Lexical Summary
atsum: Mighty, numerous, powerful
Original Word:עָצוּם
Part of Speech:Adjective
Transliteration:`atsuwm
Pronunciation:ah-tsoom
Phonetic Spelling:(aw-tsoom')
KJV: + feeble, great, mighty, must, strong
NASB:mighty, mightier, strong, great, large number, mighty men, mighty ones
Word Origin:[passive participle ofH6105 (עָצַם - To be strong)]
1. powerful
2. (specifically) a paw
3. (by implication) numerous
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
feeble, great, mighty, must, strong
Or matsum {aw-tsoom'}; passive participle ofatsam; powerful (specifically, a paw); by implication, numerous -- + feeble, great, mighty, must, strong.
see HEBREWatsam
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
atsomDefinitionmighty, numerous
NASB Translationgreat (1), large number (1), mightier (6), mighty (14), mighty men (1), mighty ones (1), numerous (1), strong (5), stronger (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
31 ; —
Genesis 18:18 +, plural
Isaiah 8:7 +,
Micah 4:3 +; suffix
Psalm 10:10; —
mighty, especially of people,strong in numbers (often "" , )Genesis 18:18;Exodus 1:9 3t. J E;Deuteronomy 4:38 6t. D,Micah 4:3,7;Zechariah 8:22;Isaiah 60:22 (opposed to ), of locustsJoel 1:6;Joel 2:2,5, compareJoel 2:11; so ofDaniel 11:25; , i.e. feebleProverbs 30:26 (of the ); less often of individualPsalm 135:10; of watersIsaiah 8:7; aloneProverbs 18:18the mighty,Daniel 8:24;Psalm 10:10his mighty ones i.e. claws, of lion, so Ew De Che Bae and others).
numerous, countless (all "" ):Amos 5:12;Psalm 35:18; as substantive =manyIsaiah 53:12;Proverbs 7:26. —Isaiah 41:21 see below III. . below
III. (√ of following, si vera lectio; compare Arabic
defend, protect,
defence, see Du and compare Thes; > De Di and othersyour mighty things strong arguments (from , below I. , which following perhaps imitates in vocalization)).
Topical Lexicon
Overviewעָצוּם (ʿāṣûm) appears thirty-one times in the Old Testament, characterizing what is numerically vast, physically powerful, or spiritually overwhelming. Whether it speaks of nations, armies, assemblies, emotions, or enemies, the word always presses the reader to reckon with greatness that lies beyond ordinary human control.
Patriarchal Promise and National Identity
•Genesis 18:18 first joins the adjective to covenant hope: “Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed.”
•Deuteronomy 26:5 looks back on that fulfillment: “There he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous.”
Israel’s existence is thus framed by a divinely granted might that serves a redemptive purpose for “all the nations of the earth.”
Confronting Overwhelming Human Power
•Exodus 1:9—Pharaoh fears, “Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we.”
•Deuteronomy 4:38; 7:1; 9:14;Joshua 3:10—Israel meets “nations greater and mightier” but triumphs because the Lord fights for her.
•Joshua 10:2—Gibeon’s warriors are called “mighty,” yet even such strength bows to God’s intervention in the hailstorm and the long day.
The narrative pattern: apparent disadvantage highlights covenant faithfulness.
Might on the Battlefield
•2 Samuel 22:18 (=Psalm 18:17)—David celebrates rescue from a “powerful enemy.”
•Daniel 8:24—A future ruler’s power “shall be mighty, but not by his own power,” underlining that all human might is derivative.
The term exposes the limits of brute force and the supremacy of God’s sovereignty.
Wisdom on Power’s Perils and Possibilities
•Psalm 35:18—“I will give You thanks in the great assembly.” Size enhances praise when centered on God.
•Psalm 38:19; 69:4—Enemies are “vigorous and strong,” pushing the psalmist toward dependence on the Lord.
•Proverbs 7:26—The seductress has struck down “many victims; numerous are all her slain.”
•Proverbs 30:30—The lion is “mighty among beasts”; creaturely strength illustrates God-given dominion but also the need for humility before the Creator.
Metaphorical and Poetic Uses
•Song of Solomon 8:6—“Love is strong as death,” equating passion’s grip with the finality of mortality.
•Isaiah 53:12—The Servant will “divide the spoil with the strong,” proclaiming Messianic victory that shares its benefits with those made strong in Him.
Prophetic Warnings and Eschatological Hope
•Isaiah 8:7—Assyria’s river of invasion is “mighty.”
•Jeremiah 5:15—A “nation mighty and ancient” is summoned for judgment.
•Joel 1:6; 2:2, 11—Locusts are a “nation mighty and without number… His camp is very great.”
•Habakkuk 1:7—Babylon is “dreaded and feared.”
Yet the prophets also foresee the collapse of such power under God’s hand (Daniel 11:25–26) and the ultimate reign of peace (Micah 4:3).
Theological Trajectory and New Testament Echoes
The concept behind עָצוּם reaches its zenith in Christ, in whom “all authority in heaven and on earth” resides (Matthew 28:18) and whose church fulfills the promise of a “great and mighty nation” drawn from every people (Galatians 3:7–9;1 Peter 2:9).
Ministry Implications
1. Courage: God overrules adversaries “greater and stronger” than His people.
2. Humility: Human greatness without righteousness invites divine opposition.
3. Assurance: The Servant shares His spoil with those made strong in Him.
4. Vigilance: Temptations may appear irresistible, yet God provides grace to overcome.
5. Mission: True greatness serves the blessing of all nations.
Conclusion
From Abraham to the prophets, from battlefield to love poem, עָצוּם spotlights power in all its forms, ultimately pointing to the unmatched might of the Lord who uses strength to save, to judge, and to bless the world through His covenant promises.
Forms and Transliterations
בַּ֝עֲצוּמָ֗יו בעצומיו הָעֲצוּמִים֙ העצומים וְעָצ֑וּם וְעָצ֔וּם וְעָצ֖וּם וַ֝עֲצֻמִ֗ים וַעֲצֻמִ֖ים וַעֲצֻמִ֛ים וַעֲצוּמִ֑ים וַעֲצוּמִ֖ים ועצום ועצומים ועצמים עֲצֻמִ֖ים עֲצוּמִ֔ים עֲצוּמִ֖ים עֲצוּמִ֣ים עֲצוּמִֽים׃ עֲצוּמִים֮ עָצ֑וּם עָצ֔וּם עָצ֖וּם עָצ֣וּם עָצ֥וּם עצום עצומים עצומים׃ עצמים ‘ă·ṣu·mîm ‘ă·ṣū·mîm ‘ā·ṣūm ‘āṣūm ‘ăṣumîm ‘ăṣūmîm aTzum atzuMim ba‘ăṣūmāw ba·‘ă·ṣū·māw baatzuMav hā‘ăṣūmîm hā·‘ă·ṣū·mîm haatzuMim vaatzuMim veaTzum wa‘ăṣumîm wa‘ăṣūmîm wa·‘ă·ṣu·mîm wa·‘ă·ṣū·mîm wə‘āṣūm wə·‘ā·ṣūm
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