Original Word: אַמְצָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: amtsah
Pronunciation: ahm-tsah'
Phonetic Spelling: (am-tsaw')
KJV: strength
NASB: strong support
Word Origin: [from H553 (אָמַץ - courageous)]

1. force

strength

From 'amats; force -- strength.

see HEBREW 'amats

Word Origin
from amets
Definition
strength
NASB Translation
strong support (1).

אַמְצָה noun feminine strength, figurative Zechariah 12:5, but sense difficult, compare Wr^{Zech. P. 585}; Sta^{ZAW 1881, 34} proposes לְיוֺשְׁבֵי אָמְצְאָה (after ᵐ5 ᵑ7) may I be sufficient for.

Scriptural Context

Zechariah 12:5 stands as the single biblical occurrence of אַמְצָה. In the larger oracle of chapters 12–14, the prophet foresees a final siege of Jerusalem and the dramatic intervention of the LORD. He records, “Then the leaders of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength through the LORD of hosts, their God’” (Zechariah 12:5). Here אַמְצָה expresses a strength that is both communal and God-given, binding the princes of Judah to the people of Jerusalem in shared reliance upon the covenant LORD.

Historical Background

Zechariah prophesied to a post-exilic community rebuilding its identity amid regional hostility. Political power was limited, and military resources were scarce. Under such conditions, Israel’s hope could not rest in weaponry or alliances; it had to be grounded in divine enablement. By employing אַמְצָה, the prophet redirected Judah’s gaze from human insufficiency to Yahweh’s sufficiency, reminding them that their restoration project—temple, walls, and social life—would succeed only “through the LORD of hosts.”

Theological Significance

1. Divine Source of Strength. The verse links human agency (“the leaders of Judah”) to divine empowerment (“through the LORD of hosts”). Strength is not self-generated but imparted by God to His covenant people.
2. Corporate Solidarity. אַמְצָה highlights unity: rulers draw strength from the populace, who in turn trust in their leaders, all under the sovereignty of the LORD. This anticipates the New Testament motif of mutual edification within the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:16).
3. Eschatological Assurance. Zechariah 12 looks forward to a climactic day when the nations will besiege Jerusalem yet fail because the LORD will “set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem” (Zechariah 12:9). אַמְצָה therefore functions as a pledge of ultimate salvation, foreshadowing the final triumph of God’s kingdom.

New Testament Parallels

Paul exhorts believers, “Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10). The conceptual kinship between אַמְצָה and the Greek ἰσχύς underscores the continuity of Scripture: strength for God’s people, whether under the Old or New Covenant, remains a derivative gift, received by faith and exercised in obedience.

Application for Ministry

• Leadership. Spiritual leaders today, like the “leaders of Judah,” must recognize that any effectiveness flows from God’s empowerment channeled through the people they serve.
• Congregational Life. Churches gain resilience when members view one another as a God-given source of strength, cultivating interdependence rather than isolation.
• Spiritual Warfare. Zechariah’s vision encourages believers facing opposition to ground their confidence in the LORD of hosts, not in numerical advantage or cultural influence.

Intercessory Implications

Because אַמְצָה is invoked within a prophecy that hinges on divine intervention, it invites the church to intercede for Israel and for all nations, asking that God would again display His strength on behalf of His people until the full redemption promised in Zechariah 12–14 is realized.

Conclusion

אַמְצָה encapsulates the paradox of biblical strength: it arises within human weakness yet is invincible because its source is the LORD of hosts. In every age, God’s people are called to embrace this divine empowerment, standing together in the assurance that “The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength through the LORD of hosts, their God.”

אַמְצָ֥ה אמצה ’am·ṣāh ’amṣāh amTzahInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts