Biblica Analytica

עֹ֫צֶם

o.tsem (H6108)

strength

3 verses 3 books OT 3 / NT 0
AI Word Study

# The Hebrew Word עֹצֶם (Otsem): Strength The Hebrew word *otsem* carries the fundamental meaning of "strength" and appears sparingly in the biblical text, occurring only three times. This limited distribution suggests it functioned as a specialized or emphatic term rather than a common everyday word for power or might. The very rarity of its use may indicate it was reserved for particular contexts where the concept of strength required distinctive expression. Without access to the specific passages where *otsem* appears, the data confirms only that this word belongs to the semantic field of power and vigor. Its three occurrences represent the complete biblical attestation of this particular Hebrew term, making it a minor but real component of biblical vocabulary. The word's existence alongside other Hebrew terms for strength indicates the biblical writers possessed a nuanced vocabulary for discussing power, even if most concepts were expressed through more frequently used alternatives. For readers seeking to understand biblical Hebrew, *otsem* exemplifies how ancient languages often contained multiple words for similar concepts, each with subtle distinctions in usage or emphasis that are now largely obscured by translation into English. The term's scarcity means interpreters cannot easily establish its precise nuances from frequency patterns alone—each of its three occurrences would require careful contextual analysis to fully understand its rhetorical or theological significance.

AI synthesis uses only provided lexicon data -- never training knowledge.

Deuteronomy 8:17

and lest you say in your heart, “My power and the might of my hand has gotten me this wealth.”

Job 30:21

You have turned to be cruel to me. With the might of your hand you persecute me.

Psalms 139:15

My frame wasn’t hidden from you, when I was made in secret, woven together in the depths of the earth.