waren-stronger","und-sein-mutig","und-stark-sein","wird-stark-sein"]·EN["and-be-courageous","and-courageous","and-prevailed","and-strengthened-themselves","they-are-stronger","they-were-stronger","they-were-too-mighty","will-be-stronger"]·FR["--être-stronger","et-aie-du-courage","et-être-courageous","et-être-courageux","et-être-fort","ils-furent-stronger","être-fort"]·heb["אמצו","ו-אימצו","ו-אמץ","ו-אמצו","ו-יאמצו","ו-יתאמצו","יאמץ"]·HI["और-दृढ़-हो","और-दृढ़-होओ","और-बलवन्त-हुए","और-बलवान-हुए","और-हिम्मती-हो","और-हियाव-रख","प्रबल-होगी","बलवान-थे","वे-थे","शक्तिशाली-हैं"]·ID["akan-lebih-kuat","dan-beranilah","dan-menguatkan-diri","dan-menjadi-kuatlah","dan-teguhkanlah","dan-teguhkanlah-hati","mereka-lebih-kuat"]·IT["e-essere-coraggioso","e-essere-courageous","e-essere-forte","essi-erano-più-forte","fu-forte","will-essere-stronger"]·jav["badhé-langkung-kiyat","lan-dados-kendel","lan-dados-kendela","lan-dipun-kendel","lan-kandhelna","lan-kendel","lan-sami-kiyat","lan-sami-nguataken","lan-tangguha","lan-tatag","piyambakipun-langkung-kiyat","rosan","sami-kiyat-sanget"]·KO["강하다","강하리라","강하였음이라","그들-이-강하니이다","그리고-강해졌다","그리고-담대하라","담대하라","담대하소서"]·PT["e-corajoso","e-corajosos","e-firme","e-fortaleceram-se","e-sede-corajosos","e-sê-corajoso","eram-fortes","será-forte","são-mais-fortes"]·RU["и-мужайся","и-мужайтесь","и-мужественным","и-усилились","они-были-сильнее","сильнее","сильнее-были","укрепится"]·ES["fueron-fuertes","fueron-más-fuertes","será-más-fuerte","son-más-fuertes","y-animaos","y-anímate","y-se-fortalecieron","y-sean-valientes","y-sed-valientes","y-sé-valiente","y-valiente"]·SW["litakuwa-na-nguvu","na-imara","na-mwe-jasiri","na-uwe-imara","na-uwe-jasiri","na-wakajiimarisha","na-wakatiwa-nguvu","walikuwa-na-nguvu","wana-nguvu-zaidi","wimtswּ"]·TR["güçlüler","güçlüydüler","ve-büyük","ve-cesur-ol","ve-cesur-olun","ve-güçlendiler","ve-yürekli-ol","ve-yürekli-olun"]·urd["اور-حوصلہ-رکھ","اور-حوصلہ-رکھو","اور-دلیر-ہو","اور-مضبوط-ہو","اور-مضبوط-ہوئے","اور-ہمت-رکھو","طاقتور-ہو-گی","وہ-طاقتور-تھے","وہ-مضبوط-تھے","وہ-مضبوط-ہیں"]
Gen 25:23, Deut 31:6, Deut 31:7, Deut 31:23, Josh 1:6, Josh 1:7, Josh 1:9, Josh 1:18, Josh 10:25, 2 Sam 22:18, 1 Chr 22:13, 1 Chr 28:20 (+5 more)
▼ 5 more senses below
Senses
2. strengthen, make firm — The Piel causative-positive sense: to strengthen, make firm, encourage another person or thing. Job reminds Eliphaz that his words once 'strengthened' the stumbling and made firm feeble knees (Job 4:4). Moses is told to 'encourage' Joshua for the task ahead (Deut 3:28). The temple workers 'repaired' — literally firmed up — the house of God (2 Chr 24:13). Spanish afirmar/fortalecer and Korean 강하게 하다 both distinguish this transitive encouragement from the intransitive courage of sense 1. 16×
