Word Study for H533 (אַמִּיץ)

ʼammîyts /am-meets'/ Ask about this word

Rootor (shortened) אַמִּץ · from אָמַץ

Meaningstrong or (abstractly) strength

KJV usagecourageous, mighty, strong (one).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʼammîyts — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word ʼammîyts, represented by H533, conveys the meaning of strong, mighty, or courageous. It appears 6 times in 6 unique verses. The term is used to describe both the overwhelming power of God and notable human strength or resolve.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The word H533 is primarily used to characterize the immense power of God. In Isaiah, God's creative and sustaining power is described as so strong that not one of the heavenly hosts fails Isaiah 40:26. Job uses the term to describe God as mighty in strength, posing the question of who could possibly harden himself against God and prosper (Job 9:4, Job 9:19). The term is also applied to human strength, as when Absalom's conspiracy grew strong 2 Samuel 15:12, and to a divinely appointed agent of judgment, called a "mighty and strong one" Isaiah 28:2. Finally, it describes personal fortitude, as even the one who is courageous among the mighty will flee in the day of the Lord's judgment Amos 2:16.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon the concept of strength and power:

H3581 kôach (power, strength): This word for vigor and force is often paired with ʼammîyts to emphasize the magnitude of power, as in God being "strong in power" Isaiah 40:26 and "mighty in strength" Job 9:4.
H1368 gibbôwr (mighty, warrior): This term describes a powerful warrior or champion. It is used in parallel with ʼammîyts to contrast human might with divine judgment, showing that even the courageous among the mighty will be overcome Amos 2:16.
H2389 châzâq (strong, mighty): Often used to describe strength in a hard or violent sense, this word appears alongside ʼammîyts to depict an overwhelming force of judgment sent by the Lord Isaiah 28:2.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H533 underscores the nature of divine and human power.

Divine Omnipotence: H533 is used to establish the absolute and unrivaled power of God. Job's assertion that God is "mighty in strength" serves as a rhetorical question to affirm that no one can successfully oppose Him or His will (Job 9:4, Job 9:19).
Sovereign Control: The term is linked to God's creative authority. His strength is the reason He can bring out the heavenly host by number and call them all by name, ensuring that "not one faileth" Isaiah 40:26. This demonstrates a strength that is not just raw power but also meticulous and sustaining.
The Futility of Human Strength: While the word can describe human efforts, such as a "strong" conspiracy 2 Samuel 15:12 or a "courageous" warrior Amos 2:16, the context ultimately shows its insufficiency when faced with God's judgment. Human strength is temporary and limited, whereas God's is ultimate.

Summary

In summary, H533 provides a specific lens for understanding strength and might. It moves beyond a general description to portray the absolute nature of God's power, which is creative, sustaining, and unchallengeable. Whether describing a "strong one" acting as an agent of judgment or the fleeting courage of a mighty warrior, the term consistently points to the supremacy of God's strength over all human or created power.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as an adjective across 6 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

אַמִּץ
אַמִּיץ

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 6 verses across 4 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Job and Isaiah (2 verses each); never once in the other 35.

2 Samuel

Job

Isaiah

Amos

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.