Original Word: חֶזְקָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: chezqah
Pronunciation: khehz-KAH
Phonetic Spelling: (khez-kaw')
KJV: strength(-en self), (was) strong
NASB: strong, mighty
Word Origin: [feminine of H2391 (חֵזֶק - strength)]

1. prevailing power

strength en self, was strong

Feminine of chezeq; prevailing power -- strength(- en self), (was) strong.

see HEBREW chezeq

Word Origin
fem. of chezeq
Definition
strength, force
NASB Translation
mighty (1), strong (3).

[חֶזְקָה] noun feminine strength, force (strictly Infinitive form from חזק see Ges^{§ 45}. 1 b) —

1 of urgency of ׳יs hand in prophetic inspiration בְּחֶזְקַת הַיָד֑ Isaiah 8:11 (compare חָזַק Ezekiel 3:14).

2 of royal power כְּחֶזְקָתוֺ2Chronicles 12:1; 26:16 ("" חָזַק 2 Chronicles 26:15), Daniel 11:2.

Essence of חֶזְקָה

The term expresses the idea of strength that becomes conspicuous—whether in a person, a ruler, a prophetic encounter, or a kingdom. It speaks of force that has reached a point of demonstrable effectiveness, either because God imparts it or because human beings accumulate it.

Old Testament Occurrences

• 2 Chronicles 12:1 portrays the moment “after Rehoboam had established his kingdom and strengthened himself,” at which point “he and all Israel with him abandoned the law of the LORD.” The strength is political security that leads to spiritual complacency.
• 2 Chronicles 26:16 describes Uzziah: “But after he had become powerful, Uzziah’s pride led to his downfall.” Here the same strength that once furthered God’s purposes now feeds self-exaltation.
• Isaiah 8:11 records Isaiah’s testimony: “For this is what the LORD said to me with a strong hand upon me.” The prophet experiences divine pressure that directs him away from the popular path.
• Daniel 11:2 forecasts a Persian monarch who “will gain power by his wealth,” unveiling the geopolitical potency that will provoke conflict with Greece.

Patterns of Meaning

1. Consolidated rule—Rehoboam and Uzziah each reach a point where their reign is secure.
2. Divine compulsion—Isaiah receives irresistible direction from the LORD.
3. Imperial might—Daniel speaks of a kingdom whose resources translate into military expansion.

In every case the word marks a threshold: strength has matured and is now decisive either for obedience or for rebellion.

Historical Settings

Rehoboam c. 931-913 BC: Judah’s initial monarch after the schism stabilizes his throne yet fails to guard covenant loyalty.

Uzziah c. 792-740 BC: a period of relative prosperity in Judah, culminating in the king’s illicit entry into the sanctuary.

Isaiah c. 735 BC: Assyrian menace looms; the prophet is fortified by God to resist popular alliances.

Daniel’s vision c. 535 BC looks ahead to Xerxes I (486-465 BC), whose amassed riches fuel the Greco-Persian wars.

Theological Insights

• Strength is a gift to be stewarded, not a pedestal for pride.
• Once strength is perceived as self-generated, apostasy quickly follows (2 Chronicles 12:1; 26:16).
• God employs irresistible power to anchor His servants in truth amid cultural pressure (Isaiah 8:11).
• National strength fits within God’s sovereign timetable; even the might of Persia moves toward the Messianic horizon outlined in Daniel.

Principles for Faith and Practice

1. Recognize the source—“Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10) echoes the corrective to Rehoboam and Uzziah.
2. Guard the heart—spiritual vigilance must accompany every season of success.
3. Submit to the strong hand—prophetic fidelity requires yielding to divine pressure rather than popular opinion.
4. View history through providence—world empires rise and fall under the same hand that strengthens individual believers (Acts 17:26-27).

Intertestamental and New Testament Resonance

The Septuagint regularly renders חֶזְקָה with words later applied to the believer’s fortification in Christ (kratos, ischus). The apostolic call to persevere by grace (2 Timothy 2:1) stands as the redeemed counterpart to the flawed self-reliance of Rehoboam and Uzziah.

Summary

חֶזְקָה underscores that strength, wherever it appears, is never morally neutral: it either accelerates obedience under God’s hand or magnifies pride in defiance of Him. The wise receive strength as stewardship and, like Isaiah, allow the strong hand of the LORD to direct their steps.

וּכְחֶזְקָת֔וֹ וּכְחֶזְקָת֗וֹ וּכְחֶזְקָת֣וֹ וכחזקתו כְּחֶזְקַ֣ת כחזקת kə·ḥez·qaṯ kechezKat kəḥezqaṯ ū·ḵə·ḥez·qā·ṯōw uchechezkaTo ūḵəḥezqāṯōwInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts