H2522 H2522
to weaken, disable, be prostrate
A verb describing physical weakening or prostration. It appears in both active senses (to weaken or disable an opponent) and stative senses (to become weak or prostrate). Exodus uses it for Joshua's defeat of Amalek, Job employs it for human mortality and frailty, and Isaiah applies it to the fall of proud oppressors. The root conveys the transition from strength to weakness, from standing to falling, from power to helplessness. Whether describing military defeat, mortal decay, or the overthrow of tyrants, the verb emphasizes debilitation and collapse.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To weaken, prostrate, or disable. Exodus 17:13 reports 'Joshua weakened Amalek' through battle. Job 14:10 uses it of human death: 'man dies and is prostrate,' emphasizing finality. Isaiah 14:12 describes Babylon as 'weakener of nations' before its own fall. The consistent rendering across languages (Spanish debilitar, French/English weaken/prostrate) reflects the core meaning of reducing strength or bringing down to helplessness. 3×
AR["وَ-هَزَمَ", "وَ-يَضْعُفُ", "يَا-مُهْلِكَ"]·ben["এবং-দুর্বল-হয়", "এবং-পরাজিত-করল", "দুর্বলকারী"]·DE["[ויחלש]", "[חולש]", "und-weakened"]·EN["and-lies-prostrate", "and-weakened", "weakener-of"]·FR["[חולש]", "et-weakened", "et-ויחלש"]·heb["ו-החליש", "ו-ייחלש", "חולש"]·HI["और-दुर्बल-होता-है", "और-हराया", "कमजोर-करने-वाला"]·ID["Dan-mengalahkanlah", "dan-terbaring-lemah", "yang-melemahkan"]·IT["[חולש]", "e-e-lies-prostrate", "e-weakened"]·jav["Lan-Yusak-ngalahaken", "ingkang-ngalahaken", "lan-ringkih"]·KO["그리고-약하게-하였다", "넘어뜨리던-자야", "쇠약해지고"]·PT["E-derrotou", "e-jaz-abatido", "que-prostrava"]·RU["И-поразил", "и-обессилен", "повергавший"]·ES["Y-debilitó", "el-que-debilitaba", "y-se-debilita"]·SW["na-akawashinda", "na-anadhoofika", "uliyewadhoofisha"]·TR["Ve-yendi", "dusurucu", "ve-güçsüzleşir"]·urd["اور-شکست-دی", "اور-کمزور-ہوتا-ہے", "کمزور-کرنے-والا"]
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
† [חָלַשׁ] vb. 1. be weak, prostrate. 2. (si vera l.) weaken, disable, prostrate (Aramaic חֲלַשׁ be weak; ܚܰܠܳܫ, חַלָּשׁ weak, as in Heb.; Arabic مُحْلِس poor (Frey))— Qal Impf. וַיַּחֲלֹשׁ Ex 17:13, וַיֶּחֱלָ֑שׁ Jb 14:10; Pt. חוֹלֵשׁ Is 14:12; 1. וגבר ימות ויח׳ Jb 14:10 but man dieth and is prostrate. 2. disable, prostrate, sq. acc. pers. Ex 17:13 (E; point as Hiph.?); sq. עַל pers. (strangely) Is 14:12.