תָּמַךְ

Genesis 48:17 וַיִּתְמֹ֣ךְ and he grasped

When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, he was displeased and took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s.

Exodus 17:12 תָּֽמְכ֣וּ they supported

When Moses’ hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur held his hands up, one on each side, so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down.

Here: They took firm hold of his hands and propped them up. The verb means to grasp, hold fast and uphold. Elsewhere it is used of God upholding his servant (Isa 41:10; 42:1).

Job 36:17 יִתְמֹֽכוּ׃ they take hold of [you]

But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have seized you.

Psalm 16:5 תּוֹמִ֥יךְ [are] holding

The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; You have made my lot secure.

Here: 'Holding fast,' parsed as an active participle, which describes ongoing action: God keeps a firm grip on the speaker's lot. The spelling is unusual, and its exact form is debated (see textual notes), but the root meaning, gripping or supporting so that something does not fall, is clear.

Psalm 17:5 תָּמֹ֣ךְ they have held firm

My steps have held to Your paths; my feet have not slipped.

Here: This is the bare, unconjugated 'holding' form of the verb: it names the action without saying who does it or when. Hebrew uses this form to carry on from a verb just before it, here 'I have kept' at the end of verse 4, so the sense is 'my steps holding fast to your tracks'. It can also be read as a command, 'hold up!', and that is how the Greek, Latin and King James translators took it.

Psalm 41:12 תָּמַ֣כְתָּ you have supported

In my integrity You uphold me and set me in Your presence forever.

Here: 'You have taken hold / held me up.' It is a physical picture: a hand gripping someone so they do not fall. The form is completed action, said with confidence that God has already done it and keeps doing it. Its sound echoes *tom* ('integrity'): *tummi … tamakhta*.

Psalm 63:8 תָּמְכָ֥ה it supports

My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.

Here: Perfect tense, matching 'has clung': 'has taken hold of / holds'. The verb combines gripping and holding up, as when Aaron and Hur held up Moses' arms (Exod 17:12).

Proverbs 3:18 וְֽתֹמְכֶ֥יהָ and [those who] hold fast to her

She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who lay hold of her are blessed.

Here: 'And those who grip her.' The verb means to keep a firm, steady hold, as a hand keeps hold of a spindle (31:19). The first verb is about grabbing. This one is about not letting go.

Proverbs 4:4 יִֽתְמָךְ־ let it hold fast to

he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.

Here: 'Let it grip.' This is a physical verb for taking hold and not letting go. The heart is the one doing the gripping, so the inner self is pictured as a hand closing on the father's words.

Proverbs 5:5 יִתְמֹֽכוּ׃ they will attain

Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to Sheol.

Proverbs 5:22 יִתָּמֵֽךְ׃ he will be held

The iniquities of a wicked man entrap him; the cords of his sin entangle him.

Here: 'He will be held fast.' The form is passive. The man who reached out and grabbed at what he wanted is now the one gripped and unable to get loose. The same verb runs through chapters 3 to 5 (see the studies below).

Proverbs 11:16 תִּתְמֹ֣ךְ יִתְמְכוּ־ she lays hold of, they take hold of

A gracious woman attains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth.

Here: 'She takes hold of / holds fast to.' The verb form describes what usually happens, a general truth. It is a firm grip, so it can mean both getting honor and keeping it.

Proverbs 28:17 יִתְמְכוּ־ people support

A man burdened by bloodguilt will flee into the Pit; let no one support him.

Here: 'Let them (anyone) take hold of / hold up.' The verb means gripping something. That can mean propping someone up (help) or grabbing hold of them (holding back). Either way the point is: do not step in to shield him from what his deed has set in motion.

Proverbs 29:23 יִתְמֹ֥ךְ he will attain

A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.

Here: 'Will take hold of': the lowly person ends up gripping the honor the proud man was reaching for. The same verb can mean 'uphold', which is why some translations make honor the subject (see debates).

Proverbs 31:19 תָּ֣מְכוּ they grasp

She stretches out her hands to the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

Here: "They grip / hold firmly." A word for a steady, controlled hold, not a casual touch. Elsewhere in Proverbs it is used for holding fast to wisdom (3:18) and to honour (11:16).

Isaiah 33:15 מִתְּמֹ֣ךְ from taking hold

He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity, who refuses gain from extortion, whose hand never takes a bribe, who stops his ears against murderous plots and shuts his eyes tightly against evil—

Here: 'From grasping': he shakes his palms so that they cannot close around anything.

Isaiah 41:10 תְּמַכְתִּ֖יךָ I have supported 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 taken hold of you / held you up": a physical grip that keeps someone from falling. It contrasts with the idol of v. 7, which has to be nailed down so it won't topple.

Isaiah 42:1 אֶתְמָךְ־ [whom] I support

“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations.

Here: 'I hold fast / I keep hold of.' The verb form describes ongoing action. God keeps a firm grip on the servant, the way he promised in 41:10, 'I will uphold you (tamakh) with my righteous right hand.'

Amos 1:5 וְתוֹמֵ֥ךְ and a holder of

I will break down the gates of Damascus; I will cut off the ruler from the Valley of Aven and the one who wields the scepter in Beth-eden. The people of Aram will be exiled to Kir,” says the LORD.

Here: One who grips and holds firmly. Together with 'scepter' it is a stock way of saying 'the one who wields royal power'.

Amos 1:8 וְתוֹמֵ֥ךְ and a holder of

I will cut off the ruler of Ashdod and the one who wields the scepter in Ashkelon. I will turn My hand against Ekron, and the remnant of the Philistines will perish,” says the Lord GOD.

Here: A participle, 'one holding on to' something. The picture is a hand gripping the symbol of power, and it pairs with the 'one sitting' on the throne in the line before.