Lexical Summary
azar: To help, to support, to assist
Original Word:עָזַר
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:`azar
Pronunciation:ah-ZAR
Phonetic Spelling:(aw-zar')
KJV: help, succour
NASB:help, helped, helps, helper, helpers, ally, furthered
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to surround, i.e. protect or aid
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
help, succour
A primitive root; to surround, i.e. Protect or aid -- help, succour.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto help, succor
NASB Translationally (1), furthered (1), granted (1), help (38), helped (19), helper (6), helpers (2), helping (1), helps (8), protect (1), restrains (1), supporting (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
I. []
82 (Late Hebrew noun
help; Phoenician in derivatives and compounds Lzb
338f.; Arabic
excuse, exculpate, also
aid; Aramaic
help, Palmyrene , rarely Lzb
338 Cook
89. 90); —
Perfect3masculine singular suffixPsalm 118:13,1 Chronicles 12:19; 3plural suffix1 Chronicles 12:20, etc.,Imperfect3masculine singularIsaiah 50:7,9, suffixIsaiah 44:2; 3masculine pluralIsaiah 30:7;Isaiah 41:6,1 Kings 1:7 suffixPsalm 119:175, etc.;Imperative masculine singular suffixPsalm 109:26;Psalm 119:86 +Joshua 10:4 Kt, masculine plural suffix Qr, etc.;Infinitive construct1 Chronicles 22:17,1 Chronicles 18:5,Joshua 10:33 5t., 2Chronicles 25:8 +2 Samuel 18:3 Qr (> Kt
); suffix1 Chronicles 12:17 2t., etc.,Participle active1 Kings 20:16 +, etc.;passiveIsaiah 31:3; —help, with accusative of person1 Kings 20:16;Joshua 1:14 2Chronicles 28:23 (reading Ges§ 53o, for , apparently
; subject false gods); with accusative of location (city)Joshua 10:33 (D); especially with suffix personJoshua 10:4,6 (+ ; both J E),1 Chronicles 12:18;1 Chronicles 12:20;1 Chronicles 12:23 (van d. H. v.1 Chronicles 12:17; v.1 Chronicles 12:19; v.1 Chronicles 12:22), 2 Chronicles 32:3;Ezra 8:22 (+ of enemy),Ezra 10:15;Daniel 10:13 (subject Michael); subject often God (), with accusative of personPsalm 10:14;1 Chronicles 15:26, usually suffixGenesis 49:25 (poem in J),1 Samuel 7:12;Isaiah 41:10,13,14 12t. + 2 Chronicles 26:7 (withagainst),Psalm 37:40 (+ ),Psalm 46:6 (suffix of city),Psalm 109:26 ("" ); subject false godsDeuteronomy 32:8; 2Chronicles 28:23; with person2 Samuel 8:5 +1 Chronicles 18:5 4t. +2 Samuel 18:3 (read Qr , or ? compare HPS); subjectIsaiah 50:7,9; with person1 Chronicles 12:22 (van d. H. v.1 Chronicles 12:21; +against); with person (construction praegn.)1 Kings 1:7; with person against whom 2 Chronicles 20:23 (+ infinitive); with , of , 2 Chron 14:10; absoluteIsaiah 30:7; 2Chronicles 26:13 (+against), 2 Chronicles 28:16;Zechariah 1:15they helped, with evil result; subject, 2 Chronicles 25:8 (opposed to ); also participle with suffixEzekiel 30:8 3t.; with person2 Kings 14:26 5t., ofPsalm 30:11;Psalm 54:6; absoluteIsaiah 31:3;Isaiah 63:5;Jeremiah 47:4;Psalm 22:12;Psalm 107:12; construct1 Chronicles 12:1,Job 9:13 (see ); Participlepassive absolute as substantivehe who is helpedIsaiah 31:3.
PerfectPsalm 28:7I am helped (that is, by );Imperfect3masculine plural1 Chronicles 5:20 (that is,id.; +against, with noun cognateDaniel 11:34;Infinitive construct 2Chronicles 26:15he was wonderfully helped (literallymade wonderful to be helped).
dubious:Infinitive construct2 Samuel 18:3 Kt,Participle plural 2Chronicles 28:23, see
Topical Lexicon
Overview of Scriptural UsageThe root occurs across Genesis to Zechariah, weaving a consistent motif of Yahweh’s active intervention and the call for His people to mirror that intervention toward others. The contexts fall into four broad spheres: divine rescue, military alliance, fraternal aid, and liturgical confession.
Divine Help
The primary voice is the LORD Himself. From the psalmist’s cry, “My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:2), to the oracle, “I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you” (Isaiah 41:10), the verb highlights a God who stoops to lift. The help is often immediate (Exodus 18:4), sometimes delayed for sanctifying purposes (Psalm 22:11), but always covenant-grounded (Deuteronomy 33:7).
Human Instruments of Help
While God is the ultimate Helper, He frequently acts through people. Moses is urged, “Please help your servants” (Numbers 11:17). Ezra rallies Levites “to help with the work of the house of God” (Ezra 1:4). A godly king like Uzziah “sought God… and God helped him” (2 Chronicles 26:5), showing that divine aid energizes human agency.
