Hold

The original-language words that the Berean Standard Bible translates with one of these: hold, held, holding, holds, holdings. English often uses one word where Hebrew or Greek has several, each with its own shade of meaning. Under each word are verses where it is translated this way; choose the word itself for its full study: every verse, how else it is translated, the forms it takes and what the dictionaries say.

At a glance

How often each original word is translated “hold” or one of its forms.

• חָזַק châzaq23
• ἔχω échō23
• אָחַז âchaz12
• κρατέω kratéō12
• עָשָׂה âsâh10
• הָיָה hâyâh10
• כּוּל kûl9
• יָד yâd6
• דָּבַק dâbaq6
• τηρέω tēréō5
• בַּיִת bayith5
• תָּפַשׂ tâphas5

Compare the Hebrew words side by side Compare the Greek words side by side

Hebrew and Aramaic words (Old Testament)

• חָזַק châzaqbe or grow firm, strong, strengthentranslated this way 23 times of its 290 uses · Strong’s H2388Verb  ·  Translated: strong 37, made repairs 22, strengthened 16, repaired 15

  Judges 7:20 The three companies blew their horns and shattered their jars. Holding the torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, they shouted, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!”

  2 Samuel 1:11 Then David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and all the men who were with him did the same.

  Full study and all 264 verses →
• אָחַז âchazgrasp, take hold, take possessiontranslated this way 12 times of its 65 uses · Strong’s H270Verb  ·  Translated: seized 9, seize 4, grip 3, took hold 3

  Judges 16:3 But Samson lay there only until midnight, when he got up, took hold of the doors of the city gate and both gateposts, and pulled them out, bar and all. Then he put them on his shoulders and took them to the top of the mountain overlooking Hebron.

  Ruth 3:15 And he told her, “Bring the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he poured in six measures of barley and placed it on her. Then he went into the city.

  Full study and all 61 verses →
• עָשָׂה âsâhdo, maketranslated this way 10 times of its 2,478 uses · Strong’s H6213Verb  ·  Translated: done 292, made 265, make 143, did 112

  Genesis 21:8 So the child grew and was weaned, and Abraham held a great feast on the day Isaac was weaned.

  Genesis 40:20 On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he held a feast for all his officials, and in their presence he lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.

  Full study and all 2,206 verses →
• הָיָה hâyâhfall out, come to pass, become, betranslated this way 10 times of its 2,848 uses · Strong’s H1961Verb  ·  Translated: will be 206, become 178, came 169, was 151

  Exodus 12:16 On the first day you are to hold a sacred assembly, and another on the seventh day. You must not do any work on those days, except to prepare the meals — that is all you may do.

  Full study and all 2,573 verses →
• כּוּל kûlcomprehend, containtranslated this way 9 times of its 38 uses · Strong’s H3557Verb  ·  Translated: provide 4, provided 4, hold 4, contain 4

  1 Kings 7:26 It was a handbreadth thick, and its rim was fashioned like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It could hold two thousand baths.

  2 Chronicles 4:5 It was a handbreadth thick, and its rim was fashioned like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It could hold three thousand baths.

  Full study and all 37 verses →
• יָד yâdhandtranslated this way 6 times of its 1,403 uses · Strong’s H3027Noun  ·  Translated: hand 664, hands 349, through 64, power 22

  Numbers 5:18 After the priest has the woman stand before the LORD, he is to let down her hair and place in her hands the grain offering of memorial, which is the grain offering for jealousy. The priest is to hold the bitter water that brings a curse.

  Full study and all 1,290 verses →
• דָּבַק dâbaqcling, cleave, keep closetranslated this way 6 times of its 54 uses · Strong’s H1692Verb  ·  Translated: cling 12, hold fast 6, overtook 4, clung 3

  Deuteronomy 10:20 You are to fear the LORD your God and serve Him. Hold fast to Him and take your oaths in His name.

  Joshua 22:5 But be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

  Full study and all 52 verses →
• בַּיִת bayithhousetranslated this way 5 times of its 1,913 uses · Strong’s H1004Noun  ·  Translated: house 1,132, temple 176, palace 117, household 93

  Exodus 26:29 Overlay the frames with gold and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold.

