To stand , in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)
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עָמַד (amad) is a Hebrew verb for standing, stopping, remaining, taking a position, enduring, or serving before someone. Genesis 24:30 describes Abraham's servant standing by the camels, Exodus 18:13 says the people stood around Moses for judgment, and Joshua 3:17 says the priests stood on dry ground in the Jordan while Israel crossed.
Reader summary
Full entry for עָמַד (H5975) · Open the biblical lexicon
עָמַד (amad) is a Hebrew verb for standing, stopping, remaining, taking a position, enduring, or serving before someone. Genesis 24:30 describes Abraham's servant standing by the camels, Exodus 18:13 says the people stood around Moses for judgment, and Joshua 3:17 says the priests stood on dry ground in the Jordan while Israel crossed.
The BSB source-word alignment has 522 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include stood (40), and stood (29), stand (27), standing (25), . . . (13).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 18:8. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Chronicles (51), Daniel (43), Ezekiel (36), Psalms (32).
This entry includes 2 verse guides that explain exact original-language forms in context.
עָמַד (amad) is a Hebrew verb for standing, stopping, remaining, taking a position, enduring, or serving before someone. Genesis 24:30 describes Abraham's servant standing by the camels, Exodus 18:13 says the people stood around Moses for judgment, and Joshua 3:17 says the priests stood on dry ground in the Jordan while Israel crossed. Physical posture, stable location, and continued presence form the ordinary range.
Standing can mark service, mediation, and adjudication. Deuteronomy 5:5 says Moses stood between the Lord and Israel to declare the word, Deuteronomy 10:8 says the Levites stand before the Lord to minister, and Deuteronomy 19:17 requires parties to a dispute to stand before the Lord, priests, and judges. First Kings 10:8 describes servants who continually stand before Solomon and hear his wisdom. In these settings standing before is a role and relationship, not merely body position; it can carry responsibility, access, accountability, and readiness.
Judgment and hope test who or what can remain standing. Psalm 1:1 warns against standing in sinners' way, but Psalm 1:5 uses a different Hebrew verb, H6965, for the wicked not standing in judgment. Psalm 130:3 asks who could stand if the Lord marked iniquities and answers with divine forgiveness. Isaiah 3:13 portrays the Lord standing to judge peoples, Ezekiel 22:30 seeks someone to stand in the breach, and Daniel 12:13 promises Daniel rest and a future standing in his allotted place. These passages do not make human resolve the ground of acceptance; standing depends on context, calling, justice, mercy, and God's action.
Amad moves from bodily standing and stopping to stable presence, official service, legal appearance, endurance, intercession, and eschatological standing. The one before whom a person stands often defines the role.
The people stand around Moses from morning to evening while he judges disputes, prompting Jethro's concern about an unsustainable system.
The Levites are set apart to carry the ark, stand before the Lord to minister, and bless in his name.
Two disputing parties stand before the Lord and the appointed priests and judges for investigation.
The ark-bearing priests stand firmly on dry ground in the Jordan until the whole nation completes the crossing.
Solomon stands before the Lord's altar in front of the assembly and spreads his hands toward heaven in prayer.
Judah receives a specific oracle to take position, stand, and see the Lord's deliverance in a particular military crisis.
The psalm asks who could stand under an exhaustive record of iniquity, then confesses forgiveness with God.
The Lord takes a stand to contend and stands to judge peoples amid an indictment of leaders and exploitation.
God seeks a person to build the wall and stand in the breach for the land but finds no one.
Daniel is told to go to the end, rest, and stand in his allotted place at the end of the days.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Hebrew word. Core stance of presence and stability; foundational to covenant language of standing before God or establishing permanent positions.
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 1 selected witness from 526 lexical occurrence verses.
עָמַד is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Amad can help a congregation distinguish faithful steadiness from stubborn posture. Levites stand to serve, litigants stand for truthful judgment, priests stand while a community crosses, and an intercessor is sought to stand in a breach. Exodus 18 warns that noble service can still become structurally unsustainable; standing all day around one exhausted leader is not a model to preserve.
Psalm 130 dismantles self-righteousness by asking who could stand if iniquities were marked, then grounds reverent hope in forgiveness. Second Chronicles 20's command to stand belongs to a specific oracle and should not be used to discourage necessary action in every crisis. Biblical standing is received vocation and accountable endurance, not bravado or refusal to seek help.
Ps.130.3
H5975 covers bodily standing, remaining, stopping, taking position, presenting oneself, enduring, and serving before. Similar English stand language may translate other Hebrew verbs, including H6965 in Psalm 1:5.
The New Testament speaks of standing in grace, standing firm in faith, standing before judgment, and being raised. Those themes can extend the canonical field while requiring direct attention to their Greek verbs and covenant settings.