Military Contexts
About one-third of the occurrences are tied to warfare. Judah pleads with Israel, “Come up quickly and help us” (1 Chronicles 12:17). Asa’s prayer, “LORD, there is none besides You to help the powerless against the mighty” (2 Chronicles 14:11), underlines the theological assertion that victory is never merely a product of human strength. The prophets warn against seeking Egypt’s cavalry for help (Isaiah 31:1), indicting misplaced reliance.
Liturgical and Worship Usage
Psalms turns the verb into doxology. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1), becomes a sung creed. The Hallel psalms frame deliverance as history’s anthem: “The LORD is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation” (Psalm 118:14), where salvation encapsulates help realized.
Messianic and Redemptive Foreshadowing
Isaiah 49:8 links the Servant’s mission to divine help extended to the nations: “I will keep You and make You a covenant for the people… to restore the land.” The ultimate Helper appears in human flesh, fulfilling every prior instance of help with incarnate finality (Matthew 12:18 quotingIsaiah 42:1 where the LXX reflects the same root idea).
Covenant Faithfulness and Social Justice
Prophetic rebukes expose failure to help the oppressed. Jeremiah laments leaders who “do not help the needy” (cf.Jeremiah 5:28). The verb thus embeds social responsibility in covenant life, anticipatingJames 1:27’s insistence on practical aid.
Wisdom Literature Insights
Proverbs links help with prudence: “A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but he who keeps company with harlots wastes his wealth” (Proverbs 29:3). The concept of help is implicit—wisdom helps one navigate life.Ecclesiastes 4:10 generalizes: “If either falls, one can help the other up,” underscoring mutual aid as creation’s design.
Help Refused or Withheld
Tragic narratives feature withheld help: “They looked, but there was no one to help” (Psalm 107:12). The chilling refrain inLamentations 1:7 exposes covenant curse when sin estranges Israel from her Helper.
Names Derived from the Root
Eliezer (“My God is help”), Ezra (“help”), Azariah (“Yahweh has helped”) and others memorialize divine intervention in personal identity, reminding every generation of constant dependence.
Theological and Ministry Implications
1. Reliance: Scripture consistently redirects confidence from human ingenuity to divine sufficiency.
2. Instrumentality: Believers are channels, not cul-de-sacs, of God’s help; ministry is participation in His aiding work.
3. Assurance: The verb’s prevalence sustains pastoral counseling—no believer’s plight lies outside the reach of God’s help.
4. Mission: As God helps the nations through His Servant, the church offers holistic aid while proclaiming the gospel.
Practical Application for Believers Today
• Prayer: Model Asa’s dependence (2 Chronicles 14:11).
• Service: Reflect God’s character by tangible assistance (Hebrews 13:16).
• Hope: Anchor souls in the unchanging Helper (Hebrews 13:6 echoesPsalm 118:6).
Selected Representative Occurrences
Genesis 49:25 – “By the God of your father who helps you…”
Deuteronomy 33:26 – “There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides on the heavens to help you.”
1 Samuel 7:12 – “Samuel took a stone and set it… and called its name Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far the LORD has helped us.’”
2 Chronicles 32:8 – “With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us.”
Psalm 38:22 – “Come quickly to help me, O Lord, my Savior.”
Isaiah 41:13 – “I am the LORD your God who takes your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear; I will help you.’”
Summary
The verb encapsulates the gracious initiative of God and the covenantal ethic incumbent on His people. Whether rescuing from armies, supplying daily bread, or ultimately redeeming through the Messiah, the biblical portrait of help is God-centered, faith-inducing, and mission-shaping, calling every generation to trust, receive, and extend the same help until faith becomes sight.
