Properly, to scrutinize , i.e. look intently at; hence (with recognition implied), to acknowledge , be acquainted with , care for , respect , revere , or (with suspicion implied), to disregard , ignore , be strange toward, reject , resign , dissimulate (as if ignorant or disowning)
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The Hebrew verb nakar describes attentive recognition and the conduct that follows it. Jacob examines Joseph's robe and recognizes it, Judah recognizes his own seal and acknowledges that Tamar is more righteous than he is, and Joseph recognizes his brothers while deliberately treating them as strangers.
Reader summary
Full entry for נָכַר (H5234) · Open the biblical lexicon
The Hebrew verb nakar describes attentive recognition and the conduct that follows it. Jacob examines Joseph's robe and recognizes it, Judah recognizes his own seal and acknowledges that Tamar is more righteous than he is, and Joseph recognizes his brothers while deliberately treating them as strangers.
The BSB source-word alignment has 49 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include recognized (5), recognize him (2), To show partiality (2), . . . (1), a foreign (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 27:23. Its strongest book concentrations include Genesis (10), Job (8), Deuteronomy (5), 1 Kings (4).
The Hebrew verb nakar describes attentive recognition and the conduct that follows it. Jacob examines Joseph's robe and recognizes it, Judah recognizes his own seal and acknowledges that Tamar is more righteous than he is, and Joseph recognizes his brothers while deliberately treating them as strangers. The same verb can address impartial judgment, noticing a foreigner, concealing hostility, or the anguish of being left without anyone who cares.
Context therefore decides whether scrutiny leads to truth, accountability, welcome, partiality, disguise, or disregard. Responsible teaching does not equate recognition with infallible intuition. It asks what evidence is present, who has power, whether a person is being heard fairly, and what action follows the perception. The word can invite honest self-recognition and attentive care, but it must not justify profiling, suspicion without evidence, favoritism, forced disclosure, or blaming a deceived or neglected person for another's conduct.
Nakar moves from identifying people or objects to discerning conduct, acknowledging responsibility, showing regard, withholding partiality, disguising hostility, or treating a known person as a stranger. Each narrative supplies the evidence and moral direction.
They sent the robe of many colors to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe or not.”
The brothers demand that Jacob examine the robe while concealing the violence and deception behind its presentation.
Judah recognized the items and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not have relations with her again.
Judah recognizes his possessions and allows the evidence to expose his failure toward Tamar.
And when Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them as strangers and spoke harshly to them. “Where have you come from?” he asked. “From the land of Canaan,” they replied. “We are here to buy food.”
Joseph recognizes his brothers yet adopts the posture of a stranger and speaks harshly during the encounter.
Show no partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be intimidated by anyone, for judgment belongs to God. And bring to me any case too difficult for you, and I will hear it.”
Israel's judges must not recognize status as a reason for partial treatment but must hear small and great alike.
At this, she fell on her face, bowing low to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you should take notice of me, even though I am a foreigner?”
Ruth marvels that Boaz has noticed her with favor even though she is a foreigner in a vulnerable position.
A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.
Proverbs warns that hateful intent can be disguised through speech while deceit remains stored within the heart.
Look to my right and see; no one attends to me. There is no refuge for me; no one cares for my soul.
The psalmist laments that no person notices his plight, offers refuge, or attends to his endangered life.
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.
Hebrew word. Intense scrutiny that leads either to recognition and respect, or deliberate disregard and estrangement.
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 5 selected witnesses from 50 lexical occurrence verses.
נָכַר 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.
Nakar joins perception to moral responsibility without making perception mechanically reliable. In Genesis 37, the brothers manipulate an object and a question so that Jacob will draw the conclusion they want; recognition occurs inside a deception engineered by others. In Genesis 38, recognizable objects instead bring Judah to an honest confession about his treatment of Tamar.
Joseph's recognition in Genesis 42 does not immediately disclose identity, so the narrative must govern how his temporary estrangement is assessed. Deuteronomy turns the same lexical field toward public justice: judges must not let rank determine whose account receives weight. Ruth's question highlights welcome across an ethnic and social boundary, while Psalm 142 gives voice to someone who feels unseen and without refuge.
Proverbs warns that polished speech may conceal hateful intent. Across these settings, faithful discernment gathers evidence, hears people fairly, remains open to correction, and measures recognition by truthful and protective conduct. It neither treats first impressions as revelation nor demands that vulnerable people prove their worth before receiving attention and safety.
Gen.38.26
Nakar is a Hebrew verb whose stems and syntax can express recognizing, examining, acknowledging, regarding, disguising oneself, or treating another as unfamiliar. The object, social setting, and resulting action distinguish perception from partiality, welcome, concealment, or estrangement.
The New Testament likewise joins discernment to evidence, impartiality, hospitality, and accountable fruit. Jesus warns against judgment by appearance, James condemns favoritism toward the wealthy, and churches are told to test claims while welcoming people without making suspicion or status the controlling rule.