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Canaanites to [forced labor].…” Israel sinned and the Lord “strengthened Eglon the king
of Moab against Israel” (Judg. 3:12). The word is used in reference to a building: “… The
priests had not repaired the breaches of the house” (2 Kings 12:6), or to a city: “Moreover
Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem … and fortified them” (2 Chron. 26:9). In battle
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means: “So David prevailed over the Philistine …” (1 Sam. 17:50).
As the prophet said, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole
earth to show himself strong in the behalf of them [
NASB
, “to strongly support them”]
whose heart is perfect toward him” (2 Chron. 16:9). To His Servant, the Messiah, God
said: “I … will hold thine hand …” (Isa. 42:6); and to Cyrus He said: “… Whose right
hand I have holden …” (Isa. 45:1).
Other noteworthy uses of the word are: “… Thou shalt relieve him [a poor Israelite]
…” (Lev. 25:35); and “… [Saul] laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent” (1
Sam. 15:27).
In summary, this word group describes the physical and moral strength of man and
society. God communicates strength to men, even to the enemies of His people as
chastisement for His own. Men may turn their strength into stubbornness against God.
B. Adjective.
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(
, 2389), “strong; mighty; heavy; severe; firm; hard.” This adjective
occurs about 56 times and in all periods of biblical Hebrew.
First, the word means “firm” or “hard” in the sense that something is impenetrable. In
Ezek. 3:8-9 the prophet’s face is compared to rock; God has made him determined to his
task just as Israel is determined not to listen to him: “Behold, I have made thy face [hard]
against their faces, and thy forehead [hard] against their foreheads. As an adamant harder
than flint have I made thy forehead.…” Job 37:18 uses
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of molten solidified metal.
Second, this word means “strong.” In its basic meaning it refers to physical strength.
God’s hand (an anthropomorphism; cf. Deut. 4:15, 19) as a symbol of His effecting His
will among men is “strong”: “And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go,
no, not by a mighty hand” (Exod. 3:19—the first biblical occurrence). This word
modifies a noun, specifying that it is the opposite of weak, or unable to effect anything
(Num. 13:18). Isaiah speaks of God’s “sore and great and strong sword” (27:1). When
Ezekiel wrote of “fat and strong” animals, he probably meant that they were well fed and
healthy (34:16).
Third,
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means “heavy.” When applied to a battle or war, it describes the
event(s) as severe (1 Sam. 14:52). The word is also used to indicate a severe sickness (1
Kings 17:17) and famine (1 Kings 18:2).
TO STUMBLE, BE WEAK
(
, 3782), “to stumble, stagger, totter, be thrown down.” As in biblical
Hebrew, this word is used in modern Hebrew in the sense of “to stumble, fail.” It occurs
in the text of the Hebrew Old Testament approximately 60 times, the first time being in
Lev. 26:37: “And they shall fall one upon another.…” This use illustrates the basic idea
that one “stumbles” because of something or over something. Heavy physical burdens
cause one “to stagger”: “… The children fell under the [loads of] wood” (Lam. 5:13).
This word is often used figuratively to describe the consequences of divine judgment
on sin: “Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people, and the fathers and the