  Exodus 30:4 And make two gold rings below the molding on opposite sides to hold the poles used to carry it.

  Full study and all 1,624 verses →
• תָּפַשׂ tâphaslay hold of, wieldtranslated this way 5 times of its 64 uses · Strong’s H8610Verb  ·  Translated: seized 8, captured 7, take 4, Seize 4

  Deuteronomy 21:19 his father and mother are to lay hold of him and bring him to the elders of his city, to the gate of his hometown,

  1 Kings 11:30 And Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing, tore it into twelve pieces,

  Full study and all 60 verses →
• תָּמַךְ tâmakgrasp, support, attaintranslated this way 4 times of its 21 uses · Strong’s H8551Verb  ·  Translated: uphold 3, held 2, lay hold 2, wields 2

  Exodus 17:12 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.

  Psalm 17:5 My steps have held to Your paths; my feet have not slipped.

  Full study and all 20 verses →
• נָטָה nâṭâhstretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bendtranslated this way 4 times of its 215 uses · Strong’s H5186Verb  ·  Translated: incline 24, stretch 23, stretched 21, outstretched 19

  Joshua 8:18 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Hold out your battle lance toward Ai, for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out his battle lance toward Ai,

  Isaiah 3:16 The LORD also says: “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty — walking with heads held high and wanton eyes, prancing and skipping as they go, jingling the bracelets on their ankles —

  Full study and all 207 verses →
• רוּם rûmbe high, exalted, risetranslated this way 3 times of its 185 uses · Strong’s H7311Verb  ·  Translated: exalted 23, exalt 18, lift 14, raised 10

  Exodus 17:11 As long as Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed; but when he lowered them, Amalek prevailed.

  Psalm 27:6 Then my head will be held high above my enemies around me. At His tabernacle I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.

  Full study and all 180 verses →
• זָכַר zâkarremembertranslated this way 3 times of its 227 uses · Strong’s H2142Verb  ·  Translated: remember 122, remembered 35, recorder 9, remembers 6

  Psalm 79:8 Do not hold past sins against us; let Your compassion come quickly, for we are brought low.

  Ezekiel 18:22 None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. Because of the righteousness he has practiced, he will live.

  Full study and all 221 verses →
• הָלַךְ hâlakgo, come, walktranslated this way 3 times of its 1,461 uses · Strong’s H1980Verb  ·  Translated: go 338, went 173, walk 116, Come 84Full study and all 1,299 verses →
• חָשַׂךְ châsakwithhold, refraintranslated this way 3 times of its 27 uses · Strong’s H2820Verb  ·  Translated: withheld 3, restrained 3, restrain 2, restrains 2

  Job 38:23 which I hold in reserve for times of trouble, for the day of war and battle?

  Isaiah 54:2 “Enlarge the site of your tent, stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, do not hold back. Lengthen your ropes and drive your stakes in deep.

  Full study and all 27 verses →
• מָנַע mânawithhold, hold backtranslated this way 2 times of its 29 uses · Strong’s H4513Verb  ·  Translated: withheld 7, withhold 5, denied 2, withholds 2

  1 Samuel 25:26 Now, my lord, as surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, since the LORD has held you back from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hand, may your enemies and those who seek harm for my lord be like Nabal.

  Ezekiel 31:15 This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘On the day it was brought down to Sheol, I caused mourning. I covered the deep because of it; I held back its rivers; its abundant waters were restrained. I made Lebanon mourn for it, and all the trees of the field fainted because of it.

  Full study and all 29 verses →
• עֲצָרָה ătsârâhassemblytranslated this way 2 times of its 11 uses · Strong’s H6116Noun  ·  Translated: solemn assembly 6, hold a solemn assembly 1, held an assembly 1, crowd 1

  Deuteronomy 16:8 For six days you must eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day you shall hold a solemn assembly to the LORD your God, and you must not do any work.

  Nehemiah 8:18 Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. The Israelites kept the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day they held an assembly, according to the ordinance.

  Full study and all 11 verses →
• בָּקַשׁ bâqashseektranslated this way 2 times of its 222 uses · Strong’s H1245Verb  ·  Translated: seek 78, sought 21, seeking 13, search 13

  Genesis 43:9 I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life.

