The verb chazaq is quite common in the OT, being used some 291 times. The basic meaning of this word relates to the ideas of strength, to be(come) strong, to make strong, to strengthen oneself or to take courage, and to seize (Weber, 1980, p. 276; see also The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, abbreviated HALOT, 1994, pp. 302-03). It often occurs for being strong in battle or warfare. The particular usage of the term related to this study is found in 2 Kings 4:8, "Now there came a day when Elisha passed over to Shunem, where there was a prominent woman, and she persuaded (chazaq) him to eat food" (Scripture quotations are from NASB unless otherwise noted). One Hebrew lexicon renders the word "prevail upon to" in this text (BDB, 1977, p. 305). Another lexicon focuses on the ideas of "seize, grasp," and concerning 2 Kings 4:8 says it has the emphasis "to urge" (HALOT, 1994, p. 303). The term, therefore, stresses how the woman of Shunem with great determination "seizes" Elisha with her persuasive words to accomplish her goal to have him remain with them. The principle of persuasion emphasized here is: be determined to accomplish your goal.

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The verb sooth occurs some eighteen times in the OT. Patterson observes that in the majority of its uses "the verb has an evil connotation," and that "there is also the underlying idea of cunningness in this root" (TWOT, 1980, p. 621). The verb is instructive, however, in its use in 2 Kings 18:32 (and the parallel texts of 2 Chron. 32:11, 15; Isa. 36:18) in Rabshakeh's speech at the wall of Jerusalem warning the Jews that Assyria would certainly defeat them, and that they should "hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver you" (AV). The NASB and the NIV both use "mislead" instead of "persuade" in this text (see also HALOT, 1995, p. 749). From Rabshakeh's perspective, Hezekiah was being cunning and evil in his intentions, since his "ideas reflect a polytheistic and pagan concept of God" (Constable, 1985, p. 575). However, from God's perspective, Hezekiah's persuasive appeals to his people were appropriate and godly. A principle to be gleaned here concerning persuasion is: the motive behind persuasion must be godly even if misunderstood by people.

The next OT verb to examine is pahtzar, which only occurs seven times in Scripture. The word's basic meaning is to "push, press" (BDB, 1977, p. 823). It is used in a physical sense in Genesis 19:9 as the men of Sodom "pressed hard (pahtzar) against Lot and came near to break the door" seeking to attack the "men" (angels) who were with Lot. The word is used more frequently in a metaphorical sense of "urge," or pressing upon someone by means of persuasive words (HALOT, 1996, p. 954). This is its usage in Genesis 19:3 when Lot "urged" the angels to stay with him, and in 33:11 when Jacob "urged" Esau to take his gift of animals (cf. also Judg. 19:7; 2 Ki. 2:17; 5:16). Concerning this word's use in Genesis 19:3, Wenham asserts, "Perhaps here 'he twisted their arm' would be an equivalent English idiom" (Wenham, 1994, p. 54). The persuasion principle gleaned from this word is: be persistent until your goal is reached.