Lexical Summary
achaz: To seize, grasp, take hold of
Original Word:אָחַז
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:achaz
Pronunciation:a-khaz'
Phonetic Spelling:(aw-khaz')
KJV: + be affrighted, bar, (catch, lay, take) hold (back), come upon, fasten, handle, portion, (get, have or take) possess(-ion)
NASB:seized, take hold, held, caught, fastened, hold, seizes
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to seize (often with the accessory idea of holding in possession)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
be affrighted, bar, catch, lay, take hold back, come upon, fasten, handle,
A primitive root; to seize (often with the accessory idea of holding in possession) -- + be affrighted, bar, (catch, lay, take) hold (back), come upon, fasten, handle, portion, (get, have or take) possess(-ion).
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto grasp, take hold, take possession
NASB Translationacquire property (1), acquired property (1), attached (1), bolt (1), catch (1), caught (3), drawn (2), fastened (3), grasp (2), grasped (1), grasps (1), gripped (1), grips (1), handle (1), have possessions (1), held (4), held fast (1), hold (3), holding (1), inserted (1), lay hold (1), obscures (1), possessed (1), seized (10), seizes (3), take hold (6), take possession (1), taken (2), taken hold (3), takes hold (2), took (1), took hold (3), trapped (1), wielders (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
68 (Arabic
, Sabean SabDenkm
39, Aramaic ,
Assyrian
a—azu, Ethiopic
) —
PerfectExodus 15:14 +;Job 23:11;Isaiah 33:14; suffix2 Samuel 1:9; 1singular suffixSongs 3:4,etc.;ImperfectJob 17:9 +;2 Samuel 6:6; 3feminine singularDeuteronomy 32:41;Ruth 3:15;2 Samuel 20:9;Judges 20:6;Isaiah 13:8;suffixExodus 15:15;Jeremiah 13:21, etc.; — as gutturalJudges 16:3;1 Kings 6:10; 2masculine singularEcclesiastes 7:18;Infinitive1 Kings 6:6;1 Chronicles 13:9 3t.;ImperativeExodus 4:4;2 Samuel 2:21,Ruth 3:15;Songs 2:15;Nehemiah 7:3;Participle active 2Chronicles 25:5;passiveEsther 1:6, etc.; —grasp, take hold of, followed byGenesis 25:26;Exodus 4:4 (both J)Judges 16:3;Judges 20:6 ( =Judges 19:29)2 Samuel 4:10;2 Samuel 6:6;2 Samuel 20:9;1 Kings 1:51;Ruth 3:15 (twice in verse);1 Kings 6:6 of beams having hold in a wall; (compareJob 8:17; Hoffm reads = ); also Cant 7:9 of taking hold of branches, in metaphor; poetic, figurative, of God's seizing man in wrathJob 16:12; taking hold graciouslyPsalm 73:23; taking hold of judgmentDeuteronomy 32:41; subject manJob 23:11 ("" compare alsoJob 17:9); of taking hold of follyEcclesiastes 2:3; compareEcclesiastes 7:18; subjectJob 38:13, ; also followed by accusativeJudges 1:6;Judges 12:6;Judges 16:21;2 Samuel 2:21;Isaiah 5:29;Songs 2:15;Songs 3:4;1 Chronicles 13:9; 2Chronicles 25:5;Psalm 56:1;Psalm 137:9; compare1 Kings 6:10 (compare1 Kings 6:6 above), subject , ; of a snare catching the heel, in metaphorJob 18:9; figurative, subject GodPsalm 77:5; God's handPsalm 139:10; subject pain, sorrow, fear, etc.Exodus 15:14,15;2 Samuel 1:9;Job 21:6;Job 30:16;Psalm 48:7;Psalm 119:53;Isaiah 21:3;Isaiah 33:14;Jeremiah 13:21;Jeremiah 49:24; subject man, object fear, etc.Job 18:20;Isaiah 13:8; objecttake one's wayJob 17:9 AV RVhold on his way (compareJob 23:11 above, & Assyrianƒabâtu ur—u, e. g. V. R:1, 74); — absoluteNehemiah 7:3 of barring gates; passive participlecaughtEcclesiastes 9:12;fastened, heldEsther 1:6;taken (by lot)1 Chronicles 24:6 (3 t. in verse) (on text see Öttli);taken out of a numberNumbers 31:30,47; participle active of same formSongs 3:8 compare Thes BaNB 175 & Ethiopic Participle.; similarly Aramaic , e.g.Amos 2:5;
e.g.Judges 8:10;1 Chronicles 5:18; &Ezekiel 41:6 (twice in verse) (but see Co).
