H3581b H3581b
Strength, power, might; physical force, vigor, or the capacity to act; also wealth or resources derived from one's strength.
Koach is the Hebrew Bible's most straightforward word for raw strength and power. Whether describing Samson's legendary physical might (Judg 16:5-30), the vigor of a young man (Prov 20:29), or the divine power behind creation (Jer 10:12), koach points to force that can be exerted or possessed. It differs from gevurah (heroic might) and oz (fortified strength) by staying closer to basic capacity and energy. The multilingual evidence is revealing: Arabic quwwa, Korean him, Spanish fuerza, and German Kraft all converge on the physical-force pole, while a smaller cluster — Arabic al-qudra, Korean neungnyeok, English 'ability' — tracks a distinct capability sense where the emphasis shifts from brute force to competence and capacity to accomplish a task.
Senses
1. strength, force, might — Physical or general strength, force, and might — the dominant sense at 115 occurrences. This covers Samson's raw physical power (Judg 16:17), the vigor sustained by food (1 Kgs 19:8), the strength that fails in old age (Ps 71:9), and the divine might behind cosmic acts (Jer 10:12; 27:5). Arabic quwwa, Korean him (힘), Spanish fuerza, German Kraft, and French force all converge on this sense. The word appears in memorable character-revealing moments: Jacob's blessing calls Reuben 'my strength and the firstfruits of my vigor' (Gen 49:3), and Deuteronomy warns Israel not to say 'my strength and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth' (Deut 8:17). 115×
AR["القُوَّةِ", "الْقُوَّةَ", "الْقُوَّةُ", "قُوَّةً", "قُوَّةٌ", "قُوَّةٍ", "قُوَّةَ", "قُوَّةُ"]·ben["-শক্তিতে", "শক্তি", "শক্তি?", "শক্তিতে", "শক্তির"]·DE["Kraft", "Macht", "Staerke"]·EN["power", "power-", "strength", "strength-of"]·FR["force", "puissance"]·heb["כוח"]·HI["तअकत", "बल", "बल-", "बल-में", "शक्ति", "शक्ति-से", "शक्ति-है-हमारी", "सामर्थ्य"]·ID["ada-kekuatan", "kekuatan", "kuasa"]·IT["forza", "potenza"]·jav["kakiyatan", "kakiyatan-", "kekiyatan"]·KO["힘", "힘-의", "힘-이", "힘과", "힘에", "힘으로", "힘을", "힘이"]·PT["de-força", "força", "força!", "força-de", "força-de-", "poder"]·RU["сила", "силой", "силу", "силу-", "силы"]·ES["de-fuerza,", "fuerza", "fuerza-de", "fuerza-de-", "poder"]·SW["nguvu", "nguvu-", "nguvu-ya", "uwezo"]·TR["guc", "gücü", "gücü-", "güç", "güçte", "güçten"]·urd["زور-سے", "طاقت", "طاقت-میں", "طاقت-کی", "قوت", "قوت-میں"]
Gen 49:3, Deut 8:17, Deut 8:18, Judg 16:17, 1 Sam 28:20, 1 Sam 28:22, 1 Sam 30:4, 1 Chr 29:12, 1 Chr 29:14, 2 Chr 2:6, 2 Chr 13:20, 2 Chr 14:11 (+38 more)
2. power, ability, capability — Power as ability, capability, or capacity to accomplish something — 10 occurrences where the emphasis shifts from raw force to competence or enablement. In Exod 9:16 God tells Pharaoh 'I have raised you up to show you my power'; in Ezra 2:69 the returnees give 'according to their ability'; in Ps 29:4 the voice of the LORD is 'in power.' Arabic al-qudra ('capability'), Korean neungnyeok (능력, 'ability'), and Spanish capacidad all distinguish this from brute physical force. The boundary is subtle but real: koach here answers 'can you do it?' rather than 'how strong are you?' 10×
