H5826 H5826
To help, assist, succor; as participle, a helper or ally; in Nifal, to be helped; in Hifil, to render aid.
Azar is the Hebrew Bible's primary verb for help and assistance, appearing in contexts that range from battlefield alliance to divine deliverance. Its most celebrated use is in Gen 49:25, where Jacob blesses Joseph with help from 'the God of your father' — a passage that links military aid and providential care under a single verb. The Qal participle ozer ('helper') becomes virtually a title, famously applied to God in the Psalms (Ps 30:10; 54:4) and echoing the creation of Eve as an ezer kenegdo ('helper corresponding to him,' Gen 2:18, though using the related noun). Arabic adhara ('to excuse, aid') and Aramaic adar preserve cognate forms, while the multilingual translations reveal a consistent semantic core: Korean 돕다, Swahili -saidia, Hindi सहायता करना all converge on straightforward 'help' without the religious overtones that English 'succor' might suggest.
1. Qal: to help, aid — Qal finite forms: to help, aid, or assist someone — the core verbal sense at 53 occurrences. This covers military assistance (Josh 1:14; 10:4-6, the Gibeonites crying 'come up and help us'), divine help (Gen 49:25; Ps 118:13, 'the LORD helped me'), and general aid between persons. Spanish ayudar, German helfen, and Korean 돕다 all align without ambiguity. The verb often takes a direct object or a lamed-prefixed beneficiary, and the imperative form ozreni ('help me!') appears as a direct plea to God in Ps 109:26 and 119:86. 53×
AR["أَعَنْتُكَ","أَعَنْتُكِ","أَعِنّي","أَنْ-يُعِينُوا","تُعِينُ","سَاعَدُوا","عَاوَنُوا","لِ-عَوْنِي","لِ-يُعينَ","لِ-يُعِينَ","لِتُعينَ","لِتُعَاوِنُونِي","لِـ-مُعَاوَنَةِ","لِـ-يُعِينَنِي","لِـ-يُعِينُوا","لِيُسَاعِدَ","لِيُعينَ"]·ben["-আমাকে-সাহায্য-করতে","-কে","-সাহায্য-করতে","আমাকে-সাহায্য-কর","আমি-তোমাকে-সাহায্য-করেছি","সাহায্য-করতে","সাহায্য-করতে-আমাকে","সাহায্য-করল","সাহায্য-করলেন","সাহায্য-করেছি-তোমাকে","সাহায্য-করেছে"]·DE["[עזרו]","half","helfen","zu-half","zu-helfen","zu-help"]·EN["I-help-you","I-helped-you","help-me","help-you","helped","they-helped","to-help","to-help-me"]·FR["aider","secourir","à-aide","à-aider"]·heb["ל-עזור","ל-עזר","ל-עזרני","ל-עזרני-י","ל-עזרתי","עזרו","עזרני","עזרתיך"]·HI["मेरी-सहायता-के-लिए","मैंने-तेरी-सहायता-की","सहायता-कर-मेरी","सहायता-करने","सहायता-करने-के-लिए","सहायता-करने-को","सहायता-करने-मुझे","सहायता-की","सहायता-की-तेरी-मैंने","सहायता-की-मैंने-तेरी","सहायता-के-लिए","सहायताकरनेको","सहायताकी"]·ID["Aku-menolong-engkau","layak-ditolong","membantu","menolong","menolong-engkau","tolonglah-aku","untuk-menolong","untuk-menolong-aku","untuk-menolongku"]·IT["a-aiuta","a-aiutami","a-aiutare","aiutami","aiutare"]·jav["Ingsun-sampun-mitulungi-panjenengan","Ingsun-sampun-nulungi-panjenengan","Mugi-mitulungi-kula","kangge-nulungi-kula","kanggé-mitulungi","kanggé-nulungi","kanggé-nulèngi-kawula","mbiyantu","nulèngi","panjenengan-mitulungi","ratu","sami-mbiyantu","sampun-nulungi-panjenengan","supados-mitulungi-kula"]·KO["내가-너를-도왔고","내가-도왔느니라-너를","도왔느니라-너를","