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2 Chronicles 8:3 — Word Study

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WLCוַיֵּ֤לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה֙ חֲמָ֣ת צוֹבָ֔ה וַיֶּחֱזַ֖ק עָלֶֽיהָ׃

BSAThen SolomonShᵉlômôh [the king of Israel, successor of David] to Hamath-zobahChămath Tsôwbâh [the fortress of Zobah] and capturedchâzaq [prevailed against, seized, conquered] itʻal [the town, the fortress]

Word
Listen & take away2 Chronicles 8
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 3 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration ('a.Lei.ha) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
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2 Chronicles 8:3quick helps
In a sentenceSolomon traveled to Hamath-zobah and successfully conquered it.
Who is speakingSolomon, the king of Israel, known for his wisdom.
Where we areThe narrative of Solomon's military campaigns and city-building efforts.
The hard wordחָזַק
Take awaySolomon's actions demonstrate his strength and leadership.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them › clause subjectשְׁלֹמֹה verbהלך The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — 2 Chronicles 8:3

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — Solomon's Military Campaignsgenerated

2Solomon rebuilt the cities Hiram had given him and settled Israelites there.
3Then Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and captured it.
4He built Tadmor in the wilderness, in addition to all the store cities that he had built in Hamath.
5He rebuilt Upper and Lower Beth-horon as fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars,

2 Chronicles 8:3 describes Solomon's military actions as he expands his kingdom. After rebuilding cities given by Hiram, Solomon's conquest of Hamath-zobah highlights his strength and strategic prowess as a ruler. This narrative showcases his efforts to secure and fortify his reign, as also seen in 2 Samuel 8:3.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Numbers 13:21So they went up and spied out the land from the Wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, toward Lebo-hamath.
2Numbers 34:8and from Mount Hor to Lebo-hamath, then extend to Zedad,
32 Samuel 8:3David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, who had marched out to restore his dominion along the Euphrates River.
41 Kings 11:23–25And God raised up against Solomon another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his master, Hadadezer king of Zobah,
51 Chronicles 18:3As far as Hamath, David also defeated King Hadadezer of Zobah, who had marched out to establish his dominion along the Euphrates River.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word שְׁלֹמֹה, she.lo.Mohgenerated

The name שְׁלֹמֹה (Shlomoh) refers to Solomon, the son of David, who is recognized as a king of Judah. His name means 'peaceful', and he is known for his wisdom and building projects, including the Temple in Jerusalem.

In this verse, Solomon's actions are significant as they illustrate his role as a military leader. The context of his journey to Hamath-zobah emphasizes his authority and the expansion of Israel's territory.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb is וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ, and he went, which governs the sentence. The structure includes a prepositional phrase indicating the destination and another verb indicating the action taken at that destination.

The word order places emphasis on Solomon's action of going, followed by the place he went to and the subsequent action of capturing.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ as ἦλθεν, which means 'he came' or 'he went'. This choice maintains the sense of movement and arrival, though it may imply a slightly different nuance in the context of the Greek.

The translation reflects the action of Solomon traveling to Hamath-zobah, although the exact phrasing differs from the Hebrew.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

2 Chronicles 8:3 tells us that Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and captured it. This shows his strength as a king and his efforts to expand his kingdom. Solomon is known for his wisdom and leadership, and this verse highlights his military success.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What is the significance of Solomon going to Hamath-zobah?

Solomon's journey to Hamath-zobah demonstrates his military strength and strategic ambitions in expanding the kingdom of Israel.

What does it mean that Solomon captured Hamath-zobah?

Capturing Hamath-zobah signifies Solomon's successful military campaign, reinforcing his authority and control over the region.

How does this verse connect to Solomon's reputation?

This verse highlights Solomon's military prowess, which complements his reputation for wisdom and governance.

What other cities did Solomon rebuild?

Solomon rebuilt various cities, including those given to him by Hiram, as part of his efforts to strengthen and expand his kingdom.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I demonstrate leadership in my own life, similar to Solomon?
  2. How can I recognize and seize opportunities for growth and success?
  3. What does it mean to be strong in my actions and decisions?
  4. How can I apply wisdom in my pursuits, as Solomon did in his reign?