Forms and Transliterations
בְּעֹזְרָ֑י בֶּעְזֹ֣ר בעזר בעזרי וְֽנֶ֫עֱזָ֥רְתִּי וְיַעְזְר֑וּנִי וְיַעְזְרֶ֗ךָּ וְיַעְזְרֻכֶ֔ם וְלֹ֣א וְעִזְרֻ֔נִי וְעָזְרֵ֔נוּ וַֽיַּעְזְר֔וּ וַֽיַּעְזְרֵ֥ם וַֽיַּעְזְרֽוּהוּ׃ וַיֵּעָזְר֣וּ וַיַּֽעֲזָר־ וַיַּעְזְרֵ֨הוּ וַעֲזַרְתֶּ֖ם ויעזר־ ויעזרהו ויעזרו ויעזרוהו׃ ויעזרוני ויעזרך ויעזרכם ויעזרם ולא ונעזרתי ועזרנו ועזרני ועזרתם יֵעָזְר֖וּ יַֽעֲזָר־ יַעְזְרֶ֑ךָּ יַעְזְרֶ֥הָ יַעְזֹ֑רוּ יַעֲזְרֻֽנִי׃ יעזר־ יעזרה יעזרו יעזרך יעזרני׃ לְהֵעָזֵ֖ר לְעָזְר֑וֹ לְעָזְרֵ֑נִי לְעָזְרֵ֔נִי לְעָזְרֵ֔נוּ לְעָזְרֵ֥נוּ לְעֹ֣זְרֶ֔ךָ לַעְז֕וֹר לַעְז֥וֹר לַעְזֹ֔ר לַעְזֹ֕ר לַעְזֹ֖ר לַעְזֹ֥ר לַעְזֹֽור׃ לַעְזוֹר֙ להעזר לעזור לעזור׃ לעזר לעזרו לעזרך לעזרנו לעזרני מַעְזְרִ֣ים מעזרים עֲזַרְתִּ֑יךָ עֲזַרְתִּ֔יךָ עֲזַרְתִּֽיךָ׃ עֲזַרְתִּיךְ֙ עֲזַרְתַּ֥נִי עֲזָר֔וֹ עֲזָרְךָ֖ עֲזָרָ֥נוּ עֲזָרָֽנִי׃ עֲזָרֻֽם׃ עָ֭זְרֵנִי עָזְר֤וּ עָזְר֥וּ עָזְרֵ֜נוּ עָזְרֵ֤נוּ ׀ עָזְרֵֽנִי׃ עָזַ֥רְתָּ עָזֻ֔ר עֹ֣זְרֵי עֹֽזְרָ֑יו עֹזְרֵ֖י עֹזְרֶֽיהָ׃ עֹזֵ֑ר עֹזֵ֔ר עֹזֵ֖ר עֹזֵ֣ר עֹזֵ֥ר עֹזֵֽר׃ עוֹזֵ֖ר עוֹזֵֽר׃ עוֹזֵר֙ עוזר עוזר׃ עזר עזר׃ עזרו עזרי עזריה׃ עזריו עזרך עזרם׃ עזרנו עזרני עזרני׃ עזרת עזרתיך עזרתיך׃ עזרתני ‘ă·zā·rā·nî ‘ă·zā·rā·nū ‘ă·zā·rə·ḵā ‘ă·zā·rōw ‘ă·zā·rum ‘ā·zar·tā ‘ă·zar·ta·nî ‘ă·zar·tî·ḵā ‘ă·zar·tîḵ ‘ā·zə·rê·nî ‘ā·zə·rê·nū ‘ā·zə·rū ‘ā·zur ‘ăzārānî ‘ăzārānū ‘ăzārəḵā ‘ăzārōw ‘āzartā ‘ăzartanî ‘ăzartîḵ ‘ăzartîḵā ‘ăzārum ‘āzərênî ‘āzərênū ‘āzərū ‘āzur ‘ō·w·zêr ‘ō·zə·rāw ‘ō·zə·rê ‘ō·zə·re·hā ‘ō·zêr ‘ōwzêr ‘ōzêr ‘ōzərāw ‘ōzərê ‘ōzərehā azaRani azaRanu azareCha azaRo aZarta azarTani azartiCh azarTicha azaRum Azereni azeRenu azeRu aZur be‘·zōr bə‘ōzərāy be‘zōr bə·‘ō·zə·rāy beozeRai beZor la‘·zō·wr la‘·zōr la‘zōr la‘zōwr laZor lə‘āzərênî lə‘āzərênū lə‘āzərōw lə‘ōzəreḵā lə·‘ā·zə·rê·nî lə·‘ā·zə·rê·nū lə·‘ā·zə·rōw lə·‘ō·zə·re·ḵā lə·hê·‘ā·zêr leazeReni leazeRenu leazeRo ləhê‘āzêr leheaZer leOzeRecha ma‘·zə·rîm ma‘zərîm mazeRim oZer ozeRav ozeRei ozeReiha vaazarTem vaiyaazor vaiyazeRehu vaiyazeRem vaiyazeRu VaiyazeRuhu vaiyeazeRu veazeRenu veizRuni veLo veNeeZareti veyazeReka veyazeruChem veyazeRuni wa‘ăzartem wa·‘ă·zar·tem way·ya‘·zə·rê·hū way·ya‘·zə·rêm way·ya‘·zə·rū way·ya‘·zə·rū·hū way·ya·‘ă·zār- way·yê·‘ā·zə·rū wayya‘ăzār- wayya‘zərêhū wayya‘zərêm wayya‘zərū wayya‘zərūhū wayyê‘āzərū wə‘āzərênū wə‘izrunî wə·‘ā·zə·rê·nū wə·‘iz·ru·nî wə·lō wə·ne·‘ĕ·zā·rə·tî wə·ya‘·zə·re·kā wə·ya‘·zə·ru·ḵem wə·ya‘·zə·rū·nî wəlō wəne‘ĕzārətî wəya‘zərekā wəya‘zəruḵem wəya‘zərūnî ya‘·zə·re·hā ya‘·zə·re·kā ya‘·zō·rū ya‘ăzār- ya‘ăzrunî ya‘zərehā ya‘zərekā ya‘zōrū ya·‘ă·zār- ya·‘ăz·ru·nî yaazor yaazRuni yazeReha yazeReka yaZoru yê‘āzərū yê·‘ā·zə·rū yeazeRu
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