  Joshua 22:23 If we have built for ourselves an altar to turn away from Him and to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings on it, or to sacrifice peace offerings on it, may the LORD Himself hold us accountable.

  Full study and all 212 verses →
• לָקַח lâqachtaketranslated this way 2 times of its 938 uses · Strong’s H3947Verb  ·  Translated: take 247, took 245, taken 40, get 26Full study and all 890 verses →
• עָבַד âbadwork, servetranslated this way 2 times of its 286 uses · Strong’s H5647Verb  ·  Translated: serve 110, served 44, worship 32, work 9

  Jeremiah 34:9 that each man should free his Hebrew slaves, both male and female, and no one should hold his fellow Jew in bondage.

  Jeremiah 34:10 So all the officials and all the people who entered into this covenant agreed that they would free their menservants and maidservants and no longer hold them in bondage. They obeyed and released them,

  Full study and all 259 verses →
• זֶבַח zebachsacrificetranslated this way 2 times of its 121 uses · Strong’s H2077Noun  ·  Translated: sacrifices 55, sacrifice 49, offerings 6, other sacrifices 5

  1 Samuel 20:29 saying, ‘Please let me go, because our clan is holding a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has told me to be there. So now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me go and see my brothers.’ That is why he has not come to the king’s table.”

  Jeremiah 46:10 For that day belongs to the Lord GOD of Hosts, a day of vengeance against His foes. The sword will devour until it is satisfied, until it is quenched with their blood. For the Lord GOD of Hosts will hold a sacrifice in the land of the north by the River Euphrates.

  Full study and all 114 verses →

Greek words (New Testament)

• ἔχω échōI have, hold, possesstranslated this way 23 times of its 624 uses · Strong’s G2192Verb  ·  Translated: has 63, have 52, with 35, you have 29

  Matthew 27:16 At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas.

  Mark 11:25 And when you stand to pray, if you hold anything against another, forgive it, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your trespasses as well.”

  Full study and all 560 verses →
• κρατέω kratéōI lay hold of, obtaintranslated this way 12 times of its 47 uses · Strong’s G2902Verb  ·  Translated: arrest 8, arrested 5, took 4, seized 3Full study and all 46 verses →
• τηρέω tēréōI keep, guard, observetranslated this way 5 times of its 69 uses · Strong’s G5083Verb  ·  Translated: keep 23, kept 12, keeps 7, held 4Full study and all 63 verses →
• κατέχω katéchōI hold fast, bind, restraintranslated this way 5 times of its 17 uses · Strong’s G2722Verb  ·  Translated: hold firmly 2, hold 2Full study and all 17 verses →
• ἐπιλαμβάνομαι epilambánomaiI seize, take hold oftranslated this way 4 times of its 16 uses · Strong’s G1949Verb  ·  Translated: took 4, seized 4, took hold 2, Take hold 2Full study and all 16 verses →
• καταλαμβάνω katalambánōI seize tight hold of, overtake, comprehendtranslated this way 3 times of its 15 uses · Strong’s G2638Verb  ·  Translated: caught 2, overtake 2Full study and all 14 verses →
• ποτίζω potízōI cause to drink, give to drinktranslated this way 2 times of its 15 uses · Strong’s G4222Verb  ·  Translated: gives 2, gave 2, held 2, waters 2Full study and all 15 verses →
• συνέχω synéchōI press together, confine, compel, am afflicted withtranslated this way 2 times of its 12 uses · Strong’s G4912Verb  ·  Translated: suffering 3Full study and all 12 verses →

Scripture text and translation counts: Berean Standard Bible. Full entry: Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906, public domain), in the digital edition Brown-Driver-Briggs Enhanced by unfoldingWord (Joel Ruark, J. de Joode), based on data by Eliran Wong and Stephen Ku; its additions are used under CC BY 4.0. Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary: Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project, CC BY 4.0. Hebrew-to-English verse numbering: original work of the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible available at https://github.com/openscriptures/morphhb, CC BY 4.0. We reformatted the data, linked the references to this site’s Bible text and left out words in other scripts that the source holds only as images. These are historical reference works; an entry gives its authors’ view, and a word’s meaning in any verse depends on how it is used there.