Word Studies - Part 1

2 Chronicles 15:7 – But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded. (NKJV)

Strong’s # 2388 hazaq (haw-zak´)


Lexicons/Bible Dictionaries

Strong’s – to fasten upon, to seize, to be strong, courageous, help, fortify, be constant, continue, to encourage, fortify, become mighty, prevail, strengthen oneself, behave valiantly

Vine’s – to be strong or strengthened, to take hold of, describes both physical and moral strength

Word Study (OT) – to be strong, to strengthen, to be courageous, to overpower, used to express the strength of various phenomena such as the severity of a famine, or the strength of humans to overpower each other

Brown-Driver-Briggs – be or grow firm, strong, strengthen

NIV Hebrew – to be strong, to repair, to establish oneself firmly, to encourage, to rally strength, physical and internal strength

NASB Hebrew – to be or grow strong or firm, strengthened

NIDOTTE – be strong, support, seize


Translations

KJV – Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.

NASB95 – But you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is reward for your work.

ESV – But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.

NLT – And now, you men of Judah, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded.

AMP – Be strong, therefore, and let not your hands be weak and slack, for your work shall be rewarded.

NIV – But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.

MSG – But it’s different with you: Be strong. Take heart. Payday is coming!

NRSV – But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.

Darby – But as for you, be firm and let not your hands be weak; for there is a reward for your deeds.

Young’s – and ye, be ye strong, and let not your hands be feeble, for there is a reward for your work.

Commentaries

Wesley – For one to be strong one must maintain the worship of God and root out any idolatry in one’s life. This is the only method for preserving one’s self from the calamities that face all generations.

McGee – As Asa is beginning to turn to God, the prophet is offering encouragement to him. After explaining why they had so many problems in the past, this verse offers encouragement to continue in seeking the Lord.

Expositor’s – This verse serves the passage of scripture it is in by serving as the prophet’s conclusion, which includes an appeal to the people for a resolute faith. This promise includes the promise of a reward from God.

Selman – The prophet is encouraging Asa to remain strong in his search for the Lord as seeking the Lord earnestly and wholeheartedly is a work that is rewarded.

Cambridge Bible – The prophet is warning Asa to not be slack in his search for the Lord, but to strengthen himself and continue.

International Critical – Asa was being encouraged to continue in the reforms that He had started, and to not follow in the path of Israel.

Word – This verse is emphasizing the victory that God can gives to even the weakest army against the strongest. Therefore the strength is not in military numbers, but in the Lord God Himself.

Word Application

The command to be strong in this verse is much more than a command to maintain military might, or to continue resolutely in the face of opposition. This is a command to remain resolute in searching for the Lord as when one searches for the Lord wholeheartedly one is rewarded with the reward that surpasses all others, with the Lord Himself. While this command was specific to Asa regarding his search for the Lord, and his commitment to reform the nation from being idolatrous to once again seeking the true God, it also holds true for believers today. The Lord is not some vindictive or manipulative God who hides from those who seriously, faithfully, and wholeheartedly seek Him. The Lord rewards those who seek Him by allowing them to find Him.
While the search for the Lord is most often conducted through prayer, worship, as well as the study of and meditation on scriptures, an important part of seeking the Lord is removing that which opposes Him in one’s life. In current culture there are many things that establish themselves as idols within one’s life from the obvious such as occult and new age religions to the less obvious like the quest for possessions and success, yet both categories are insidious.
When one seeks the Lord one finds that the Lord is the source of all one needs. The military leaders and kings of Israel and Judah who were faithful to the Lord found that He was more powerful than even the most overwhelming military force. Even though the battles most believers face today are not military in form, this concept still holds true. If one seek the Lord as one’s only source of strength one will find more strength in the Lord than in any other source.