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 2 Chronicles 8:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Solomon went to Hamathzobah,.... In an hostile manner, which is the only instance of any warlike expedition of Solomon's.

Read John Gill on 2 Chronicles 8 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Solomon went to Hamathzobah, and prevailed against it. Solomon went to Hamath-zobah. Hamath was on the Orontes, in Coele-Syria.

Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Chronicles 8 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2 Chronicles 8:3 And Solomon went to Hamathzobah, and prevailed against it.Ver. 3. And prevailed against it.] King James, when he first entered England at Berwick, himself gave fire to, and shot off a piece of ordinance, in which cannon he might seem to have discharged war out of England; so did Solomon out of Israel, by this one expedition.

Read John Trapp on 2 Chronicles 8 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) And Solomon went.—Marched (2 Samuel 12:29). Hamath-zobah.—That is, Hamath bordering on Zobah. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 18:3.) Solomon’s conquest of the kingdom of Hamath, which had been on terms of amity with David, is not mentioned in 1 Kings 9; nor indeed anywhere else in the Old Testament. Thenius (on 2 Kings 14:25) supposes that the text describes not a conquest of Hamath itself, but only the annexation of part of its territory; viz., a part of the highly fruitful plain of Cœle-Syria, called by the Arabs Ard-el-Beqâa. This appears to be correct. Against it.—Or, over it (a late construction, 2 Chronicles 27:5; Daniel 11:5).

Read Charles John Ellicott on 2 Chronicles 8 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 3. Hamath-zobah] "Emessa, on the river Orontes." - Calmet.

Read AdamClarke on 2 Chronicles 8 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3. Hamath-zobah] The two kingdoms of Hamath and Zobah are distinguished from one another (1 Chronicles 18:3; 1 Chronicles 18:9 = 1 Samuel 8:3; 1 Samuel 8:9), Hamath apparently being north of Zobah. It is probable however that Hamath as the name of a city belonged to more than one place, and Hamath-Zobah may be a southern namesake of the well-known Hamath the great (Amos 6:2). Though Solomon was a “man of rest” (1 Chronicles 22:9) his reign was not wholly free from war (cp. 1 Kings 11:14; 1 Kings 11:13).

Read Cambridge on 2 Chronicles 8 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Hamath-zobah - Usually identified with the “great Hamath” Amos 6:2; the capital of Coele-Syria; but probably a town of Zobah otherwise unknown, which revolted from Solomon, and was reduced to subjection.

Read Albert Barnes on 2 Chronicles 8 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Then Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and captured it.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Solomon went to Hamath Zobah, and prevailed against it.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Then Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and captured it.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Solomon went to Hamath Zobah and seized it.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah, and prevailed against it.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah, and prevailed against it.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah, and prevailed against it.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah, and prevailed against it.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And Salomon went to Hamath Zobah, and ouercame it.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And Solomon went to Hamath-Zobah, and overcame it.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Solomon goeth to Hamath-Zobah, and layeth hold upon it;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And Solomon goes to Hamath-Zobah, and lays hold on it;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And Solomon went to Chamath-zobah, and prevailed against it.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Solomon attacked Hamathzobah and defeated it.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

He went also into Emath Suba, and possessed it.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Then Solomon attacked Hamath-zobah and captured it.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and overcame it.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וַandclauseverbיֵּ֤לֶךְhe.wentsubjectשְׁלֹמֹה֙Solomonוַandclauseverbיֶּחֱזַ֖קhe.prevailedprepositional phrase · prepositionalעָלֶֽיoverהָit

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text states, "Then Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and captured it," while the Septuagint provides a different structure and wording, with only 2 of the 6 words matching the Hebrew text. The Septuagint's translation does not preserve the same sentence order or meaning as the Masoretic Text. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional evidence for this specific verse in this instance, so we cannot compare their readings here.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה֙ חֲמָ֣ת צוֹבָ֔ה וַיֶּחֱזַ֖ק עָלֶֽיהָ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֵּ֤לֶךְἦλθενשְׁלֹמֹה֙σαλωμων

