📖 Biblical Definition
"Be strong" is the divine command to take courageous strength — given as preparation for the conquest of Canaan and repeated as the perpetual call to spiritual warfare. The LORD spoke it to Joshua three times in a single chapter: "Be strong and of a good courage... Only be thou strong and very courageous... Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest" (Joshua 1:6, 7, 9). Strength in Scripture is rarely raw; it is courage rooted in God’s presence and command. Paul echoes the call: "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong" (1 Corinthians 16:13; cf. Ephesians 6:10).
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
Divine charge to courageous strength rooted in His presence.
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The Hebrew chazaq — be strong — appears three times in Joshua 1 (vv 6, 7, 9) as YHWH's preparing charge for the conquest. Strength in Scripture is courage with content: rooted in God's presence ("the LORD thy God is with thee"), grounded in His word ("do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left"), oriented toward action ("go in unto Canaan"). Paul renews the charge in 1 Cor 16:13 ("be strong").
📖 Key Scripture
Joshua 1:9 — "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."
Deuteronomy 31:6 — "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee."
1 Corinthians 16:13 — "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Modern "be strong" is often raw self-reliance; biblical strength is courage rooted in God's presence and command.
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Modern strength-talk is often individualistic and raw: tough it out, push through, you've got this. Biblical strength is different: rooted in His presence, oriented by His word, directed toward His call. "Be strong and of a good courage" is followed immediately by "for the LORD thy God is with thee."
Recover the for-clause: strength has a source. Without it, the command is hollow.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Hebrew chazaq.
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['Hebrew', 'H2388', 'chazaq', 'to be strong, courageous']
Usage
"Be strong and of a good courage."
"Strength has a source: His presence."
"Quit you like men; be strong."