Word study
Strong
15 Hebrew and 6 Greek words behind this English word
The original-language words that the Berean Standard Bible translates with “strong”. 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 “strong” or one of its forms.
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 40 times of its 290 uses · Strong’s H2388Verb · Translated: strong 37, made repairs 22, strengthened 16, repaired 15Full study and all 264 verses →
Deuteronomy 31:6 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.”
Joshua 1:6 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.
- שֵׁכָר shêkârintoxioating drink, strong drinktranslated this way 21 times of its 22 uses · Strong’s H7941Noun · Translated: strong drink 21, fermented drink 1Full study and all 19 verses →
Leviticus 10:9 “You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink when you enter the Tent of Meeting, or else you will die; this is a permanent statute for the generations to come.
Numbers 6:3 he is to abstain from wine and strong drink. He must not drink vinegar made from wine or strong drink, and he must not drink any grape juice or eat fresh grapes or raisins.
- חָזָק châzâqstrong, stout, mightytranslated this way 18 times of its 55 uses · Strong’s H2389Adjective · Translated: mighty 20, strong 18, powerful 2, hard 2Full study and all 53 verses →
Exodus 6:1 But the LORD said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh, for because of My mighty hand he will let the people go; because of My strong hand he will drive them out of his land.”
Numbers 13:18 See what the land is like and whether its people are strong or weak, few or many.
- עֹז ôzstrength, mighttranslated this way 9 times of its 91 uses · Strong’s H5797Noun · Translated: strength 45, power 10, strong 9, mighty 9Full study and all 90 verses →
Judges 9:51 But there was a strong tower inside the city, and all the men, women, and leaders of the city fled there. They locked themselves in and went up to the roof of the tower.
Psalm 30:7 O LORD, You favored me; You made my mountain stand strong. When You hid Your face, I was dismayed.
- עַז azstrong, mighty, fiercetranslated this way 8 times of its 22 uses · Strong’s H5794Adjective · Translated: strong 8, powerful 2Full study and all 22 verses →
Genesis 49:7 Cursed be their anger, for it is strong, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will disperse them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.
Exodus 14:21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove back the sea with a strong east wind that turned it into dry land. So the waters were divided,
- גִּבּוֹר gibbôrstrong, mightytranslated this way 7 times of its 156 uses · Strong’s H1368Adjective · Translated: mighty men 50, mighty 45, warriors 13, mighty man 12Full study and all 151 verses →
1 Samuel 14:52 And the war with the Philistines was fierce for all the days of Saul. So whenever he noticed any strong or brave man, Saul would enlist him.
2 Kings 24:16 The king of Babylon also brought into exile to Babylon all seven thousand men of valor and a thousand craftsmen and metalsmiths— all strong and fit for battle.
- עָצוּם âtsûmmighty, numeroustranslated this way 6 times of its 31 uses · Strong’s H6099Adjective · Translated: mighty 6, powerful 5, strong 5, mightier 3Full study and all 31 verses →
Proverbs 18:18 Casting the lot ends quarrels and separates strong opponents.
Isaiah 53:12 Therefore I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He has poured out His life unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors. Yet He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.
- אָמַץ âmatsbe alerttranslated this way 3 times of its 41 uses · Strong’s H553Verb · Translated: courageous 13, strengthen 3, mighty 2, haste 2Full study and all 41 verses →
Psalm 142:6 Listen to my cry, for I am brought quite low. Rescue me from my pursuers, for they are too strong for me.
Proverbs 31:17 She girds herself with strength and shows that her arms are strong.
- תַּקִּיף taqqîphstrong, mightytranslated this way 3 times of its 5 uses · Strong’s H8624Adjective · Translated: strong 3, mighty 2Full study and all 5 verses →
Daniel 2:40 Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; for iron shatters and crushes all things, and like iron that crushes all things, it will shatter and crush all the others.
Daniel 2:42 And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle.
- תְּקֵף teqêphgrow strongtranslated this way 3 times of its 5 uses · Strong’s H8631Verb · Translated: strong 3, hardened 1, enforce 1Full study and all 5 verses →
Daniel 4:11 The tree grew large and strong; its top reached the sky, and it was visible to the ends of the earth.
Daniel 4:20 The tree you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached the sky and was visible to all the earth,
- גָּדוֹל gâdôlgreattranslated this way 2 times of its 501 uses · Strong’s H1419Adjective · Translated: great 262, large 33, high 20, loud 14Full study and all 477 verses →
Deuteronomy 9:2 The people are strong and tall, the descendants of the Anakim. You know about them, and you have heard it said, “Who can stand up to the sons of Anak?”