2 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

2 Chronicles 8:3הָלַךְand he wentand he wentהָלַךְשְׁלֹמֹהSolomonSolomonשְׁלֹמֹהצוֹבָאto Hamathto HamathצוֹבָאצוֹבָאZobahZobahצוֹבָאחָזַקand he prevand he prevaileחָזַקעַלover itover itעַלחֲמָתHamathHamathחֲמָתשָׁלוֹםPeacePeaceשָׁלוֹםהָלַךְto walkto walkהָלַךְעַלheightheightעַלדֶּ֫רֶךְway: roadway: roadדֶּ֫רֶךְחֻקָּהstatutestatuteחֻקָּהחִירָםHiramHiramחִירָםרְחַבְעָםRehoboamRehoboamרְחַבְעָםבֶ֫דֶקbreachbreachבֶ֫דֶקאָמֵץto strengtto strengthenאָמֵץכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּא
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in 2 Chronicles 8:3

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and he went Solomon to Hamath Zobah and he prevailed over it
וַיֵּ֤לֶךְvai.Ye.lekh and he went H1980 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
1,549× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means to walk or go, used in many different contexts in the Bible. It can describe physical movement, but also spiritual or emotional journeys. Appears in various forms, such as 'to go' or 'to walk'.
Tyndale gloss
to go: walk
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָלַךְ (halak) means 'to go,' 'come,' or 'walk,' and covers a wide range of literal and figurative uses, including aspects of life and death. It can describe physical movement, moral conduct, and even influence on character. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like leading or traversing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk

Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך

lit.

of persons

Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

in like manner of inanimate things

The inf. abs. is often used

as in other vbs., quite independently

to intensify meaning of finite form

most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.

with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance

twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

quite by itself

13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

In combination with other verbal forms

Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:

pass away, die

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1980 הָלַךְ go, come, walk .Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך . lit. . of persons

. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

. in like manner of inanimate things

. The inf. abs. is often used . as in other vbs., quite independently

. to intensify meaning of finite form

. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs. . with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

. with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

. in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. + adj. denoting progress, advance

. twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

. quite by itself

. 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

. In combination with other verbal forms

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1980 halak haw-lak'

akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety

of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along,

apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant,

depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth,

forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on,

out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead,

march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away),

be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread,

still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad,

on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax,

(way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.

see HEBREW for 03212

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: went.

: went/go[away]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: come.

: come[nearer]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: walk.

: walk/move

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Hc/Vqw3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and he went Solomon to Hamath Zobah and he prevailed over it
שְׁלֹמֹה֙she.lo.Moh Solomon H8010 Noun proper masculine
293× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Shelomoh, or Solomon, was a king of Judah and successor of his father David, first mentioned in 2 Samuel 5:14 and known for his wisdom.
Amplified meaning
the king of Israel, successor of David
Tyndale gloss
Solomon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שְׁלֹמֹה (Shlomoh) refers to Solomon, the son of David and Bathsheba, known as a king of Judah. The name means 'peaceful' and he is recognized as the third king of Israel, credited with authorship of Proverbs and Song of Songs. He is first mentioned in 2 Samuel 5:14.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שְׁלֹמֹה 293 n.pr.m. Solomon

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8010 שְׁלֹמֹה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8010 Shlomoh shel-o-mo'

from 7965; peaceful; Shelomah, David's successor:--Solomon.

see HEBREW for 07965

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שְׁלֹמֹה (she.lo.moh) — Solomon.

A king of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.5.14;

son of: David (H1732) and Bathsheba (H1339);

brother of: Shammua (H8051H), Shobab (H7727) and Nathan (H5416);

half-brother of: Amnon (H0550), Chileab (H3609), Absalom (H0053), Adonijah (H0138), Shephatiah (H8203), Ithream (H3507), Ibhar (H2984), Elishua (H0474), Nepheg (H5298H), Japhia (H3309I), Elishama (H0476H), Eliada (H0450), Eliphelet (H0467), Tamar (H8559H), Elpelet (H0467I), Nogah (H5052) and Jerimoth (H3406N); married to daughter_of_Pharaoh (H6547P) and Naamah (H5279A);

father of: Taphath (H2955), Basemath (H1315) and Rehoboam (H7346); also called Jedidiah at 2Sa.12.25;