도왔다","도왔도다","도우려고","도우소서-나-를","도우심에","도움-을-위해","도웠다","돕기-위해","돕도록-나-를","에-나를-돕기-위하여","에-도움","에-돕기로","에-돕다-나-를"]·PT["Ajuda-me","ajudaram","ajudei-te","para-ajudar","para-ajudar-me","para-me-ajudar","para-socorrer","te-ajudei"]·RU["Помоги-мне","помог-Я-тебе","помог-тебе","помогали","помогать","помогли","помочь","помочь-мне","помощью-мне","чтобы-помочь"]·ES["Ayúdame","a-ayudar","a-ayudarme","ayudaron","para-ayudar","para-ayudarme","te-ayudo","te-ayudé"]·SW["kumsaidia","kunisaidia","kusaidia","nimekusaidia","nisaidie","walisaidia","walisaidiana"]·TR["için-yardım-etmek","yardim-ettim-sana","yardım-edeceksin","yardım-et-bana","yardım-etmek","yardım-etmek-için","yardım-etmek-için-bana","yardım-ettiler"]·urd["تیری-مدد-کرتا-ہوں","مدد-کرنے","مدد-کرنے-میری","مدد-کرنے-کو","مدد-کرنے-کو-میری","مدد-کرنے-کے-لیے","مدد-کی","مدد-کے-لیے","میری-مدد-کر","میری-مدد-کے-لیے","میں-نے-تیری-مدد-کی"]
Gen 49:25, Deut 32:38, Josh 1:14, Josh 10:4, Josh 10:6, Josh 10:33, 1 Sam 7:12, 2 Sam 8:5, 2 Sam 18:3, 2 Sam 21:17, 1 Chr 12:18, 1 Chr 12:19 (+38 more)
▼ 4 more senses below
Senses
2. Qal participle: helper — Qal active participle used substantivally: a helper, ally, one who gives aid — 21 occurrences functioning as a near-title. In the Psalms God is 'my helper' (Ps 30:10; 54:4); in Chronicles the word designates military allies and supporters (1 Chr 12:1, 19). Spanish ayudador, Arabic mu'in, Korean 돕는 자, and Swahili msaidizi all select agentive 'helper' nouns, confirming this is a lexicalized substantival use rather than mere participle syntax. The word carries weight in theological contexts where God's identity as ozer stands against the inadequacy of human helpers (Ps 146:3-5). 21×
AR["أَعْوانُ","أَعْوَانِهِ","الْمُعِينُ","في-مُعينيَّ","لِمُعَاوِنَكَ","مُساعِدًا","مُسَاعِدٌ","مُسَاعِدَ","مُسَاعِدِيهَا","مُعين","مُعينَ","مُعَاوِنُو","مُعِينًا","مُعِينٌ","مُعِينٍ"]·ben["-আমার-সাহায্যকারীদের-মধ্যে","-তোমার-সাহায্যকারীদের","তার-সাহায্যকারী।","তার-সাহায্যকারীদের","যারা-সাহায্য-করছিল","যে-সাহায্য-করে","সাহায্যকারী","সাহায্যকারীদের","সাহায্যকারীরা"]·DE["Asarja","[עוזר]","[עזר]","[עזרי]","ein-half","half","helfen","helper","helping","unter-mein-half"]·EN["a-helper","among-my-helpers","helper","helpers-of","helping","her-helpers","his-helpers","the-helper","to-your-helpers"]·FR["aider","dans-mon-secours","helper","helping","secourir"]·heb["ב-עוזריי","ל-עזרך-ך","עוזר","עוזרי","עוזריה","עוזריו","עזרי"]·HI["उसका-कोई-सहायक","उसके-सहायकों","जो-सहायक","तेरे-सहायक-को","मदद-करने-वाले","मददगार","मेरे-सहायकों-में","सहायक","सहायक-उसके","सहायता-करने-वाला","सहायता-करनेवाला"]·ID["bagi-penolongmu","di-antara-penolong-penolong-ku","penolong","penolong-penolong","penolong-penolongnya.","penolong-penolongnya:","yang-membantu","yang-menolong"]·IT["aiutare","aiuto'","helper","helpers-of","helping"]·jav["ingkang-nulungi","juru-tulung","kanggé-pambiyantu-ipun","nulungi","pambantunipun","pambiyantu","pambiyantu-pambiyantunipun","para-pambiyantu","pitulung","wonten-ing-satengahing-tiyang-tiyang-ingkang-mitulungi-kula"]·KO["그의-도우는-자들을","나-를-돕는-자들-가운데","도와주는-자가","돕는","돕는-이-가","돕는-자-가","돕는-자가","돕는-자들-의","돕는-자들-이","돕는-자들이-그것의","돕는-자를","에-돕는-자-너-의"]·PT["ajudador","ajudadores-de","ajudadores-dele","ajudando","entre-os-que-me-ajudam","o-ajudador","para-ajudador-teu","quem-ajudasse","quem-ajude","quem-o-ajude","seus-ajudadores"]·RU["помогающего","помогающие","помогающий","помощника","помощниками-его","помощники","помощники-его","помощником","помощнику-твоему","среди-помощников-моих"]·ES["ayudador","ayudadores","ayudadores-de","el-que-ayuda","entre-mis-ayudadores","los-ayudantes-de","los-que-la-ayudan","para-tu-ayudador","quien-ayudara","quien-ayude","sus-ayudadores"]·SW["akisaidia","aliyesalia","kwa-msaidizi-wako","miongoni-mwa-wasaidizi-wangu","msaidizi","wasaidizi-wa","wasaidizi-wake"]·TR["yardim-eden","yardimci","yardım-eden","yardım-edeni","yardımcı","yardımcıları","yardımcılarım-arasında","yardımcılarını","yardımcına-senin","yardımcısı"]·urd["اُس-کے-مددگاروں","تیرے-مددگار-کو","مدد-کرنے-والا","مددگار","مددگار-اُس-کے","میرے-مددگاروں-میں","کوئی-مددگار"]
1 Kgs 20:16, 2 Kgs 14:26, 1 Chr 12:1, 1 Chr 12:19, Job 9:13, Job 29:12, Job 30:13, Ps 10:14, Ps 22:11, Ps 30:10, Ps 54:4, Ps 72:12 (+9 more)
3. Nifal: to be helped — Nifal passive: to be helped, to receive aid — 4 occurrences with consistent passive morphology across all target languages. In 1 Chr 5:20 the Reubenites 'were helped' against the Hagrites; in Ps 28:7 the psalmist declares 'my heart trusted in him and I was helped.' Spanish ser ayudado, Arabic nusira, Korean 도움받다, and Swahili -saidiwa all confirm the passive frame. Dan 11:34 uses this form in the enigmatic prophecy about the saints being 'helped with a little help.' 4×
AR["لِـ-أَنْ-يُعَانَ","وَ-أُعينوا","وَنُصِرْتُ","يُعَانُونَ"]·ben["এবং-আমি-সাহায্য-পেয়েছি","ও-সাহায্য-পেল","সাহায্য-পাবে","সাহায্য-পেতে"]·DE["helfen","und-half","und-helfen"]·EN["and-I-am-helped","and-they-were-helped","they-shall-be-helped","to-be-helped"]·FR["aider","et-aider"]·heb["ו-יעזרו","ו-נעזרתי","ייעזרו","ל-העזר"]·HI["और-सहायता-पाई-मैंने","और-सहायता-मिली","सहायता-पाई-उसने","सहायता-पाएँगे"]·ID["Dan-mereka-ditolong","mereka-akan-ditolong","untuk-ditolong"]·IT["aiutare","e-aiutare","e-aiuto'"]·jav["Lan-kapitulungan","badhé-dipun-pitulungi","kanggé-dipunpitulungi","lan-kula-dipun-pitulungi"]·KO["그-와-도움-받았다","그리고-도움받았도다","도움-받으리라","에-도움-받기로"]·PT["E-foram-ajudados","e-fui-socorrido","para-ser-ajudado","serão-ajudados"]·RU["будет-помощь-им","и-получил-помощь","и-помощь-была-дана","получал-помощь"]·ES["Y-fueron-ayudados","fue-ayudado","serán-ayudados","y-fui-ayudado"]·SW["Na-wakasaidiwa","kusaidiwa","na-nimesaidiwa","watasaidiwa"]·TR["ve-yardım-edildiler","ve-yardım-edildim","yardım-almak","yardım-edilecekler"]·urd["اور-مدد-دی-گئی","اور-میری-مدد-ہوئی","مدد-کی-گئی-اُس-کی","مدد-کیے-جائیں-گے"]
4. Hifil: to give help — Hifil causative: to give help, to render assistance — 3 occurrences where the causative stem may intensify or formalize the act of helping. In 2 Sam 18:3 David's men tell him 'it is better that you help us from the city'; in 2 Chr 28:23 Ahaz sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, reasoning 'they helped the kings of Syria.' Arabic Form IV i'ana ('to give aid') mirrors the Hebrew causative precisely. The small count suggests this stem distinction was becoming obsolete in later Hebrew. 3×