AR["أُشَجِّعُكُمْ","الَّذِي-قَوَّيْتَهُ","بِتَثْبِيتِهِ","تُثَبِّتُ","تُقَوَِيهِ","ثَبِّتُوا","قَوَّيْتَهُ","قَوَّيْتُكَ","قَوِّي","وَ-شَدَّدَتْ","وَثَبَّتوا","وَقَوَّوْهُ","وَقَوِّهِ","وَيُقَوِّيهِ-","يُثَبِّتُ","يُقَوِّي-"]·ben["আমি-শক্তিশালী-করতাম-তোমাদের","আর-শক্তিশালী-করলেন","এবং-শক্তিশালী-করে","এবং-শক্তিশালী-করে-","এবং-সাহসী-কর-তাকে","ও-দৃঢ়-করলেন","তাকে-শক্তিশালী-করবে","তুমি-দৃঢ়-করবে","দৃঢ়-করো","বৃদ্ধি-করে-","যখন-তিনি-দৃঢ়-করলেন","যাকে-তুমি-শক্তিশালী-করেছিলে","শক্তিশালী-করেছি-তোমাকে","সুদৃঢ়-করবে","স্থির-কর"]·DE["[אאמצכם]","[אמץ]","[אמצו]","[אמצתיך]","[באמצו]","[ויאמץ]","[ותאמץ]","[יאמץ]","[מאמץ]","[תאמץ]","du-gemacht-stark","soll-strengthen-ihn","und-encourage-ihn","und-stark-sein"]·EN["I-strengthen-you","I-would-strengthen-you","You-made-strong","and-encourage-him","and-he-strengthens","and-made-strong","and-strengthened-it","and-strengthens","make-firm","shall-strengthen","shall-strengthen-him","strengthens","when-He-made-firm","you-have-made-firm"]·FR["[אמצו]","[אמצתיך]","[ויאמץ]","dans-fortifier-lui","et-encourage-lui","et-fortifier","et-être-fort","fortifier","fortifier-vous","être-fort"]·heb["אאמצכם","אימצת","אימצתה","אימצתיך","אמץ","אמצו","ב-אמצו","ו-אמצהו","ו-יאמץ-","ו-יאמצהו-ו","ו-יאמצו","ו-תאמץ","יאמץ","מאמץ-","תאמץ","תאמצנו"]·HI["उसे","उसे-मजबूत-करेगी","और-दृढ़-करता-है-","और-दृढ़-किया-उन्होंने","और-दृढ़-किया-उसे","और-मज़बूत-करती","जिसे-तूने-दृढ़-किया","तूने-दृढ़-किया","दृढ़-कर","दृढ़-करता-है-","दृढ़-करते-हुए-उसके","दृढ़-करो","मज़बूत-करेगा","मज़बूत-किया-मैंने-तुझे","मैं-तुम्हें-मज़बूत-करता"]·ID["Aku-menguatkan-engkau","Engkau-kuatkan","Ketika-Dia-menetapkan","Rehabeam","akan-menguatkannya","aku-menguatkanmu","dan-ia-menguatkan","dan-ia-menguatkan-","dan-menguatkannya","dan-teguhkanlah-dia","engkau-teguhkan","kokohlah","memperkuat","menguatkan","teguhkanlah"]·IT["Io-would-strengthen-voi-vostro","[אמץ]","[אמצו]","[אמצתיך]","[ויאמץ]","[יאמץ]","e-e-strengthens","e-encourage-lui","e-essere-forte","fu-forte","in-quando-Egli-made-firm-suo","strengthens","voi-have-made-firm"]·jav["Ingsun-sampun-nguataken-panjenengan","Panjenengan-sampun-nguataken","badhé-ngiyataken","kawula-nguataken-panjenengan","kuwatosakena","lan-kukuhaken-piyambakipun","lan-ngiyataken","lan-nguataken-","lan-sami-ngiyataken","lan-sami-ngiyataken-piyambakipun","nalika-netepaken","ngagengaken","ngiyataken","panjenengan-nguataken","sami-nguataken"]·KO["강하게-하는니라-","강하게-하라","강하게-하리라","강하게-하리라-그-를","강하게-하였다-너는","그-가-확립하셨을-때-에","그리고-강하게-했다","그리고-강하게-했다-","그리고-견고하게-했다-그것을","그리고-그녀가-강하게-한다","그리고-담대하게-하라-그를","내가-강하게-하였느니라-너를","음하지","주께서-강하게-하신","튼튼하게-하라"]·PT["Quando-ele-firmou","Vos-fortaleceria","e-anima-o","e-firmaram","e-firmou-","e-fortalece","e-fortaleceram-na","firmaste","firmei","fortalece-","fortalecerá","o-fortalecerá","que-fortaleceste","robustece","te-fortaleceii"]·RU["и-выбирает","и-ободри-его","и-укрепили-его","и-укрепляет","и-утвердили","когда-утверждал","укрепи","укрепил-Ты","укрепил-Я-тебя","укрепит","укрепит-его","укрепляет-","укреплял","укреплял-бы-вас","утвердите"]·ES["Os-fortalecería","afirmabas","afirmad","cuando-afirmó-él","fortalece-","fortalecerá","fortaleciste","lo-fortalecerá","te-fortalezco","y-anímalo","y-confirmaron","y-fortalece","y-la-reforzaron","y-lo-fortalece","¡Refuerza"]·SW["alipoimarisha","huongeza-","kuoimarisha","na-akauimarisha","na-huimarisha","na-umfanye-imara","na-wakaimarisha","na-wakamtia-nguvu","nimekutia-nguvu","ningewaimarisha","ongeza","uliyemtia-nguvu","unayaimarisha","utamtia-nguvu","yaimarisheni"]·TR["artırır-","guclendirdim-seni","güçlendirdin","güçlendirecek","güçlendirirdim-sizi","pekiştir","saglamlastirin","sağlamlaştıracak","sağlamlaştırdın","sağlamlaştırdığında-O","ve-cesaretlendir-onu","ve-desteklediler","ve-guclendirdi-","ve-güçlendirdiler","ve-güçlendirir"]·urd["اور-اُسے-حوصلہ-دے","اور-تقویت-دی","اور-مضبوط-کرتا-ہے-","اور-مضبوط-کرتی-ہے","اور-مضبوط-کیا-اُسے","تُو-مضبوط-کرتا-تھا","جب-اُس-نے-مضبوط-کیا","مضبوط-کر","مضبوط-کرتا-تمہیں","مضبوط-کرتا-ہے-","مضبوط-کرو","مضبوط-کرے-گا","مضبوط-کرے-گا-اُسے","مضبوط-کیا-تُو-نے","میں-نے-تجھے-مضبوط-کیا"]
Deut 3:28, 2 Chr 11:17, 2 Chr 24:13, Job 4:4, Job 16:5, Ps 80:15, Ps 80:17, Ps 89:21, Prov 8:28, Prov 24:5, Prov 31:17, Isa 35:3 (+4 more)
3. harden, make obstinate — The Piel with negative coloring: to harden, make obstinate. In Deut 2:30 God 'hardened' Sihon's spirit; in Deut 15:7 Israel is warned not to 'harden' the heart against a poor brother; in 2 Chr 36:13 Zedekiah 'stiffened' his neck against God. The same strengthening root now carries a sense of stubborn resistance. Spanish endurecer and German verhärten both mark this pejorative shift, while French endurcir likewise reserves a dedicated hardening verb, confirming that native speakers cross-linguistically perceive this as a distinct sense from positive encouragement. 3×
AR["تُقَسِّي","وَ-قَسَّى","وَصَلَّبَ"]·ben["এবং-শক্ত-করলেন","ও-শক্ত-করলেন","তুমি-কঠিন-করবে"]·DE["du-soll-verhaerten","und-staerkte","und-stark-sein"]·EN["and-he-hardened","and-strengthened","you-shall-harden"]·FR["et-fortifia","et-être-fort","tu-devra-endurcir"]·heb["ו-אימץ","ו-יאמץ","תאמץ"]·HI["उसकी-आत्मा","और-उसने-कठोर-किया","कठोर-करेगा"]·ID["dan-menguatkan","mengeraskan"]·IT["e-essere-forte","e-fortifico","tu-dovra-indurire"]·jav["kedah-panjenengan-negasaken","lan-dipundadosaken-kenceng","lan-natos"]·KO["굳게-하리라-네가","그리고-그-가-강하게-하셨다","그리고-그가-강퍅하게-하였다"]·PT["e-fortaleceu","endurecerás"]·RU["и-укрепил","и-упорствовал","ожесточай"]·ES["endurecerás","y-fortaleció"]·SW["akaufanya-kuwa-mkaidi","kufanya-mgumu","wayameּts"]·TR["katılaştıracaksın","ve-güçlendirdi","ve-katılaştırdı"]·urd["اور-سخت-کیا","اور-مضبوط-کیا","سخت-کرنا"]
4. sense 4 — The Hitpael reflexive sense: to strengthen oneself, show personal determination or resolve. Ruth 'was determined' to go with Naomi, and nothing could dissuade her (Ruth 1:18). Rehoboam 'exerted himself' to mount his chariot and flee (1 Kgs 12:18 / 2 Chr 10:18). The reflexive morphology shifts agency inward — this is self-directed strengthening rather than receiving encouragement from another. Spanish decidida and se apresuró capture the volitional, self-propelled quality, while Korean 결심하다 ('to resolve') confirms the deliberate inner-resolve reading. 2×
AR["وَيَتَشَجَّعْ"]·ben["এবং-সাহসী-হও","ও-দৃঢ়-হোক"]·DE["und-lass-nehmen-courage","und-lass-sein-courageous"]·EN["and-let-be-courageous","and-let-take-courage"]·FR["et-être-fort"]·heb["ו-יאמץ"]·HI["और-दृढ़़-करेगा-वह","और-वह-दृढ़-करेगा"]·IT["e-fu-forte"]·jav["lan-tatag","saha-kukuha"]·KO["그리고-담대하게-하라","담대하게-하라"]·PT["e-anime-se","e-fortalece-se"]·RU["и-да-утвердится"]·ES["y-animése","y-fortalezca"]·SW["na-aimarishwe","na-uimarishwe"]·TR["ve-cesaret-etsin","ve-cesaretlensin"]·urd["اور-ہمت-پکڑے"]
5. strengthen oneself, show resolve — Hitpael reflexive: to strengthen oneself, show determination, or exert oneself with resolve. 2×
AR["أَسْرَعَ","مُصَمِّمَةٌ"]·ben["তাড়াতাড়ি-করল","দৃঢ়প্রতিজ্ঞ"]·DE["[מתאמצת]","strengthened-sich-selbst"]·EN["she-was-determined","strengthened-himself"]·FR["elle-était-determined","fortifia-lui-même"]·heb["הִתְאַמֵּץ","מתאמצת"]·HI["जल्दी-किया","दृढ़-है"]·ID["bergegas","bertekad-kuat"]·IT["ella-fu-determined","fortificò-sé-stesso"]·jav["santosa","énggal"]·KO["결심하고-있다","힘썼다"]·PT["esforçava-se","esforçou-se"]·RU["укрепилась","укрепился"]·ES["decidida","se-esforzó"]·SW["aliazimia","alijitahidi"]·TR["güçlendi","kararlı"]·urd["جلدی-کی","پکی"]
6. sense 6 1×
AR["أَسرَعَ"]·ben["তাড়াতাড়ি-করলেন"]·DE["stark-sein"]·EN["made-haste"]·FR["être-fort"]·heb["התאמץ"]·HI["जल्दी-की"]·ID["cepat-cepat"]·IT["essere-forte"]·jav["énggal-énggal"]·KO["힘썬다"]·PT["esforçou-se"]·RU["поспешил"]·ES["se-apresuró"]·SW["akaharakisha"]·TR["güçlendi"]·urd["جلدی-کی"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [אָמֵץ] vb. be stout, strong, bold, alert (according to LagBN 28 f. from earlier אָמֹץ cf. אֹמֶץ)— Qal Pf. 3 pl. אָֽמְצוּ 2 S 22:18; + 2 times; Impf. יֶאֱמָ֑ץ Gn 25:23; וַיֶּאֶמְצוּ 2 Ch 13:18; Imv. אֱמַץ Jos 1:7 1 Ch 28:20; אֱמַ֑ץ Jos 1:6; אֱמָ֑ץ Dt 31:7 + 3 times; אִמְצוּ Dt 31:6 + 2 times— 1. be strong, of a people Gn 25:23 (J); of personal enemies 2 S 22:18 = ψ 18:18; ψ 142:7 (all sq. מִן…