§ Solomon = "peace"

son of David by Bathsheba and 3rd king of Israel; author of Proverbs and Song of Songs

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sol'-o-mun (shelomoh; New Testament Solomon):

I. EARLY LIFE

1. Name and Meaning

2. Sources

3. Birth and Upbringing

4. His Accession

5. Closing Days of David

II. REIGN OF SOLOMON

1. His Vision

2. His Policy

3. Its Results

4. Alliance with Tyre

5. Alliance with Egypt

6. Domestic Troubles

III. HIS BUILDINGS

1. The Temple

2. The Palace

3. Other Buildings

4. The Corvee

IV. HIS CHARACTER

1. Personal Qualities

2. His Wisdom

3. His Learning

4. Trade and Commerce

5. Officers of State

6. Wives

7. Revenues

8. Literary Works

LITERATURE

I. Early Life.

Solomon was the son of David and Bath-sheba, and became the 3rd king of Israel.

1. Name and Meaning:

He was so named by his mother (2Sa 12:24, Qere; see TEXT AND MANUSCRIPTS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT; TEXT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT), but by the prophet Nathan, or by his father (Vulgate), he was called Jedidiah--"loved of Yahweh." The name…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Solomon

Peaceful, (Heb. Shelomoh), David’s second son by Bathsheba, i.e., the first after their legal marriage (2 Sam. 12). He was probably born about B.C. 1035 (1 Chr. 22:5; 29:1). He succeeded his father on the throne in early manhood, probably about sixteen or eighteen years of age. Nathan, to whom his education was intrusted, called him Jedidiah, i.e., “beloved of the Lord” (2 Sam. 12:24, 25). He was the first king of Israel “born in the purple.” His father chose him as his successor, passing over the claims of his elder sons: “Assuredly Solomon my son shall reign after me.” His history is recorded in 1 Kings 1-11 and 2 Chr. 1-9. His elevation to the throne took place before his father’s death, and was hastened on mainly by Nathan and Bathsheba, in consequence of the rebellion…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(peaceful). I. Early life and occasion to the throne . --Solomon was the child of David’s old age, the last born of all his sons. (1 Chronicles 3:5) The yearnings of the "man of war" led him to give to the new-horn infant the name of Solomon (Shelomoth, the peaceful one). Nathan, with a marked reference to the meaning of the king’s own name (David, the darling, the beloved one), calls the infant Jedidiah (Jedid’yah), that is, the darling of the Lord. (2 Samuel 11:24,25) He was placed under the care of Nathan from his earliest infancy. At first, apparently, there was no distinct purpose to make him the heir. Absalom was still the king’s favorite son, (2 Samuel 13:37; 18:33) and was looked on by the people as the destined…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Peaceful, the son and successor of David, born of Bathsheba, B. C. 1033. The prophet Nathan called him Jedidiah, "beloved of the Lord," 2Sa 12:25 and he was a child of promise, 1Ch 22:9,10. At the age of eighteen he received from David the throne which his brother Adonijah had endeavored to usurp. Scripture records his earnest and pious petition for wisdom from above, that he might govern that great people well; and the bestowal of the wisdom, with numerous other blessings in its train, Mt 6:33. His unequalled learning and sagacity soon became renowned throughout the East, and continue so even to this day. In every kind of temporal prosperity he was preeminently favored. His unquestioned dominion extended from the Euphrates to…

and he went Solomon to Hamath Zobah and he prevailed over it
חֲמָ֣תcha.Mat to Hamath H2578 Noun proper
2× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Amplified meaning
the fortress of Zobah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צוֹבָא, צוֹבָה n.pr.terr. an Aramaean kingdom, time of (Saul and) David

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2578 צוֹבָא, צוֹבָה, חֲמַת צוֹבָה, צֹבָא

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2578 Chamath Tsowbah kham-ath' tso-baw'

from 2574 and 6678; Chamath of Tsobah; Chamath-Tsobah;

probably the same as 2574:--Hamath-Zobah.

see HEBREW for 02574

see HEBREW for 06678

see HEBREW for 02574

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֲמַת צוֹבָה (cha.mat tso.vah) — Hamath-zobah.

