זָכַר
Properly, to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember ; by implication, to mention ; to be male
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
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Canonical witness: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
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What does זָכַר (zakar) mean in the Bible?
זָכַר (zakar) is a Hebrew word meaning "properly, to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember ; by implication, to mention ; to be male". properly, to mark (so as to be recognized), i. Nehemiah’s appeal for remembrance entrusts reform to God’s righteous acknowledgment. This term runs through the canonical themes of Covenant, Faith, Justice.
Meaning
Remember as active marking and recognition; foundational to covenant faithfulness and God's sustained commitment to His people.
properly, to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember; by implication, to mention; to be male BDB: remember Usage: × burn (incense), × earnestly, be male, (make) mention (of), be mindful, recount, record(-er), remember, make to be remembered, bring (call, come, keep, put) to (in) remembrance, × still, think on, × well.
Why This Word Matters
Nehemiah’s appeal for remembrance entrusts reform to God’s righteous acknowledgment. Isaiah 43:22-28
Remembering the Lord reorients fear toward faith. Covenant remembrance fuels courage in the face of threat. Isaiah 44:21-23
Nehemiah entrusts His work to God’s remembrance, reinforcing that divine evaluation outweighs human recognition. Nehemiah 13:10-14
God’s refusal to remember sin highlights covenant mercy. Nehemiah 4:1-14
Calls God’s people to live in light of redeemed identity. Nehemiah 5:14-19
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 115×
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 24×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 18×
Biblical Occurrences
Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.
Old Testament Witnesses
Showing 8 of 235 occurrences in the biblical text.
Appears In
Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.