Lexical Summary
ezer: help, helper, helpers
Original Word:עֵזֶר
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:`ezer
Pronunciation:AY-zer
Phonetic Spelling:(ay'-zer)
KJV: help
NASB:help, helper, helpers
Word Origin:[fromH5826 (עָזַר - help)]
1. aid
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
help
Fromazar; aid -- help.
see HEBREWazar
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
azarDefinitiona help, helper
NASB Translationhelp (18), helper (2), helpers (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
I.
Psalm 121:1 ; — absolute
Genesis 2:18 +, suffix
Exodus 18:4,
Ezekiel 12:14, etc.; —
help, succourIsaiah 30:5 ("" , opposed to , ),Daniel 11:34; fromPsalm 20:3;Psalm 121:1;Psalm 121:2;Psalm 124:8; inPsalm 89:20 read for Dy Gr Kau ( Bi Che), compare Hup;Deuteronomy 33:29 (= ).
concrete =one who helps (compare 1. ) ( essent., see , Ges§ 119 h, i)Genesis 2:18,20; (J) +Hosea 13:9 (read Che We GuKau Now); collective (withoutEzekiel 12:14 (si vera lectio; Co ); especially ofDeuteronomy 33:7 (poem), +Psalm 33:20;Psalm 115:9;Psalm 115:10;Psalm 115:11, +Psalm 70:6; (see above)Exodus 18:4 (E),Deuteronomy 33:26 (poem),Psalm 146:4.
Topical Lexicon
Definition and Core Ideaעֵזֶר denotes assistance rendered at a point of real need, whether by God or by a fellow human being. It emphasizes effective strength supplied from outside oneself, meeting exigent circumstances rather than merely offering sympathy.
First Appearance: Creation of Woman (Genesis 2:18, 20)
• “I will make for him a helper suitable for him.” The term establishes that the woman is an indispensable partner who supplies what the man alone lacks.
• The context rejects notions of inferiority; the same word later describes the Lord Himself. The marriage union thus images mutual dependence within God-given roles.
God as Helper in Salvation History
•Exodus 18:4 – Moses names his son Eliezer, “for ‘My father’s God was my helper, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.’” Personal deliverance becomes memorialized in a name.
•Deuteronomy 33 – In Moses’ final blessing:
– Verse 7: “O LORD, be Judah’s help against his foes.”
– Verse 26: “There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to your aid.”
– Verse 29: “Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is the shield of your help.”
These passages reveal the covenant pattern: the Lord binds Himself to intervene with decisive power when His people call.
Poetic Celebrations of Divine Help (Psalms)
The Psalter anchors worship in confident dependence:
•Psalm 20:2 – “May He send you help from the sanctuary.”
•Psalm 33:20 – “Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield.”
•Psalm 70:5 – “Hasten to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer.”
•Psalm 89:19 – “I have bestowed help on a warrior; I have exalted one chosen from the people.”
•Psalm 115:9-11 – “O Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and shield.” Threefold repetition extends help to priests and all who fear God, uniting the nation in trust.
•Psalm 121:1-2 – “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
•Psalm 124:8 – “Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
•Psalm 146:5 – “Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God.”
Here עֵזֶר grounds praise, petition, and assurance, showing that every phase of life—national crisis, individual peril, daily journey—is secured by God’s active aid.
Prophetic Warnings About Misplaced Help
•Isaiah 30:5 – Egypt is branded “utterly useless” as a help, exposing the folly of political alliances that ignore the Lord.
•Ezekiel 12:14 – The prince of Jerusalem will be scattered “with all his supporters,” signaling judgment on human networks of aid.
•Daniel 11:34 – During severe persecution, the faithful will receive “a little help,” reminding readers that relief may be limited yet meaningful.
•Hosea 13:9 – “You are destroyed, O Israel, because you are against Me, against your helper.” Rejection of divine help brings ruin; only repentance restores.
Human Instruments of Help
While ultimate reliance is on God, He often channels help through people:
•Genesis 2 depicts woman as the first human helper.
•Exodus 18:4 honors divine rescue yet acknowledges Jethro’s timely counsel in the same chapter.
•Psalm 89:19 speaks of God granting help to a chosen warrior—David—so that he in turn becomes defender of the flock.
Thus עֵזֶר affirms both divine sovereignty and human responsibility.
The Helper Motif in Biblical Theology
1. Creator-creature relationship: Dependence is built into the fabric of existence.
2. Covenant life: Israel’s identity is inseparable from the Lord who helps.
3. Eschatological hope: Final redemption is anticipated as the ultimate help (cf.Daniel 11).
4. Ethical pattern: Those who have received help are commanded to render it to others (Proverbs 31:20 echoes the impulse, though using different vocabulary).
Christological and Pneumatological Trajectory
The Old Testament theme prepares for the New Testament revelation of Jesus Christ as the definitive helper who saves to the uttermost, and for the Holy Spirit—the “Paraclete”—who indwells believers. The continuity underscores that God’s help culminates in the gospel.
Ministerial and Practical Implications
• Worship: Adoration is enriched by recounting instances of divine help, fostering gratitude and faith.
• Prayer: Believers petition confidently, echoing the Psalms.
• Marriage and Family:Genesis 2 instructs husbands and wives to value complementary partnership.
• Pastoral Care: Reminding sufferers of God’s promised help provides comfort and perseverance.
• Mission: Helping others becomes a tangible expression of God’s character, commending the gospel to the world.
In every occurrence, עֵזֶר invites trust in the Lord who willingly steps into human need, securing His people for His glory.
Forms and Transliterations
בְּעֶזְר֑וֹ בְּעֶזְרִ֔י בְעֶזְרֶ֔ךָ בְעֶזְרֶֽךָ׃ בעזרו בעזרי בעזרך בעזרך׃ וְעֵ֥זֶר ועזר לְעֵ֙זֶר֙ לעזר עֵ֖זֶר עֵ֣זֶר עֵ֭זֶר עֶ֭זְרִי עֶ֭זְרֵנוּ עֶזְרְךָ֥ עֶזְרִ֣י עֶזְרִֽי׃ עֶזְרֵ֖נוּ עֶזְרֶ֔ךָ עֶזְרָ֖ם עֶזְרֹ֛ו עזר עזרו עזרי עזרי׃ עזרך עזרם עזרנו ‘ê·zer ‘ez·rām ‘ez·re·ḵā ‘ez·rə·ḵā ‘ez·rê·nū ‘ez·rî ‘ez·rōw ‘êzer ‘ezrām ‘ezreḵā ‘ezrəḵā ‘ezrênū ‘ezrî ‘ezrōw ḇə‘ezreḵā bə‘ezrî bə‘ezrōw ḇə·‘ez·re·ḵā bə·‘ez·rî bə·‘ez·rōw beezRi beezRo Ezer ezRam ezRecha ezRenu ezRi ezRo lə‘êzer lə·‘ê·zer leEzer veEzer veezRecha wə‘êzer wə·‘ê·zer
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