Hamath-Zobah = "fortress of Zobah"

a town ; maybe same as 'Hammath'

Another name of tso.va (צוֹבָא "Zobah" H6678G)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ha'-math (chamath; Hemath, Haimath; Swete also has Hemath): The word signifies a defense or citadel, and such designation was very suitable for this chief royal city of the Hittites, situated between their northern and southern capitals, Carchemish and Kadesh, on a gigantic mound beside the Orontes. In Am 6:2 it is named Great Hamath, but not necessarily to distinguish it from other places of the same name.

1. Early History:

The Hamathite is mentioned in Ge 10:18 among the sons of Canaan, but in historic times the population, as the personal names testify, seems to have been for the most part Semitic. The ideal boundary of Israel reached the territory, but not the city of Hamath (Nu 34:8;

Hamath

Fortress, the capital of one of the kingdoms of Upper Syria of the same name, on the Orontes, in the valley of Lebanon, at the northern boundary of Palestine (Num. 13:21; 34:8), at the foot of Hermon (Josh. 13:5) towards Damascus (Zech. 9:2; Jer. 49:23). It is called “Hamath the great” in Amos 6:2, and “Hamath-zobah” in 2 Chr. 8:3.

Hamath, now Hamah, had an Aramaean population, but Hittite monuments discovered there show that it must have been at one time occupied by the Hittites. It was among the conquests of the Pharaoh Thothmes III. Its king, Tou or Toi…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(fortress), the principal city of upper Syria, was situated in the valley of the Orontes, which it commanded from the low screen of hills which forms the water-shed between the source of the Orontes and Antioch. The Hamathites were a Hamitic race, and are included among the descendants of Canaan. (Genesis 10:18) Nothing appears of the power of Hamath until the time of David. (2 Samuel 8:9) Hamath seems clearly to have been included in the dominions of Solomon. (1 Kings 4:21-24) The "store-cities" which Solomon "built in Hamath," (2 Chronicles 8:4) were perhaps staples for trade. In the Assyrian inscriptions of the time of Ahab (B.C. 900) Hamath appears as a separate power, in…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A celebrated city of Syria. Hamath, like Jerusalem and Damascus, is one of the few places in Syria and Palestine which have retained a certain degree of importance from the very earliest ages to the present time. The name occurs in Ge 10:18, as the seat of a Canaanitish tribe; and it is often mentioned as the northern limits of Canaan in its widest extent, Nu 13:21; Jos 13:5; Jud 3:3. In David’s time, Toi king of Hamath was his ally, 2Sa 8:9,10.

Burckhardt describes Hamath as "situated on both sides of the Orontes; a part of it is built on the declivity of a hill, and a part in the plain. The town is of considerable…

and he went Solomon to Hamath Zobah and he prevailed over it
צוֹבָ֔הtzo.Vah Zobah H2578 Noun proper
2× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צוֹבָא, צוֹבָה n.pr.terr. an Aramaean kingdom, time of (Saul and) David

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2578 צוֹבָא, צוֹבָה, חֲמַת צוֹבָה, צֹבָא

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2578 Chamath Tsowbah kham-ath' tso-baw'

from 2574 and 6678; Chamath of Tsobah; Chamath-Tsobah;

probably the same as 2574:--Hamath-Zobah.

see HEBREW for 02574

see HEBREW for 06678

see HEBREW for 02574

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֲמַת צוֹבָה (cha.mat tso.vah) — Hamath-zobah.

Hamath-Zobah = "fortress of Zobah"

a town ; maybe same as 'Hammath'

Another name of tso.va (צוֹבָא "Zobah" H6678G)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNpl — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

zo'-ba (tsobhah; Souba): The name is derived by Halevy from zehobhah as referring to its supplies of "bright yellow" brass; but this word might be more appropriately used to contrast its cornfields with white Lebanon. Zobah was an Aramean kingdom of which we have the first notice in Saul's wars (1Sa 14:47).

(1) David's First War.

