H1396 H1396
Be strong, prevail, be mighty; strengthen, confirm; act proudly, exalt oneself
A verb of power and mastery whose basic Qal sense is to be strong or to prevail. The Flood narrative uses it four times (Genesis 7:18-24) to describe the waters growing overwhelmingly mighty over the earth. It spans cosmic and personal domains—from waters prevailing over mountains to a man's strength failing in illness. In the Piel and Hiphil stems it becomes causative: God strengthens His people (Zechariah 10:6,12) or confirms a covenant (Daniel 9:27). The Hitpael reflexive turns inward with a darker edge: to exalt oneself defiantly, as in Job 15:25 where the wicked man 'strengthens himself against the Almighty.' Arabic cognate jabara and Aramaic gevar preserve the same semantic core.
Senses
1. prevail, be strong, be mighty — Qal intransitive: to be strong, be mighty, prevail. The Flood account (Genesis 7:18-24) uses it repeatedly as waters overwhelm the earth. Also of military superiority (Exodus 17:11), tribal strength (Genesis 49:26), and blessings surpassing ancestors (1 Chronicles 5:2). Spanish 'prevalecer' and French 'prevaloir' match the competitive nuance. Psalm 103:11 extends it to God's lovingkindness prevailing over those who fear Him. 17×
AR["أَقْوَى", "تَعَاظَمَتِ", "تَعَاظَمَتْ", "تَقَوَّوْا", "تَقَوّى", "عَظُمَت", "غَلَبَ", "غَلَبَتْ", "فَاقَتْ", "قَوِيَ", "قَوِيَت", "وَ-تَعَاظَمَتِ", "وَ-يَقْوَى", "يَعْظُمُونَ", "يَقْوَى-"]·ben["এবং-জয়ী-হত", "এবং-বৃদ্ধি-পেল", "জয়ী-হবে-", "জয়ী-হয়েছে", "তিনি-শক্তিশালী-করেছেন", "প্রবল-হল", "বড়-হয়েছে", "বৃদ্ধি-পেল", "মহান", "শক্তিশালী", "শক্তিশালী-হয়েছিলেন", "শক্তিশালী-হয়েছে"]·DE["Mann", "[גברו]", "erstarkten", "hat-prevailed", "ist-gross", "prevails-", "sie-prevailed", "sind-auch-stark", "stronger", "und-es-erstarkten", "und-prevailed", "überragen"]·EN["and-prevailed", "are-too-strong", "become-mighty", "has-prevailed", "is-great", "prevailed", "prevails-", "stronger", "they-are-mighty", "they-prevailed", "was-mighty"]·FR["[גבר]", "[גברו]", "et-prévalut", "homme", "ils-prévalut", "prevails-", "prévaloir", "prévalut", "stronger", "être-puissant"]·heb["גבר", "גברו", "ו-גבר", "ו-יגברו", "יגבר"]·HI["इतनी-बड़ी-है", "और-प्रबल-होता-था", "और-प्रभावी-रहा", "और-प्रभावी-हुआ", "प्रबल-हुआ", "प्रबल-हुई", "प्रबल-हुईं", "प्रबल-हुए", "प्रबल-हो-गया-है", "प्रबल-होगा-", "प्रभावी-हुआ", "बढ़-गए", "बलवान", "वे-प्रबल-हुए", "वे-शक्तिशाली-होते-हैं"]·ID["Dan-makin-kuat", "akan-menang-", "besar", "dan-mengalahlah", "lebih-kuat", "makin-kuat", "melebihi", "menang", "mengatasi", "menjadi-kuat", "mereka-menjadi-kuat", "terlalu-kuat"]·IT["[גבר]", "become-mighty", "e-prevailed", "essi-prevalse", "più-forte", "prevailed", "prevails-", "prevalere", "prevalse", "uomo"]·jav["ageng", "agung", "dados-kuwat", "kiyat", "lan-menang", "lan-ngraja", "langkung-kiyat", "langkung-kiyat-saking", "menang-", "ngraja", "piyambakipun-sami-nguwataken", "sampun-menang"]·KO["강하였다", "강해졌나니", "강해졌다", "강했다", "그들이-강해졌다", "그리고-강해졌다", "그리고-이기니", "이겨도다", "이겼네", "이겼다", "이기다-", "크도다"]·PT["E-prevaleceram", "e-prevalecia", "eram-fortes", "fortaleceram-se", "prevaleceram", "prevalecerá-", "prevaleceu", "se-fortalecem", "é-grande"]·RU["велика", "и-побеждал", "и-усиливались", "одолели", "превзошли", "превозмог", "превозмогли", "преодолеет-", "сильнее", "усиливались", "усиливаются", "усилились"]·ES["Y-prevalecieron", "fueron-fuertes", "ha-prevalecido", "prevalece", "prevalecieron", "prevaleció", "se-engrandecen-en", "y-prevalecía"]·SW["Na-yakazidi", "alishinda", "ameshinda", "atashinda", "kuliko", "na-akashinda", "ndivyo-upendo-wake", "umekuwa-mkubwa", "walikuwa-hodari", "walituzidi", "wamekuwa-wenye-nguvu", "wanazidi", "yakazidi", "yalinishinda"]·TR["Ve-güçlendiler", "büyük", "galip-geldi", "galip-gelir-", "güçlendi", "güçlendiler", "güçlenir", "güçlü", "güçlü-oldu", "güçlüydüler", "ve-güçlenirdi", "üstün-geldi"]·urd["اور-غالب-آتا", "اور-غالب-رہے", "اور-غالب-ہوئے", "بڑھتی-ہے", "بڑھتے ہیں", "بڑھیں", "زور-آور", "زور-پکڑے", "غالب-آئے", "غالب-آئے-گا", "غالب-آیا", "غالب-ہوئیں", "غالب-ہوئے", "غالب-ہوا", "غالب-ہے"]
Gen 7:18, Gen 7:19, Gen 7:20, Gen 7:24, Gen 49:26, Exod 17:11, Exod 17:11, 1 Sam 2:9, 2 Sam 1:23, 2 Sam 11:23, 1 Chr 5:2, Job 21:7 (+5 more)
2. strengthen, confirm — Piel and Hiphil causative: to make strong, to strengthen or confirm. God strengthens Judah and Joseph (Zechariah 10:6,12), a ruler confirms a covenant with many (Daniel 9:27), and Psalm 12:4 warns of a tongue that 'makes itself mighty.' The shift from intransitive to causative marks a move from state to agency. German reflexive forms and Spanish 'fortalecer' capture this well. 5×
AR["نُعَظِّمُ", "وَ-يُثَبِّتُ", "وَأُقَوِّي", "وَأُقَوِّيهِمْ", "يِجَبِّير"]·ben["আমরা-প্রবল-করব", "এবং-দৃঢ়-করবে", "এবং-শক্তিশালী-করব", "এবং-শক্তিশালী-করব-তাদের", "বাড়াতে-হবে"]·DE["[וגברתי]", "[וגברתים]", "[והגביר]", "[יגבר]", "wir-wird-siegen"]·EN["and-I-will-strengthen", "and-he-shall-confirm", "he-must-increase", "we-will-prevail"]·FR["et-être-fort", "prévaloir", "être-puissant"]·heb["ו-גיברתי", "ו-גיברתים", "ו-הגביר", "יגבר", "נגביר"]·HI["और-दृढ़-करेगा", "और-मैं-उन्हें-बलवान-करूँगा", "और-मैं-बलवान-करूँगा", "बढ़ाएगा", "हम-प्रबल-होंगे"]·ID["Dan-dia-akan-menguatkan", "dan-Aku-akan-menguatkan", "dan-Aku-akan-menguatkan-mereka", "diperlukan-lebih", "kami-perkuat"]·IT["[וגברתי]", "[וגברתים]", "[והגביר]", "egli-must-increase", "prevalse"]·jav["kita-menangaken", "lan-Panjenengan-ipun-badhé-netepaken", "lan-nguwatosakén-Kawula", "lan-nguwatosakén-Kawula-tiyang", "nambahi"]·KO["강하게-하리로다", "강하게-한다", "그리고-강하게-하리라", "그리고-내가-강하게-하리라", "그리고-내가-강하게-하리라-그들을"]·PT["E-ele-fará-firme", "E-fortalecerei", "E-fortalecerei-os", "forçará", "prevaleceremos"]·RU["и-укреплю", "и-укреплю-их", "и-утвердит", "одолеем", "приумножит;"]·ES["Y-confirmará", "Y-fortaleceré", "Y-los-fortaleceré", "aumentará", "haremos-prevalecer"]·SW["na-atathibitisha", "na-nitaimarisha", "na-nitawaimarisha", "tutashinda", "zitahitajika"]·TR["Ve-cevap-verdi", "arttiracak", "güçlendiririz", "ve-güçlendirecek", "ve-güçlendireceğim"]·urd["اور-مضبوط-کروں-گا-اُنہیں", "اور-مضبوط-کرے-گا", "اور-میں-مضبوط-کروں-گا", "بڑھانی-پڑیں-گی", "ہم-غالب-آئیں-گے"]
3. act proudly, show oneself mighty — Hitpael reflexive: to show oneself mighty, to act defiantly or proudly against another. Job 15:25 depicts the wicked man stretching out his hand against God and 'strengthening himself against the Almighty.' Job 36:9 uses it of those who have 'acted proudly,' and Isaiah 42:13 applies it to the Lord rousing Himself like a warrior. The reflexive stem adds a self-asserting, sometimes arrogant dimension. 3×
AR["تَجَبَّروا", "يَتَجَبَّرُ"]·ben["তারা-অহংকার-করে", "পরাক্রম-করবে", "সে-শক্তিশালী-করে"]·DE["[יתגבר]", "[יתגברו]"]·EN["He-prevails", "he-acts-defiantly", "they-act-proudly"]·FR["[יתגבר]", "prévaloir"]·heb["יתגבר", "יתגברו"]·HI["पराक्रमी-होगा", "बढ़े", "वह-शक्तिशाली-होता-है"]·ID["Ia-menunjukkan-kuasa", "ia-menentang", "mereka bertindak sombong"]·IT["essi-act-proudly", "he-acts-defiantly", "prevalere"]·jav["Panjenenganipun-badhé-ngawonaken", "nglawan", "piyambak-ipun-gumedhé"]·KO["강해졌나니", "그들이-교만했다", "이기시리라"]·PT["prevalecerá", "se-fortalece", "se-fortaleceram."]·RU["возгордились", "возгордился", "покажет-силу"]·ES["prevalecerá", "se-fortalecieron", "se-fortaleció"]·SW["anajifanya-shujaa", "atashinda", "wamejivuna"]·TR["büyüktüler", "galip-gelecek", "meydan-okur"]·urd["سرکشی-کرتا-ہے", "غالب-آئے-گا", "وہ بڑھ گئیں"]
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
† גָּבַר vb. be strong, mighty (NH id., Aramaic גְּבַר; Arabic جَبَرَ (conj. I. dial.; usually in derived conj.) compel, force; جَبَرِيَّةٌ overbearing behaviour, جَبْرٌ constraint; Ethiopic ገብረ I, 1, subigere; II, 2, cogere; Syriac ܐܶܬܓܰܒܰܪ play the man, is denom. from ܓܒܰܪ man)— Qal Pf. ג׳ ψ 103:11 + 5 times; גָּבְֽרוּ Gn 7:19 + 6 times; גָּבֵ֑רוּ 2 S 1:23; Impf. יִגְבַּר 1 S 2:9; וַיִּגְבְּרוּ…