אחז

Hebrew

Root
א־ח־ז (ʾ-kh-z)
5 terms

Etymology

Cognate with Arabic أَخَذَ (ʔaḵaḏa).

Pronunciation

• (Modern Israeli Hebrew) IPA^(key): /aˈχaz/
• (Mizrahi Hebrew) IPA^(key): /aˈħaz/

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

אָחַז • (akház) (pa'al construction, infinitive לאחוז / לֶאֱחֹז, future יֹאחַז, imperative אחוז / אֱחֹז, passive participle אָחוּז, passive counterpart נֶאֱחַז)

1. to hold [with בְּ־]
   • Tanach, Exodus 4:4, with translation of the King James Version:

     שְׁלַח יָדְךָ וֶאֱחֹז בִּזְנָבוֹ

     shlákh yadkhá ve'echóz biznavó

     Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail.

2. to grab, grasp
3. to take, to adopt (measures, actions)

Usage notes

• For the meaning "to hold", אחז is considered formal compared with החזיק.
• For the meaning "to grab, grasp", אחז denotes grabbing normally, while לפת denotes grasping tightly or forcefully. חבק denotes grabbing and holding close to one's torso, as if hugging (see also: חיבק).
• For the meaning "to take, adopt" the verb נקט is more commonly used today.

Conjugation

Conjugation of אָחַז (see also Appendix:Hebrew verbs)

non-finite forms		to-infinitive		לאחוז / לֶאֱחֹז
		action noun		אֲחִיזָה
		passive participle		אָחוּז
finite forms		singular		plural
		m	f	m	f
past	first	אָחַזְתִּי		אָחַזְנוּ
	second	אָחַזְתָּ	אָחַזְתְּ	אֲחַזְתֶּם1	אֲחַזְתֶּן1
	third	אָחַז	אָחֲזָה	אָחֲזוּ
present		אוֹחֵז	אוֹחֶזֶת	אוֹחֲזִים	אוֹחֲזוֹת
future	first	אוחז / אֹחַז		נֹאחַז
	second	תֹּאחַז	תֹּאחֲזִי	תֹּאחֲזוּ	תֹּאחַזְנָה2
	third	יֹאחַז	תֹּאחַז	יֹאחֲזוּ	תֹּאחַזְנָה2
imperative		אחוז / אֱחֹז	אֶחֱזִי	אֶחֱזוּ	אחוזנה / אֱחֹזְנָה2

¹ Pronounced אָחַזְתֶּם and אָחַזְתֶּן in informal Modern Hebrew.
² Rare in Modern Hebrew.

Synonyms

• (hold): החזיק
• (grab, grasp): לפת, חבק
• (take, adopt): נקט

Proper noun

אָחָז • (akház) m

1. a male given name, Ahaz
2. (biblical) Ahaz (a king of Judah mentioned in the book of Kings)

References

• H271 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible

Further reading

• אחז on the Hebrew Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^he