Perfect3pluralJoshua 22:9; (consecutive)Numbers 32:30;ImperfectGenesis 47:27;ImperativeGenesis 34:10;Joshua 22:19;ParticipleGenesis 22:13;Ecclesiastes 9:12; —be caughtGenesis 22:13;Ecclesiastes 9:12; elsewherehave possessionsGenesis 34:10;Genesis 47:27;Numbers 32:30;Joshua 22:9,19 (P).
ParticipleJob 26:9 with accusativeenclose, overlay (so Assyrian DlW, p. 294, compare Arabic
,shut).
Participle plural 2Chronicles 9:18fastened to followed by .
Topical Lexicon
Overviewאָחַז conveys the decisive act of seizing, grasping, or holding fast. Occurring roughly sixty-eight times, the verb ranges from the literal capture of objects and people to figurative portrayals of fear, covenant loyalty, and divine judgment.
Physical Seizure and Capture
•Genesis 22:13 – “Abraham looked up and saw behind him a ram caught in a thicket by its horns.” The ram God provided was literally seized by the brush, prefiguring substitutionary atonement.
•Judges 1:6 – Israel seizes Adoni-Bezek, illustrating retributive justice.
•2 Kings 14:13 – Jehoash of Israel captures King Amaziah, a warning against prideful presumption.
•Exodus 4:4 – Moses “took hold of the serpent’s tail,” demonstrating God’s mastery through obedient action.
Emotional or Psychological Grip
•Psalm 48:6 – “Trembling seized them there, anguish like a woman in labor.”
•Isaiah 13:8 – Universal dread grips Babylon’s foes on the day of the LORD.
•Job 18:20 – Horror seizes observers of the wicked man’s downfall.
These passages remind readers that inward terrors can bind as tightly as physical chains, driving the heart either to despair or to seek divine refuge.
Possession and Territorial Control
•Numbers 32:30;Joshua 22:9 – The eastern tribes take possession of their allotted land, emphasizing covenant inheritance.
•2 Kings 18:13 – Assyria seizes fortified cities of Judah, exposing disobedience yet setting the stage for God’s deliverance of Jerusalem (2 Kings 19:35-36).
Here אָחַז underlines the principle that every conquest, whether righteous or hostile, unfolds under divine sovereignty.
Covenant Commitment and Moral Resolve
•Deuteronomy 32:41 – The LORD “takes hold of judgment,” asserting His personal involvement in justice.
•Proverbs 3:18 – Wisdom is “a tree of life to those who lay hold of her.”
•Song of Solomon 3:4 – “I held him and would not let him go,” portraying steadfast love that mirrors covenant faithfulness.
These uses turn the verb toward the believer’s deliberate embrace of God’s ways.
Divine Initiative in Judgment or Salvation
•Jeremiah 38:23 – The Chaldeans will seize Jerusalem’s royal family; yet the same verb is reversed when God later seizes Babylon in judgment (Jeremiah 50:43-46).
•Amos 1:9 – Because Tyre “delivered up an entire community,” divine retribution will take hold of the city.
•Habakkuk 2:7 – Creditors will suddenly arise and seize the Chaldeans they once oppressed.
No nation, ruler, or circumstance escapes the LORD’s grasp.
Representative Themes
1. Substitution and Redemption – The ram seized inGenesis 22 foreshadows Christ, the ultimate substitute (John 1:29).
2. Justice and Retribution – Those who seize others unjustly are themselves seized (Judges 1:6;Obadiah 1:7).
3. Steadfast Devotion – Proverbs urges believers to lay hold of wisdom; the Song models unyielding love; these anticipations culminate in “take hold of the eternal life to which you were called” (echoed in1 Timothy 6:12).
