Lexical Summary chalash: To be weak, to be feeble, to be subdued Original Word: חָלַשׁ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance discomfit, waste away, weaken A primitive root; to prostrate; by implication, to overthrow, decay -- discomfit, waste away, weaken. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to be weak or prostrate NASB Translation lies prostrate (1), overwhelmed (1), weakened (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [חָלַשׁ] verb 1. be weak, prostrate. 2 (si vera lectio) weaken, disable, prostrate (Aramaic חֲלַשׁ be weak; Qal Imperfect וַיַּחֲלשׁ Exodus 17:13, וַיֶּחֱלָ֑שׁ Job 14:10; Participle חוֺלֵשׁ Isaiah 14:12; 1 ׳וגבר ימות ויח Job 14:10 but man dieth and is prostrate. 2 disable, prostrate, followed by accusative of person Exodus 17:13 (E; point as Hiph`il ?); followed by עַל person (strangely) Isaiah 14:12. Topical Lexicon Underlying Concept The verb conveys the act of bringing to a state of weakness, collapse, or prostration. In every occurrence Yahweh remains the ultimate agent who determines when strength is removed and when it is granted. Occurrences 1. Exodus 17:13 – the defeat of Amalek by Joshua. Military Defeat and Spiritual Victory (Exodus 17:13) “So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his army with the edge of the sword.” The first usage stands in the context of Moses’ uplifted hands and intercessory posture. The weakening of Amalek is inseparable from divine intervention, underscoring that spiritual dependence precedes material victory. The passage foreshadows the pattern that God’s people prevail not by numerical or strategic superiority but by trusting obedience. It also anticipates the ultimate defeat of sin and Satan through the uplifted arms of Christ on the cross. Human Frailty and the Certainty of Death (Job 14:10) “But a man dies and is laid low; he breathes his last, and where is he?” Here the verb paints every human as subject to weakening unto death. In Job’s lament the word exposes mankind’s inability to sustain life or secure resurrection. The rest of the canon will answer Job’s question, yet the verse preserves the tension that keeps the reader yearning for redemption. Global Powers Humbled (Isaiah 14:12) “How you have fallen from heaven, O day star, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O destroyer of nations.” The prophet applies the verb to the self-exalting power behind oppressive empires. Whether interpreted as the king of Babylon or the satanic influence energizing him, the text proclaims that all earthly and cosmic rebellion will be brought low. The language echoes later in Revelation 12:9, linking the ancient fall with the final casting down of the dragon. Theological Themes • Sovereign Weakening: God reserves the right to curtail any force—military, human, or demonic—that resists His purposes. Historical and Prophetic Significance The weakening of Amalek emboldened Israel during the wilderness journey, marking a turning point in national identity. Isaiah’s oracle foretold the collapse of Babylon, encouraging exiles that world empires rise and fall at God’s decree. Prophetically, both texts assure believers that every antichrist power will likewise be overthrown at the return of Christ (2 Thessalonians 2:8). Ministry and Practical Implications • Pastoral Care: Job 14:10 legitimizes grief while steering lament toward resurrection hope. Relationship to New Testament Revelation The verb’s motif finds its climax in the paradox of the cross: “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). God’s strategy of overcoming through apparent weakness culminates in the resurrection, where Christ reverses the weakening of death for all who believe. Through these three occurrences Scripture weaves a unified testimony: the Lord alone possesses ultimate strength; all creation, whether human or angelic, will be humbled before Him, and believers must rely on His power made perfect in weakness. Forms and Transliterations וַֽיֶּחֱלָ֑שׁ וַיַּחֲלֹ֧שׁ ויחלש חוֹלֵ֖שׁ חולש choLesh ḥō·w·lêš ḥōwlêš vaiyachaLosh vaiyecheLash way·ya·ḥă·lōš way·ye·ḥĕ·lāš wayyaḥălōš wayyeḥĕlāšLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 17:13 HEB: וַיַּחֲלֹ֧שׁ יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ אֶת־ NAS: So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek KJV: And Joshua discomfited Amalek INT: overwhelmed Joshua Amalek Job 14:10 Isaiah 14:12 3 Occurrences |
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, חַלָּשׁ weak, as in Hebrew; Arabic 
poor (Frey)) —