Lexical Summary
immad: With, beside, alongside
Original Word:עִמָּד
Part of Speech:Preposition
Transliteration:`immad
Pronunciation:im-mawd'
Phonetic Spelling:(im-mawd')
KJV: against, by, from, + me, + mine, of, + that I take, unto, upon, with(-in)
Word Origin:[prol. forH5973 (עִם - against)]
1. along with
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
against, by, from, me, mine, of, that I take, unto,
Prol. Forim; along with -- against, by, from, + me, + mine, of, + that I take, unto, upon, with(-in.)
see HEBREWim
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originprol. for
im, q.v. ammud
Definitionsee NH5982.
Topical Lexicon
Scope of the Termעִמָּד (’immād) appears about forty-four times, almost always in a prepositional phrase meaning “with, beside, in the company of.” It can mark (1) God’s nearness to His people, (2) human companionship, and (3) the objects or resources that accompany an action. Every occurrence underscores actual, not merely metaphorical, presence.
Divine Presence and Covenant Assurance
1. Patriarchal Foundations
•Genesis 28:20 – Jacob’s vow, “If God will be with me (’immādī) and keep me on this way…,” binds personal trust to tangible divine accompaniment.
•Genesis 31:42; 35:3 – Jacob recalls that the God of his fathers “has been with me (’immādī).” The added ד hints at an intensified, enduring closeness.
2. Exodus and Wilderness Guidance
•Exodus 3:12 – “I will surely be with you,” Yahweh promises Moses at Sinai, pledging His own presence as the decisive credential for Israel’s deliverance and worship.
•Numbers 23:21 – Balaam recognizes, “The LORD their God is with them,” disclosing that Israel’s security rests on companionship, not numbers.
3. Conquest and Settlement
•Joshua 1:5 – “Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.” Here ’immād anchors the transition of leadership to continuity of presence.
•Judges 6:12; 6:16 – To fearful Gideon the Angel says, “The LORD is with you… Surely I will be with you.” Victory flows from shared presence, not personal might.
4. Monarchy and Prophetic Ministry
•1 Samuel 16:18 – “The LORD is with him,” distinguishes David before he ever sits on the throne.
•2 Kings 2:2 – Elisha clings to Elijah: “I will not leave you,” depicting prophetic succession as life lived עִמָּד.
•2 Chronicles 15:2 – “The LORD is with you when you are with Him,” coupling responsibility and promise.
•Haggai 1:13; 2:4 – Post-exilic builders are strengthened by, “I am with you, declares the LORD of Hosts,” transforming a desolate temple mount into a place of hope.
Human Relationships and Solidarity
1. Family and Vocation
•Genesis 30:29 – “You know how your livestock has fared with me (’immādī),” Laban is reminded; faithful service is measured by what prospers “with” a man.
•Ruth 2:21 – Boaz invites Ruth to remain with his young men, ensuring provision under benevolent oversight.
2. Protection and Fellowship
•1 Samuel 22:23 – David shields Abiathar: “Stay with me (’immādī)… with me you will be safe.” The verb of staying is fused with the preposition, stressing place of refuge.
•2 Samuel 18:3 – The troops insist David not go to battle lest “you quench the lamp of Israel”; leadership ’immād is more valuable than numbers in the field.
3. Justice and Integrity
• Job repeatedly pleads that uprightness is “with me,” asserting inner integrity before God and men (Job 6:13; 9:35). What is truly עִמָּד cannot be stripped away by circumstance.
Worship and Prayer
Psalms draws experiential theology from ’immād:
•Psalm 23:4 – “I will fear no evil, for You are with me.”
•Psalm 73:23 – “Yet I am always with You; You hold my right hand.”
Here divine immanence answers fear and confusion, and becomes the axis of worship.
Prophetic Consolation and Eschatological Hope
Jeremiah (1:8, 19) and Isaiah (41:10, although using the cognate 5973) show the same pattern: future deliverance is guaranteed not by a change of circumstance but by the Lord’s abiding nearness. The promise crescendos in the Immanuel motif (Isaiah 7:14) and finds ultimate fulfillment inMatthew 1:23 and 28:20 (“I am with you always”).
Ministry Implications
1. Presence before Program
Ministry that is not consciously lived עִמָּד יהוה substitutes method for companionship. Scripture shows exploits flowing from Presence, never the reverse.
2. Assurance amid Opposition
Whether Jacob facing Laban, Moses confronting Pharaoh, or the remnant rebuilding a ruined temple, “I am with you” silences fear. Modern servants draw the same courage.
3. Fellowship among Believers
David to Abiathar or Boaz to Ruth models a culture of “stay with me and be safe,” foreshadowing the church’s call to mutual care (Acts 2:44).
4. Ethical Accountability
Job’s claim that integrity is “with me” warns that sin severs felt companionship. Walking in the light (1 John 1:7) preserves the joy of shared presence.
Summary
עִמָּד is the language of shared life. From patriarchs to prophets, battlefields to temple courts, the word frames God’s covenant commitment and human faithfulness. It reminds every generation that the decisive question is never, “Are the odds in our favor?” but always, “Who is with us?”
Forms and Transliterations
מֵעִמָּדִ֔י מֵעִמָּדִ֖י מעמדי עִ֝מָּדִ֗י עִמָּ֫דִ֥י עִמָּדִ֑י עִמָּדִ֔י עִמָּדִ֖י עִמָּדִ֗י עִמָּדִ֛י עִמָּדִֽי׃ עִמָּדִי֒ עִמָּדִי֙ עמדי עמדי׃ ‘im·mā·ḏî ‘immāḏî immaDi mê‘immāḏî mê·‘im·mā·ḏî meimmaDi
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