תְּקוּמָה
resistfulness
Definition
The Hebrew noun תְּקוּמָה (tᵉqûwmâh) refers to the capacity or power to stand firm, particularly in the face of opposition or adversity. Its primary sense is 'resistfulness' or the ability to maintain one's position. In its sole biblical occurrence in Leviticus 26:37, it describes a complete loss of this power, a state of utter inability to stand against an enemy. The word implies a foundational strength or stability that can be present or catastrophically absent.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Leviticus 26:37, within the context of the covenant curses. It describes the debilitating fear and weakness that will overcome the Israelites if they break God's covenant, rendering them powerless to resist their pursuers. The usage is specific to a theological warning about the consequences of disobedience, depicting a total collapse of national and personal resilience.
Etymology
תְּקוּמָה is a noun derived from the common Hebrew root קוּם (qûm, H6965), meaning 'to arise,' 'to stand up,' or 'to establish.' The noun form carries the abstract sense of 'a standing' or 'the condition of being able to stand.' It is related to other words from this root that convey concepts of rising, confirmation, and establishment.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it vividly illustrates a core principle of the Mosaic covenant: security and strength are contingent upon faithfulness to God. The loss of תְּקוּמָה is not merely a military defeat but a divine judgment that strips away the fundamental capacity for resistance, showing that true resilience flows from obedience. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of Leviticus 26 by highlighting that the ultimate curse is the removal of God-given stability, making the people utterly vulnerable.
In an ancient Near Eastern context, a nation's 'power to stand' was synonymous with its military viability, social cohesion, and divine favor. The loss of this capacity, as threatened in Leviticus, meant becoming like a scattered, fleeing people with no defense—a fate worse than death for a community whose identity was tied to land and covenant. It signified total societal collapse and shame.
כֹּחַ (kôach, H3581) — general term for 'strength' or 'power,' broader than the specific capacity to resist. עֹז (`ôz, H5797) — often 'might' or 'strength,' particularly in a defensive or triumphant context. מָעוֹז (mā`ôz, H4581) — a 'fortress' or 'stronghold,' the place from which one stands firm.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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