### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **ʻâzar**, represented by `{{H5826}}`, is a primitive root meaning to **surround, i.e. protect or aid**. It appears **82 times** across **77 unique verses**, highlighting its significance in describing both divine and human assistance. The core of the word conveys an active intervention to help or succour those in need.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H5826}}` is used to express a fundamental dependence on God for aid. The Israelites commemorate God's intervention with the declaration, "Hitherto hath the LORD **helped** us" [[1 Samuel 7:12]]. God repeatedly promises His people, "I will **help** thee" [[Isaiah 41:10]], often in conjunction with the command to "Fear not" [[Isaiah 41:13-14]]. This divine help is sought in times of desperation, as seen in pleas like, "**Help** us, O God of our salvation" [[Psalms 79:9]]. The term is also used for human-to-human aid, such as when David's followers came to **help** him [[1 Chronicles 12:22]], but the text warns against misplaced reliance on human strength, noting that the Egyptians shall **help** in vain [[Isaiah 30:7]] and that those who give and receive ungodly aid can fall together [[Isaiah 31:3]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words expand upon the concept of help and divine support:
* `{{H2388}}` **châzaq** (to seize, be strong, help): This word connects help with the act of strengthening or making courageous. It is often used in commands to be strong and is found alongside the promise of God's help [[Isaiah 41:6]].
* `{{H3467}}` **yâshaʻ** (to free or succor, save): This term links help directly to salvation and deliverance. God's action to **help** His people is also the action that will **save** them, as they trust in Him [[Psalms 37:40]].
* `{{H5564}}` **çâmak** (to prop, uphold, sustain): This word emphasizes the supportive nature of help. In [[Psalms 54:4]], God is described as a **helper** and is with those that **uphold** the soul, showing that help provides stability.
* `{{H8551}}` **tâmak** (to sustain, keep fast, help): Used in parallel with **ʻâzar**, this word reinforces the idea of being held securely. God promises not only to **help** but also to **uphold** His people with His righteous right hand [[Isaiah 41:10]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H5826}}` is significant, defining the relationship between God and humanity.
* **Divine Intervention for the Helpless:** God’s help is characteristically extended to the powerless and needy. Asa's prayer acknowledges that it is nothing for the LORD to **help** those with no power [[2 Chronicles 14:11]], and He is portrayed as the one who will deliver the needy who have no **helper** [[Psalms 72:12]].
* **The Futility of Misplaced Trust:** Scripture consistently contrasts the reliable help of God with the failure of human systems. Aid from powerful nations like Egypt is deemed useless [[Isaiah 30:7]], and alliances with the ungodly are condemned [[2 Chronicles 19:2]]. Ultimately, those who look to man for help risk falling together [[Isaiah 31:3]].
* **Help as a Response to Faith:** Divine aid is frequently conditional on trust and crying out to God. The people were **helped** in battle because they "cried to God" and "put their trust in him" [[1 Chronicles 5:20]]. David’s personal testimony is that he "trusted in him, and I am **helped**" [[Psalms 28:7]].
* **A Foundational Promise:** God’s identity as a helper is a cornerstone of His covenant. The repeated assurance, "I will **help** thee" ([[Isaiah 41:10]], [[Isaiah 41:13]], [[Isaiah 41:14]]), establishes God as the ultimate and faithful source of protection and aid for His people.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5826}}` is more than a simple term for assistance. It is a vital theological concept that illustrates the dynamic between divine power and human weakness. From a literal cry for battlefield support to a profound expression of spiritual reliance, **ʻâzar** defines the nature of God as a protector who surrounds and sustains those who trust in Him, while also serving as a warning against seeking aid from any other source.
TRV