AR["القُدْرَةِ", "بِ-الْقُوَّةِ", "بِالْقُوَّةِ", "بِقُوَّتِكَ", "بِقُوَّتِهِ", "بِقُوَّتِي", "قُوَّتِي", "كَ-قُوَّتِهِم"]·ben["-শক্তিতে-তোমার", "আমার-ক্ষমতা", "তাঁর-শক্তিতে", "তাদের-সামর্থ্য-অনুসারে", "তোমার-শক্তিতে", "বলের", "শক্তিতে-", "শক্তিতে-আমার", "শক্তিতে-তাঁর", "সামর্থ্যে"]·DE["Kraft", "durch-dein-Macht", "ist-mit-Macht", "mein-Macht"]·EN["according-to-their-ability", "by-His-power", "by-his-power", "by-my-power", "by-your-power", "in-power", "is-with-power", "my-power", "with-strength"]·FR["dans-force", "dans-sa-force", "force", "mon-puissance", "par-ton-puissance"]·heb["ב-ה-כוח", "ב-כוח", "ב-כוחו", "ב-כוחי", "ב-כוחך", "כ-כוח-ם", "כוח", "כוחי"]·HI["अपनी-शक्ति", "अपनी-शक्ति-से", "अपनी-सामर्थ्य-से", "ताकत-में", "बल", "में-शक्ति-है", "सामर्थ्य-अपने-के-अनुसार", "से-सामर्थ्य-तेरी"]·ID["Menurut-kemampuan-mereka", "dalam-kekuatan", "dengan-kuasa-Ku", "dengan-kuasa-Mu", "dengan-kuasa-Nya", "kuasa", "kuasa-Ku"]·IT["da-tuo-potenza", "forza", "in-forza", "mio-potenza"]·jav["daya", "déning-kakiyatan-Nipun", "ing-kakiyatan", "ing-kakuwatan-Panjenengan", "kakiyatan-Kula", "kaliyan-kakiyatan-Panjenengan", "kanthi-kakiyatan-Ku", "mawi-kakiyatan", "mawi-panguwasané", "miturut-kadarmanipun"]·KO["그의-능력-으로", "나의-능력으로", "내-능력", "능력-으로", "당신의-능력으로", "에-그들-의-능력", "에-능력", "주의-능력으로", "힘으로-그의", "힘의"]·PT["Conforme-a-sua-força", "com-a-força", "com-meu-poder", "com-poder-teu", "com-seu-poder", "com-tua-força", "em-poder", "força-minha", "poder"]·RU["По-силе-своей", "в-силе", "мощи", "силой-Моей", "силой-Своей", "силою-Своей", "силою-Твоею", "силу-Мою"]·ES["Según-su-capacidad", "con-mi-fuerza", "con-poder", "con-poder-su", "con-su-poder", "con-tu-poder", "de-su-fuerza", "en-la-capacidad", "mi-poder"]·SW["kwa-kadiri-yao", "kwa-nguvu", "kwa-nguvu-zake", "kwa-nguvu-zako", "kwa-nguvu-zangu", "kwa-uwezo", "nguvu-yangu", "wa-nguvu"]·TR["Guclerine-gore", "guc", "gücümle", "gücümü", "gücünle", "gücüyle", "gücüyle-", "güçle-", "kuvvette"]·urd["-قوت-میں", "اپنی-طاقت-سے", "اپنی-قدرت-سے", "اپنی-قوت-سے", "سے-قوت-اپنی", "طاقت-اپنی", "طاقت-کی", "قوت-اپنی-سے", "قوت-میں", "کے-طاقت-ان-کی"]
3. sense 3 — Wealth, resources, or substance — a marginal sense appearing once at Job 6:22, where Job asks 'Did I say, Give me something from your wealth/strength?' The multilingual glosses split: English 'from your wealth,' Spanish 'de vuestra fuerza,' German 'und Kraft.' The BDB entry notes this as an extension where koach denotes the material produce or resources that strength generates. Arabic mal ('wealth') and the broader semantic field of 'substance from effort' place this at the metaphorical boundary between physical power and its economic fruit. 1×
AR["وَمِنْ-قُوَّتِكُمْ"]·ben["এবং-তোমাদের-সম্পদ-থেকে"]·DE["und-Kraft"]·EN["and-from-your-wealth"]·FR["et-votre-force-vous"]·heb["ו-מ-כוחכם"]·HI["और-अपनी-सम्पत्ति-से"]·ID["dan-dari-kekayaanmu"]·IT["e-da-forza-vostro"]·jav["lan-saking-kakiyatan-panjenengan"]·KO["그리고-너희의-재물-에서"]·PT["e-de-força-vossa"]·RU["и-из-имущества-вашего"]·ES["y-de-vuestra-fuerza"]·SW["na-kutoka-utajiri-wenu"]·TR["ve-gücünüzden"]·urd["اور-اپنے-مال-سے"]
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
† II. כֹּחַ and (†Dn 11:6) כּוֹחַ n.m. Dt 4:37 strength, power (NH id.);—כ׳ abs. Dt 8:18 +; cstr. Nu 14:17 +; sf. כֹּחִי Gn 31:6 +; כֹּחֲךָ Ju 16:6 +, כֹּחֶ֑ךָ Pr 5:10, כֹּחֶ֑כָה Pr 24:10, etc.; always sg.;— 1. human strength: a. physical, of Samson Ju 16:5, 6, 9, 15, 17, 19, 30; strength in toil Is 44:12 (זְרוֹעַ כֹּתוֹ), v 12 Lv 26:20 Ne 4:4; of manly vigour (in procreation) אַתָּה כֹּחִי…