When David sought to extend his boundary to the Euphrates, he came into contact with its king Hadadezer, and a great battle was fought in which David took many prisoners. Damascus, however, came to the rescue and fresh resistance was made, but a complete rout followed and great spoil fell to the victor, as well as access to the rich copper mines of Tebah and Berothai. Toi, king of Hamath, who had suffered in war with Hadadezer, now sent his son on an embassy with greetings and gifts to David (

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A country of Syria, whose king carried on war with Saul and David, 1Sa 14:47 2Sa 8:3 10:6. It seems to have lain near Damascus, and to have included the city Hamath conquered by Solomon, 2Ch 8:3, but also to have extended towards the Euphrates, 2Sa 8:3.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Zobebah, an army; warring

and he went Solomon to Hamath Zobah and he prevailed over it
וַיֶּחֱזַ֖קvai.ye.che.Zak and he prevailed H2388 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
291× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To strengthen means to be strong or courageous, and can also mean to seize or conquer, as seen in various KJV translations.
Amplified meaning
prevailed against, seized, conquered
Tyndale gloss
to strengthen: strengthen
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חָזַק (chazaq) means to be strong or to strengthen. It encompasses a range of meanings including to support, encourage, and make firm, as well as to seize or hold fast. The word can be used in various forms, such as to strengthen oneself or to display strength. There is no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חָזַק 291 vb. be or grow firm, strong, strengthen

Qal

intrans. be or grow strong

transit. only strengthened him not

Pi.

make strong (physically)

strengthen the hands (acc.) of anyone, sustain, encourage

make strong = bold, encourage

make firm

make rigid, hard, i.e. perverse, obstinate, harden

Hiph.

make strong, strengthen

make firm, the kingdom

display strength

make severe, of battle

support

= repair

prevail

esp. take or keep hold of, seize, grasp

Hithp.

strengthen oneself

put forth strength, use one's strength

withstand

hold strongly with

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2388 חָזַק be or grow firm, strong, strengthen .. intrans. be or grow strong

. transit. only strengthened him not

. . make strong (physically)

. strengthen the hands (acc.) of anyone, sustain, encourage

. make strong = bold, encourage

. make firm

. make rigid, hard, i.e. perverse, obstinate, harden

. . . make strong, strengthen

. make firm, the kingdom

. display strength

. make severe, of battle

. support

. = repair

. prevail

. esp. take or keep hold of, seize, grasp

. . strengthen oneself

. put forth strength, use one's strength

. withstand

. hold strongly with

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2388 chazaq khaw-zak'

a primitive root; to fasten upon; hence, to seize, be strong

(figuratively, courageous, causatively strengthen, cure, help,

repair, fortify), obstinate; to bind, restrain, conquer:--aid,

amend, X calker, catch, cleave, confirm, be constant,

constrain, continue, be of good (take) courage(-ous, -ly),

encourage (self), be established, fasten, force, fortify, make

hard, harden, help, (lay) hold (fast), lean, maintain, play

the man, mend, become (wax) mighty, prevail, be recovered,

repair, retain, seize, be (wax) sore, strengthen (self), be

stout, be (make, shew, wax) strong(-er), be sure, take (hold),

be urgent, behave self valiantly, withstand.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָזַק (cha.zaq) — to strengthen: strengthen.

: strengthen/support/encourage

1) to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be strong, grow strong

1a1a) to prevail, prevail upon

1a1b) to be firm, be caught fast, be secure

1a1c) to press, be urgent

1a1d) to grow stout, grow rigid, grow hard (bad sense)

1a1e) to be severe, be grievous

1a2) to strengthen

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to make strong

1b2) to restore to strength, give strength

1b3) to strengthen, sustain, encourage

1b4) to make strong, make bold, encourage

1b5) to make firm

1b6) to make rigid, make hard

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to make strong, strengthen

1c2) to make firm

1c3) to display strength

1c4) to make severe

1c5) to support

1c6) to repair

1c7) to prevail, prevail upon

1c8) to have or take or keep hold of, retain, hold up, sustain, support

1c9) to hold, contain

1d) (Hithpael)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and he went Solomon to Hamath Zobah and he prevailed over it
עָלֶֽיהָ׃'a.Lei.ha over it H5921 Preposition · suffix
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Amplified meaning
the town, the fortress
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

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Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

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Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3fs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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