וְחָ֣זְק֔וּ

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 וְחָ֣זְק֔וּ

   ve-khaz-KU

   and will be strengthened
2. clause🔊 וְשָׁמַ֤ע כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ כִּֽי־נִבְאַ֣שְׁתָּ אֶת־אָבִ֔יךָ וְחָ֣זְק֔וּ יְדֵ֖י כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתָּֽךְ׃

   ve-sha-MA kol-yis-ra-EL ki-niv-ASHTA et-a-VI-kha ve-khaz-KU ye-DE kol-a-SHER i-TAKH

   and will hear all Israel that you have made yourself a stench {direct object} your father and will be strengthened the hands of all who with you
3. sentence🔊 וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲחִיתֹ֙פֶל֙ אֶל־אַבְשָׁלֹ֔ם בּ֚וֹא אֶל־פִּלַגְשֵׁ֣י אָבִ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִנִּ֖יחַ לִשְׁמ֣וֹר הַבָּ֑יִת וְשָׁמַ֤ע כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ כִּֽי־נִבְאַ֣שְׁתָּ אֶת־אָבִ֔יךָ וְחָ֣זְק֔וּ יְדֵ֖י כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתָּֽךְ׃

   va-YO-mer a-khi-TO-fel el-av-sha-LOM BO el-pi-lag-SHE a-VI-kha a-SHER hi-NI-akh lish-MOR ha-BA-yit ve-sha-MA kol-yis-ra-EL ki-niv-ASHTA et-a-VI-kha ve-khaz-KU ye-DE kol-a-SHER i-TAKH

   and he said Ahithophel to Absalom go in to the concubines of your father which he left to keep the house and will hear all Israel that you have made yourself a stench {direct object} your father and will be strengthened the hands of all who with you

Exegesis

The vav-consecutive Qal perfect wəḥāzqū yədēy kol-ʾăšer ʾittāḵ {וְחָזְקוּ יְדֵ֖י כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתָּֽךְ | wəḥāzqū yədēy kol-ʾăšer ʾittāḵ} conveys the strengthening of his supporters. The Hebrew clause order—command, justification, consequence—is preserved to maintain the rhetorical force of the counsel.

Root and etymology

ḥ–z–q🔊 ח־ז־ק

“to be strong, strengthen”

• 🔊 חִזּוּקḥizzūqstrengtheningIsaiah 35:3