עָצוּם (a.tsum)
a.tsum
mighty
H:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 31 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:A
Word Overview
The Hebrew adjective atsum describes something that is mighty, powerful, or vast in number. It functions as a passive participle derived from a root meaning to be strong or robust, and it carries a dual sense of physical force and sheer quantity. In the Old Testament, it frequently modifies armies, peoples, or kings to emphasize their overwhelming strength, as seen when Moses reminds Israel that the nations they are displacing are "too mighty" (Deuteronomy 7:1). The word appears often in Deuteronomy and the Psalms, where it underscores the magnitude of God’s acts or the formidable nature of His opponents.
A notable nuance arises in its application to living creatures. While it typically denotes human or national power, Psalm 10:10 uses a related form to describe the "claws" or "strong members" of a lion, grounding the abstract concept of might in a vivid physical image. Additionally, the term can shift from describing intensity to describing volume, appearing in Joel and Psalms to mean "numerous" or "countless." This reflects a semantic range where great power is inherently linked to great numbers, suggesting that true strength in this context is measured by both capability and scale.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word atsum describes power that is both overwhelming in force and vast in number. When Moses reminded Israel that the nations ahead were too mighty for them, he was not offering despair but a reminder of their own weakness. This contrast highlights a central truth: human strength often reaches its limit where divine purpose begins.
Scripture uses this term to show that true might does not always come from military size or political influence. In Psalms and Prophets, God’s people are reminded that He can turn the small into a strong nation. This offers comfort when you feel outnumbered or outmatched. The same power that moves armies is available to sustain your faith.
When you encounter situations where your own resources seem insufficient, remember that atsum points to a strength beyond human calculation. It invites trust in a God who does not measure success by the size of the army but by the faithfulness of His promises. You are never alone in facing the giants before you.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 31 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- mighty10×
- and/ mighty10×
- numerous2×
- mighty [people]2×
- mighty [ones]1×
- and/ numerous1×
- and/ [are] numerous1×
- among/ mighty [ones]/ his1×
- [is] mighty1×
- [is too] mighty1×
- <the>/ mighty1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- עָצ֥וּם3×
- עָצ֑וּם3×
- וַ/עֲצֻמִ֖ים3×
- וְ/עָצ֖וּם3×
- עָצ֣וּם2×
- עָצ֖וּם2×
- עָצ֔וּם1×
- עֲצוּמִים֮1×
- עֲצוּמִֽים\׃1×
- עֲצוּמִ֣ים1×
- עֲצוּמִ֖ים1×
- עֲצוּמִ֔ים1×
Key Verses
-
Deuteronomy 7:1
When Yahweh your God brings you into the land where you go to possess it, and casts out many nations before you—the Hittite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite—seven nations greater and mightier than you;
This verse establishes the human perspective of overwhelming odds, setting the stage for God's intervention.
-
Numbers 22:6
Please come now therefore, and curse this people for me; for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall prevail, that we may strike them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”
Balak’s admission of fear shows how even enemies recognize the protective power surrounding God’s people.
-
Isaiah 60:22
The little one will become a thousand, and the small one a strong nation. I, Yahweh, will do this quickly in its time.”
Here the word shifts to show God’s ability to transform the weak into a formidable nation through His timing.
-
Joel 1:6
For a nation has come up on my land, strong, and without number. His teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he has the fangs of a lioness.
The description of an army without number illustrates how vastness and strength combine to create awe-inspiring power.