4. Sovereign Control – Whether land, nations, or hearts, everything ultimately rests in God’s hand (Isaiah 41:13).
Ministry and Devotional Applications
• Reassure the fearful that the Lord “takes hold of your right hand” (Isaiah 41:13), stronger than any terror that may seize them.
• Call believers to active discipleship: seize wisdom (Proverbs 4:13), cling to Christ, and refuse to let Him go (Song of Solomon 3:4).
• Warn the unrepentant that sin and judgment can just as surely take hold (Isaiah 13:8), urging timely repentance.
• PreachGenesis 22:13 to display God’s provision: what the thicket seized, God released for sacrifice, pointing to the cross.
Christological Fulfillment
In the Greek New Testament, cognate verbs describe crowds laying hold of Jesus to crucify Him (Matthew 26:57), yetActs 2:24 proclaims that “it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him.” The Old Testament pattern of אָחַז thus climaxes in the resurrection: death seized Christ, but God’s stronger grip broke its power, securing believers forever (John 10:28).
Conclusion
From rams in thickets to nations in turmoil, from trembling hearts to determined faith, אָחַז depicts moments when something comes firmly under control. Scripture testifies that the Lord alone possesses the ultimate grasp—over history, over judgment, and over those who trust Him. The wise response is to yield to His sovereign hold while resolutely laying hold of His unfailing promises.
Forms and Transliterations
אֲ֭חָזַתְנִי אֲחַזְתִּיו֙ אֲחָז֔וּנִי אֲחָזַ֖נִי אֲחָזַ֖תָּה אֲחָזָ֣תַם אֲחֹ֥ז אֲחֻ֣זֵי אֲחוּזִ֑ים אֲחוּזִ֖ים אֶֽחֱזוּ־ אָ֝חַ֗זְתָּ אָ֣חֲזוּ אָ֭חַזְתָּ אָחֲזָ֣ה אָחֲזָ֥ה אָחַ֔ז אָחַ֞ז אָחֻ֖ז אָחֻ֣ז אָחֻז֙ אָחוּז֙ אֹֽחֲזָ֖ה אֹחֵ֖ז אֹחֶ֙זֶת֙ אחוז אחוזים אחז אחזה אחזו אחזו־ אחזוני אחזי אחזני אחזת אחזתה אחזתיו אחזתם אחזתני בֶּֽאֱחֹ֨ז באחז הָֽאָחֻז֙ הָאֲחֻז֖וֹת האחז האחזות וְֽתֹאחֲזֵ֥נִי וְאֶֽחֳזִי־ וְאָחַ֣ז וְאָחַ֥ז וְאָחֻ֥ז ׀ וְהֵֽאָחֲז֖וּ וְהֵאָחֲז֖וּ וְיֹאחֵ֣ז וְלֶאֱחֹ֣ז וְנֹֽאחֲז֥וּ וְתֹאחֵ֥ז וֶאֱחֹ֑זוּ וֶאֱחֹ֖ז וֶאֱחֹ֣ז וַיֵּאָחֲז֣וּ וַיֶּאֱחֹ֞ז וַיֶּאֱחֹ֥ז וַיֹּ֣אחֶז וַיֹּאחֲז֣וּ וַיֹּאחֲז֣וּהוּ וַתֹּ֜חֶז וַתֹּ֣אחֶז וָֽאֹחֵ֤ז וָאֹחֲזָ֣ה ואחז ואחזה ואחזו ואחזי־ והאחזו ויאחז ויאחזו ויאחזוהו ולאחז ונאחזו ותאחז ותאחזני ותחז יֹ֖אחֲז֣וּנִי יֹֽאחֲזֵ֖מוֹ יֹֽאחֵז֔וּן יֹאחֱז֔וּךְ יֹאחֵ֣ז יאחז יאחזוך יאחזון יאחזוני יאחזמו לֶ֭אֱחֹז לֶאֱחֹז֙ לאחז מְאַחֵ֥ז מָאֳחָזִ֔ים מאחז מאחזים נֶאֱחַ֥ז נֹֽאחֲזוּ־ נאחז נאחזו־ שֶׁיֹּאחֵ֓ז שֶׁנֶּֽאֱחָזִים֙ שיאחז שנאחזים תֶּאֱחֹ֣ז תאחז ’ă·ḥā·za·nî ’ă·ḥā·zā·ṯam ’ā·ḥă·zāh ’ă·ḥā·zaṯ·nî ’ă·ḥā·zat·tāh ’ā·ḥă·zū ’ă·ḥā·zū·nî ’ā·ḥaz ’ā·ḥaz·tā ’ă·ḥaz·tîw ’ă·ḥōz ’ă·ḥu·zê ’ă·ḥū·zîm ’ā·ḥuz ’ā·ḥūz ’āḥaz ’āḥăzāh ’ăḥāzanî ’ăḥāzāṯam ’ăḥāzaṯnî ’ăḥāzattāh ’āḥaztā ’ăḥaztîw ’āḥăzū ’ăḥāzūnî ’ăḥōz ’āḥuz ’āḥūz ’ăḥuzê ’ăḥūzîm ’e·ḥĕ·zū- ’eḥĕzū- ’ō·ḥă·zāh ’ō·ḥe·zeṯ ’ō·ḥêz ’ōḥăzāh ’ōḥêz ’ōḥezeṯ aChaz achaZah achaZani achaZatam Achazatni achaZattah aChazta achazTiv Achazu achaZuni aChoz aChuz aChuzei achuZim be’ĕḥōz be·’ĕ·ḥōz beeChoz echezu hā’āḥuz hā’ăḥuzōwṯ hā·’ă·ḥu·zō·wṯ hā·’ā·ḥuz haaChuz haachuZot le’ĕḥōz le·’ĕ·ḥōz leeChoz mā’oḥāzîm mā·’o·ḥā·zîm mə’aḥêz mə·’a·ḥêz meaChez moochaZim ne’ĕḥaz ne·’ĕ·ḥaz neeChaz nō·ḥă·zū- nochazu nōḥăzū- ochaZah oChez oChezet še·yō·ḥêz šen·ne·’ĕ·ḥā·zîm šenne’ĕḥāzîm šeyōḥêz sheiyoChez shenneechaZim te’ĕḥōz te·’ĕ·ḥōz teeChoz vaiyeachaZu vaiyeeChoz vaiyochaZu vaiyochaZuhu vaiYochez vaochaZah vaoChez vatTochez veaChaz veaChuz veeChoz veechozi veeChozu veheachaZu veleeChoz venochaZu vetochaZeni vetoChez veyoChez wā’ōḥăzāh wā’ōḥêz wā·’ō·ḥă·zāh wā·’ō·ḥêz wat·tō·ḥez wattōḥez way·yê·’ā·ḥă·zū way·ye·’ĕ·ḥōz way·yō·ḥă·zū way·yō·ḥă·zū·hū way·yō·ḥez wayyê’āḥăzū wayye’ĕḥōz wayyōḥăzū wayyōḥăzūhū wayyōḥez wə’āḥaz wə’āḥuz we’ĕḥōz wə’eḥozî- we’ĕḥōzū wə·’ā·ḥaz wə·’ā·ḥuz wə·’e·ḥo·zî- we·’ĕ·ḥō·zū we·’ĕ·ḥōz wə·hê·’ā·ḥă·zū wə·le·’ĕ·ḥōz wə·nō·ḥă·zū wə·ṯō·ḥă·zê·nî wə·ṯō·ḥêz wə·yō·ḥêz wəhê’āḥăzū wəle’ĕḥōz wənōḥăzū wəṯōḥăzênî wəṯōḥêz wəyōḥêz yō·ḥă·zê·mōw yō·ḥă·zū·nî yō·ḥĕ·zūḵ yō·ḥê·zūn yō·ḥêz yochaZemov yochaZuni yoChez yocheZuch yocheZun yōḥăzêmōw yōḥăzūnî yōḥêz yōḥĕzūḵ yōḥêzūn
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