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In the famous phrase: חזק חזק ונתחזק

What exactly does the word נתחזק v’nitchazek/v’nitchazak mean?

I’ve seen different translations like: “may we be strenghtened” “ let us be strenghtened” “ les us strengthen one another (i.e. eachother)”

What does this word imply? And who does the strenghtening (we ourselves, another, HaShem)? Or by what are we strenghtened?

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  • related judaism.stackexchange.com/q/6170/759
    – Double AA ♦
    May 14, 2018 at 15:41
  • I grew up with the Hertz Chumash, and "Be strong, be strong, and let us strengthen each other" seems like an authentic great way to end each Book since time immemorial. Just good stuff!
    – Gary
    May 14, 2018 at 16:43
  • @Gary I like the idea of ‘be strong’ and ‘may we be strenghtened’ because it would mean it’s about a interaction/relation or better said interplay between us and HaShem.
    – Levi
    May 14, 2018 at 18:16

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In שמואל ב פרק-י the term appears when יוֹאָב split the army and gave half to אַבְשַׁי to attack from another side. He says to אַבְשַׁי the same words: חֲזַק וְנִתְחַזַּק.

The Metzudos says that it means:
"You strengthen yourself and we shall strengthen ourselves too".

י} וְאֵת יֶתֶר הָעָם נָתַן בְּיַד אַבְשַׁי אָחִיו וַיַּעֲרֹךְ לִקְרַאת בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן:‏
יא} וַיֹּאמֶר אִם תֶּחֱזַק אֲרָם מִמֶּנִּי וְהָיִתָה לִּי לִישׁוּעָה וְאִם בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן יֶחֱזְקוּ מִמְּךָ וְהָלַכְתִּי לְהוֹשִׁיעַ לָךְ:‏
יב} חֲזַק וְנִתְחַזַּק בְּעַד עַמֵּנוּ וּבְעַד עָרֵי אֱ-לֹקינוּ וַה' יַעֲשֶׂה הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינָיו: ‏

מצודת דוד חזק ונתחזק. חזק אתה והעם אשר עמך, וגם אנו נתחזק.‏

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