אָמֵץ

Genesis 25:23 יֶֽאֱמָ֔ץ it will be strong

and He declared to her: “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”

Here: 'Will be strong(er)': with 'than' it means to overpower or prevail over (compare Ps 18:17, 'they were too strong for me'). It predicts lasting dominance of one people over the other, not just a difference in size.

Deuteronomy 2:30 וְאִמֵּץ֙ and he had made obstinate

But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the LORD your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as is the case this day.

Here: 'And he made firm.' The basic sense is 'strengthen, embolden.' It is the same root as 'be strong and courageous' (Deut 31:6). God made Sihon resolute and bold.

Deuteronomy 3:28 וְאַמְּצֵ֑הוּ and strengthen him

But commission Joshua, encourage him, and strengthen him, for he will cross over ahead of the people and enable them to inherit the land that you will see.”

Here: A near-synonym of chazaq. It means to make solid, steady, bold. Put together, the two verbs are a set formula for strengthening a leader as he takes up a dangerous task. They are not two separate actions to be kept apart.

Deuteronomy 15:7 תְאַמֵּ֣ץ you will harden

If there is a poor man among your brothers within any of the gates in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, then you are not to harden your heart or shut your hand from your poor brother.

Here: 'Make firm, steel.' It comes from the root used in 'be strong and courageous'. Here the warning is against using that strength to set your will against your brother.

Deuteronomy 31:6 וְאִמְצ֔וּ and be bold

Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Here: 'And be solid, stand fast.' It is a near-synonym paired with ḥazaq. The two together make the standard Hebrew encouragement before battle or before taking on a task. The stress falls on steadiness of will more than on a brave feeling.

Deuteronomy 31:7 וֶאֱמָץ֒ and be bold

Then Moses called for Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you will go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their fathers to give them, and you shall give it to them as an inheritance.

Here: "And be resolute." It nearly repeats chazaq. Paired, the two verbs make a set formula of commissioning: stand firm and don't waver.

Deuteronomy 31:23 וֶֽאֱמָץ֒ and be bold

Then the LORD commissioned Joshua son of Nun and said, “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land that I swore to give them, and I will be with you.”

Here: A near-synonym of chazaq: be solid, steadfast, unflinching. Paired with it, the meaning is 'hold firm and don't give way'. This is the standard wording for encouraging someone taking on a leadership role in war.

Joshua 1:6 וֶאֱמָ֑ץ and be bold

Be strong and courageous, for you shall give these people the inheritance of the land that I swore to their fathers I would give them.

Here: 'And be firm / determined.' Nearly a synonym of the first verb. Paired with it, it means steadiness that does not give way, more than a feeling of bravery.

Joshua 1:7 וֶֽאֱמַ֜ץ and be bold

Above all, be strong and very courageous. Be careful to observe all the law that My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may prosper wherever you go.

Here: 'And be firm.' This is courage as steadiness and resolve, not as a feeling of boldness. Paired with ḥăzaq, the two words act as one strong phrase: hold firm.

Joshua 1:9 וֶאֱמָ֔ץ and be bold

Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Here: 'And be resolute.' Paired with ḥazaq, it makes a fixed pair of near-synonyms: stand firm and stay determined. In v. 7 the same pair is aimed at keeping the Torah, not only at fighting.

Joshua 1:18 וֶאֱמָֽץ׃ פ and be bold

Anyone who rebels against your order and does not obey your words, all that you command him, will be put to death. Above all, be strong and courageous!”

Here: "And be firm/resolute": steady, unshaken resolve. Paired with ḥăzaq, it completes the set phrase God and Moses have already spoken over Joshua.

Joshua 10:25 וְאִמְצ֔וּ and be bold

“Do not be afraid or discouraged,” Joshua said. “Be strong and courageous, for the LORD will do this to all the enemies you fight.”

Here: Close in meaning to chazaq: be solid, resolute, steady. Together the two verbs form a fixed pair, the stock Hebrew charge given to a leader or army before a task.

Ruth 1:18 מִתְאַמֶּ֥צֶת [was] determined

When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped trying to persuade her.

2 Samuel 22:18 אָמְצ֖וּ they were [too] strong

He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from foes too mighty for me.

1 Kings 12:18 הִתְאַמֵּץ֙ he proved himself strong

Then King Rehoboam sent out Adoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste and escaped to Jerusalem.

1 Chronicles 22:13 וֶאֱמָ֔ץ and be courageous

Then you will succeed, if you carefully follow the statutes and ordinances that the LORD commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.

Here: 'And be resolute.' This is close in meaning to the previous verb, and together they make a fixed pair meaning 'stand firm and don't give way'.

1 Chronicles 28:20 וֶאֱמַץ֙ and be brave

David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do it. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you before all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.

Here: Be solid, steady, resolute. It pairs with chazaq, and together the two words make one idea: firm, unshakeable resolve.

2 Chronicles 10:18 הִתְאַמֵּץ֙ he proved himself strong

Then King Rehoboam sent out Hadoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but the Israelites stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste and escaped to Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 11:17 וַֽיְאַמְּצ֛וּ and they strengthened

So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, because they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.

2 Chronicles 13:7 וַיִּֽתְאַמְּצ֖וּ and they proved themselves strong

Then worthless and wicked men gathered around him to resist Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young, inexperienced, and unable to resist them.

Here: "And they made themselves strong / asserted themselves." The form turns back on the subject: they summoned their boldness and pushed their weight against the king.

2 Chronicles 13:18 וַיֶּֽאֶמְצוּ֙ and they were strong

Thus the Israelites were subdued at that time, and the men of Judah prevailed because they relied on the LORD, the God of their fathers.