AR["[لِ-الْإعانَةِ]","وَ-يُعِينُونَنِي","يُعِينُونَ"]·ben["[সাহায্যের-জন্য]","ও-তারা-সাহায্য-করবে-আমাকে","সাহায্যকারী"]·DE["[to-help]","helfen","und-helfen"]·EN["[to-help]","and-they-will-help-me","helping"]·FR["[to-help]","aider","et-aider"]·heb["[לעזיר]","ו-יעזרוני-י","מעזרים"]·HI["और-सहायता-करेंगे-मुझे","सहायता-करनेवाले"]·ID["[untuk-menolong]","dan-mereka-akan-menolong-aku","menolong"]·IT["[to-help]","aiutare","e-aiutare"]·jav["[kangge-tulung]","lan-sami-mitulungi-kula","sami-mitulungi"]·KO["[돕기를]","그리고-도울-것이다-나를","돕고-있다"]·PT["[para-ajudar]","e-ajudarão-me","os-que-ajudam"]·RU["[вариант]","и-помогут-мне","помогающие"]·ES["[para-ayudar]","los-que-ayudan","y-me-ayudarán"]·SW["kusaidia","na-wanisaidie","wanawasaidia"]·TR["[yardım-için]","ve-yardım-etsinler","yardım-edenler"]·urd["[مدد-کرنے-والا]","اور-وہ-مدد-کریں-مجھے","مدد-کرتے-ہیں"]
5. sense 5 — A single Qal passive participle occurrence at Isa 31:3 — 'he who is helped shall fall down' — where the form ha'azur describes the one who has received aid. Spanish el ayudado and German der Geholfene both use substantivized passive participles, confirming this as a distinct morphological use: the recipient of help as a characterized entity, forming a pair with the active 'helper' of sense 2. 1×
AR["الْمُعَانُ"]·ben["যাকে-সাহায্য-করা-হয়"]·DE["helfen"]·EN["the-helped"]·FR["secourir"]·heb["עזור"]·HI["सहायता-पाने-वाला"]·ID["yang-ditolong"]·IT["aiutare"]·jav["ingkang-dipuntulungi"]·KO["도움받는-자가"]·PT["ajudado"]·RU["получающий-помощь"]·ES["el-ayudado"]·SW["anaesaidiwa"]·TR["yardim-edilen"]·urd["مدد-پانے-والا"]
Related Senses
H8104 1. Qal: keep, observe (law/covenant) (399×)G3101 1. disciple, learner (263×)H5647 1. worship, serve (God/deity) (203×)H8334 1. to minister, serve (52×)H8334 2. minister, servant, attendant (46×)G5083 1. observe or obey commands (41×)H8104 2. Niphal: beware, take heed (34×)G1247 1. to serve or minister to (32×)H3256 1. discipline, chastise (Piel active) (27×)H5833 1. help, aid, assistance (26×)H8104 3. Qal: watch, look out (26×)H5341 1. keep, observe (commandments) (24×)G5083 2. guard or protect someone (23×)H5647 2. serve, minister to (a person) (21×)G5219 1. obey, be obedient to (20×)H5341 2. guard, protect, preserve (a person) (20×)G1398 1. serve, render service to (19×)H5828 1. help, assistance (19×)H5411 1. Nethinim, temple servants (18×)G3936 1. present, offer, yield (17×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
I. [עָזַר82] vb. help, succour (NH n. עֶזְרָה help; Ph. in deriv. and cpds. Lzb338 f.; Arabic عَذَرَ excuse, exculpate, also aid; Aramaic ܥܕܰܪ help, Palm. עדר, rarely עזר Lzb338 Cook89.90);— Qal Pf. 3 ms. sf. עֲזָרָ֑נִי ψ 118:13, עֲזָֽרְךָ 1 Ch 12:19; 3 pl. sf. עֲזָרֻם 1 Ch 12:20, etc.; Impf. 3 ms. יַעֲזָר־ Is 50:7, 9, sf. יַעְזְרֶךָּ Is 44:2; 3 mpl. יַעְזֹ֑רוּ Is 30:7; 41:6, וַיַּעְזְרוּ 1 K…