- חַיִל chayilstrength, efficiency, wealth, armytranslated this way 2 times of its 233 uses · Strong’s H2428Noun · Translated: army 73, valor 49, wealth 26, strength 9Full study and all 219 verses →
2 Samuel 22:33 God is my strong fortress, and He makes my way clear.
Ecclesiastes 12:3 on the day the keepers of the house tremble and the strong men stoop, when those grinding cease because they are few and those watching through windows see dimly,
- אַבִּיר abbîrmighty, valianttranslated this way 2 times of its 17 uses · Strong’s H47Adjective · Translated: stallions 2, mighty 2, strong 2, bulls 2Full study and all 17 verses →
Psalm 22:12 Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
Isaiah 34:7 And the wild oxen will fall with them, the young bulls with the strong ones. Their land will be drenched with blood, and their soil will be soaked with fat.
- חָסֹן châsônstrongtranslated this way 2 times of its 2 uses · Strong’s H2634Adjective · Translated: strong man 1, strong 1Full study and all 2 verses →
Isaiah 1:31 The strong man will become tinder and his work will be a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the flames.
Amos 2:9 Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them, though his height was like that of the cedars, and he was as strong as the oaks. Yet I destroyed his fruit above and his roots below.
- אָמֹץ âmôtsstrongtranslated this way 2 times of its 2 uses · Strong’s H554Adjective · Translated: strong 2Full study and all 2 verses →
Zechariah 6:3 the third white horses, and the fourth dappled horses— all of them strong.
Zechariah 6:7 As the strong horses went out, they were eager to go and patrol the earth; and the LORD said, “Go and patrol the earth.” So they patrolled the earth.
Greek words (New Testament)
- ἰσχυρός ischyrósstrong, mighty, powerfultranslated this way 8 times of its 29 uses · Strong’s G2478Adjective · Translated: mighty 10, strong 6, more powerful 3, stronger 3Full study and all 27 verses →
Matthew 12:29 Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.
Mark 3:27 Indeed, no one can enter a strong man’s house to steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.
- κραταιόω krataióōI strengthen, confirm, grow strongtranslated this way 3 times of its 4 uses · Strong’s G2901Verb · Translated: became strong 2, strong 1, strengthen 1Full study and all 4 verses →
Luke 1:80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until the time of his public appearance to Israel.
1 Corinthians 16:13 Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong.
- δυνατός dynatóspowerful, able, possibletranslated this way 3 times of its 31 uses · Strong’s G1415Adjective · Translated: possible 12, able 4, powerful 3, strong 3Full study and all 31 verses →
Romans 15:1 We who are strong ought to bear with the shortcomings of the weak and not to please ourselves.
2 Corinthians 12:10 That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
- μέγας mégaslarge, greattranslated this way 2 times of its 218 uses · Strong’s G3173Adjective · Translated: great 108, greater 29, loud 23, greatest 14Full study and all 206 verses →
- στερεόω stereóōI strengthen, confirm, establishtranslated this way 2 times of its 3 uses · Strong’s G4732Verb · Translated: made strong 2, strengthened 1Full study and all 3 verses →
Acts 3:7 Taking him by the right hand, Peter helped him up, and at once the man’s feet and ankles were made strong.
Acts 3:16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know has been made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through Him that has given him this complete healing in your presence.
- ἐνδυναμόω endynamóōI fill with power, strengthentranslated this way 2 times of its 7 uses · Strong’s G1743Verb · Translated: strengthened 3, strong 2, empowered 1, gives me strength 1Full study and all 7 verses →
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
2 Timothy 2:1 You therefore, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
How to study a word well
- Start from the verse, not the dictionary. Find which Hebrew or Greek word stands in the verse you are studying. One English word often translates several different original words.
- Read every place the word is used. A word means what its writers used it to mean. The list of verses and the count by book show its range, and who uses it most.
- Look at how it is translated. A word rendered five different ways has a wider meaning than any one English word can carry.
- Notice the form. A command is not a statement, and a passive verb is something done to the subject. The form in your verse is part of the meaning.
- See what it keeps company with. The words that appear beside it again and again show how the Bible itself connects ideas.
- Then read the dictionaries. They give the considered view of scholars, with their evidence.
- Come back to the verse. Context decides. A word does not carry every one of its meanings into every verse, and where a word came from does not settle what it means in a sentence written centuries later.
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.