Here: 'And they became strong / proved stronger': Judah's side won. It is the same root as 'be strong and courageous' (Deuteronomy 31, Joshua 1). Set directly against Israel's being 'brought low': one side went down, the other stood firm.

2 Chronicles 24:13 וַֽיְאַמְּצֻֽהוּ׃ and they strengthened it

So the workmen labored, and in their hands the repair work progressed. They restored the house of God according to its specifications, and they reinforced it.

2 Chronicles 32:7 וְאִמְצ֔וּ and be courageous

“Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged before the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater One with us than with him.

Here: "And stand solid": be firm, steady and resolute. Paired with the first verb, it is the old commissioning formula from Moses and Joshua.

2 Chronicles 36:13 וַיְאַמֵּ֣ץ and he made hard

He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. But Zedekiah stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel.

Here: Usually a good word ('be strong and courageous'). Here it is turned to a bad use: he made his will firm and unyielding against God. It is the same pair of verbs used of Sihon in Deuteronomy 2:30.

Job 4:4 תְּאַמֵּֽץ׃ you strengthened

Your words have steadied those who stumbled; you have braced the knees that were buckling.

Job 16:5 אֲאַמִּצְכֶ֥ם I will strengthen you

But I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation of my lips would bring relief.

Here: 'I could/would make you strong.' The verb pictures bracing someone, making them firm and steady, not just cheering them up. The imperfect tense here is hypothetical ('I could', 'I would') and carries on the 'if you were in my place' scene of verse 4. 'You' is plural: all three friends.

Psalm 18:17 אָמְצ֥וּ they were [too] strong

He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from foes too mighty for me.

Psalm 27:14 וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ so may it show strength

Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!

Here: 'And let it be firm / show strength.' The verb is in a wish form ('let…'), and its subject is most naturally 'your heart': let your heart stand firm. Older versions (KJV, YLT) take Yahweh as the subject: 'he shall strengthen thy heart.'

Psalm 31:24 וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ so may it show strength

Be strong and courageous, all you who hope in the LORD.

Here: "And let it be firm." The form is a wish or let-command (a jussive). It probably has "your heart" as its subject: "let your heart stand firm." An older reading makes God the subject: "and he will make your heart firm." The "and" can also carry purpose: "so that your heart may be firm."

Psalm 80:15 אִמַּ֥צְתָּה [whom] you made strong

the root Your right hand has planted, the son You have raised up for Yourself.

Here: 'You made strong': you raised it, trained it and firmed it up so that it would thrive. Isaiah 44:14 uses the same verb for a man growing a tree strong 'for himself'.

Psalm 80:17 אִמַּ֥צְתָּ [whom] you have made strong

Let Your hand be upon the man at Your right hand, on the son of man You have raised up for Yourself.

Psalm 89:21 תְאַמְּצֶֽנּוּ׃ it will strengthen him

My hand will sustain him; surely My arm will strengthen him.

Psalm 142:6 אָמְצ֣וּ they are [too] strong

Listen to my cry, for I am brought quite low. Rescue me from my pursuers, for they are too strong for me.

Here: "They are strong." It describes a settled fact about his enemies: they have the upper hand.

Proverbs 8:28 בְּאַמְּצ֣וֹ when made firm he

when He established the clouds above, when the fountains of the deep gushed forth,

Proverbs 24:5 מְאַמֶּץ־ [is] making firm

A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength.

Here: A participle (a verb form describing ongoing action) of ʾamats, 'be firm, strong, bold', in a form meaning 'to make firm'. The man of knowledge keeps adding to strength and making it solid. The root is the one in the command 'be strong and courageous' (Deut 31:7; Josh 1:6).

Proverbs 31:17 וַ֝תְּאַמֵּ֗ץ and she strengthened

She girds herself with strength and shows that her arms are strong.

Here: 'And she makes firm.' This is the intensive form of the verb, meaning to make something strong, steady and ready to bear a load. The root is the one in 'be strong and courageous' (Joshua 1). It continues the first verb in a chain of actions.

Isaiah 35:3 אַמֵּֽצוּ׃ make firm

Strengthen the limp hands and steady the feeble knees!

Here: A second plural 'make-them-strong' command, closing the line. It is the same verb used in 'be strong and courageous' (Deut 31; Josh 1), here turned outward: make their legs firm, put courage into them.

Isaiah 41:10 אִמַּצְתִּ֙יךָ֙ I have strengthened you

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Here: "I have made you firm / strong." The verb is used in the old charge "be strong and courageous" (Deut 31; Josh 1). Here God does the strengthening himself. The verb form is a completed action (see debates on tense).

Isaiah 44:14 וַיְאַמֶּץ־ and he strengthened [it]

He cuts down cedars or retrieves a cypress or oak. He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a laurel, and the rain makes it grow.

Amos 2:14 יְאַמֵּ֣ץ he will make firm

Escape will fail the swift, the strong will not prevail by his strength, and the mighty will not save his life.

Here: This form of the verb means to make something firm, to brace or reinforce it, to steel one's nerve. The strong man will not be able to brace himself and summon his strength when he needs it. Together with 'strong' (chazaq), it echoes the old battle charge 'be strong and courageous' (chazaq ve'emats), now turned against itself.

Nahum 2:1 אַמֵּ֥ץ make strong

One who scatters advances against you, O Nineveh. Guard the fortress! Watch the road! Brace yourselves! Summon all your strength!

Here: "Make firm" or "steel". This is the other half of the "be strong and courageous" pair, here turned into a command to an enemy city.