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יָקָר

𐤉𐤒𐤓

yâqâr

H3368 adjective

SILEX Entry

Definition

Valuable, precious, or esteemed—something (object, person, or quality) regarded as having high worth, rarity, or importance. May refer to material value (precious stones, costly goods), personal qualities (honor, esteem), or social standing (high status, renown).

Semantic Range

precious, valuable, esteemed, costly, honored, rare, respected, excellent, high in status, dear

Root / Etymology

Root: יקר (y-q-r), 'to be heavy, precious, honored.' יָקָר is an adjective/occasionally noun formed from this root, reflecting that which is highly valued. The root meaning involves weight (symbolizing value), which semantically broadens to denote worthiness, rarity, and esteem.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Throughout the Hebrew Bible, יָקָר is applied both to material objects (e.g., precious stones in priestly vestments [Exodus 30:15], costly goods [Proverbs 3:15]) and to abstract qualities such as honor, respect, and personal value (e.g., Isaiah 43:4; 1 Samuel 3:1). The term frequently marks a distinction between the ordinary and the exceptional. In monarchic and exilic periods, יָקָר can indicate both tangible and intangible types of value (e.g., honor accorded to persons of high social or religious standing). English translations may narrow its sense to 'precious' or 'honorable,' but the term is broader, embracing subjective esteem and objective worth, including social standing and rarity. The word draws semantic contrast with חול (ḥol—common), and sometimes with קל (qal—lightweight, insignificant), especially when discussing people or materials of varying status or worth. Later Jewish literature and modern Hebrew often use יָקָר in the sense of 'dear' or 'expensive,' influenced by these biblical nuances.

Translation Consistency

primary "precious" 32 occurrences

Most common and natural English rendering (30 of 36 occurrences). 'Precious' covers the full SILEX range—material worth (costly, rare), personal worth (esteemed, dear), and high regard—while remaining concise and idiomatic. It keeps translation consistent and readable across all forms; rarer senses (e.g., 'high status') can be handled by context or minor modifiers rather than changing the base word.

Alternatives (4 occurrences):
"rare" (1x) "preciousness of" (1x) "like preciousness of" (1x) "precious-of" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from יָקַר; valuable (objectively or subjectively); brightness, clear, costly, excellent, fat, honourable women, precious, reputation.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

יקָר (yâqâr) — to be heavy, to be valuable, to be esteemed

Root יקָר to be heavy, to be valuable, to be esteemed

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H3368-06 יְקָרָ֔ה yeqarah HAafsa precious precious precious 16
H3368-04 יָקָר֙ yaqar HAamsa precious valuable precious 10
H3368-07 יְקָר֛וֹת yeqarot HAafpa costly precious ones precious ones 5
H3368-01 בְּ/יִקְּרוֹתֶ֑י/ךָ beyiqeroteykha HR/Aafpc/Sp2ms among your honorable women your precious ones in your precious ones 1
H3368-02 הַ/יְקָרִ֔ים hayeqarim HTd/Aampa the precious the precious ones the precious ones 1
H3368-03 כִּ/יקַ֣ר kiqar HR/Aamsc like glory-of precious-of like preciousness of 1
H3368-05 יְקַר yeqar HAamsc precious precious-of precious-of 1
H3368-08 יִקְרַת֙ yiqerat HNcfsc precious preciousness of preciousness of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

36 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H3368-04 1 Samuel 3:1 יָקָר֙ yaqar HAamsa rare valuable rare
H3368-06 2 Samuel 12:30 יְקָרָ֔ה yeqarah HAafsa precious precious precious
H3368-07 1 Kings 5:31 יְקָר֛וֹת yeqarot HAafpa costly precious ones precious ones
H3368-07 1 Kings 7:9 יְקָרֹת֙ yeqarot HAafpa costly precious ones precious ones
H3368-07 1 Kings 7:10 יְקָר֖וֹת yeqarot HAafpa costly precious ones precious ones
H3368-07 1 Kings 7:11 יְקָר֛וֹת yeqarot HAafpa costly precious ones precious ones
H3368-06 1 Kings 10:2 יְקָרָ֑ה yeqarah HAafsa precious precious precious
H3368-06 1 Kings 10:10 יְקָרָ֑ה yeqarah HAafsa stones precious precious
H3368-06 1 Kings 10:11 יְקָרָֽה yeqarah HAafsa precious precious precious
H3368-08 Isaiah 28:16 יִקְרַת֙ yiqerat HNcfsc precious preciousness of preciousness of
H3368-04 Jeremiah 15:19 יָקָ֛ר yaqar HAamsa precious valuable precious
H3368-06 Ezekiel 27:22 יְקָרָה֙ yeqarah HAafsa precious precious precious
H3368-06 Ezekiel 28:13 יְקָרָ֤ה yeqarah HAafsa precious precious precious
H3368-07 Zechariah 14:6 יְקָר֖וֹת yeqarot HAafpa precious things precious ones precious ones
H3368-04 Psalms 36:8 יָּקָ֥ר yaqar HAamsa precious valuable precious
H3368-03 Psalms 37:20 כִּ/יקַ֣ר kiqar HR/Aamsc like glory-of precious-of like preciousness of
H3368-01 Psalms 45:10 בְּ/יִקְּרוֹתֶ֑י/ךָ beyiqeroteykha HR/Aafpc/Sp2ms among your honorable women your precious ones in your precious ones
H3368-04 Psalms 116:15 יָ֭קָר yaqar HAamsa precious valuable precious
H3368-04 Proverbs 1:13 יָקָ֣ר yaqar HAamsa precious valuable precious
H3368-06 Proverbs 3:15 יְקָ֣רָה yeqarah HAafsa more precious precious precious
H3368-06 Proverbs 6:26 יְקָרָ֣ה yeqarah HAafsa precious precious precious
H3368-04 Proverbs 12:27 יָקָ֣ר yaqar HAamsa precious valuable precious
H3368-05 Proverbs 17:27 יְקַר yeqar HAamsc precious precious-of precious-of
H3368-04 Proverbs 24:4 יָקָ֣ר yaqar HAamsa precious valuable precious
H3368-04 Job 28:16 יָקָ֣ר yaqar HAamsa precious valuable precious
H3368-04 Job 31:26 יָקָ֥ר yaqar HAamsa precious valuable precious
H3368-02 Lamentations 4:2 הַ/יְקָרִ֔ים hayeqarim HTd/Aampa the precious the precious ones the precious ones
H3368-04 Ecclesiastes 10:1 יָקָ֛ר yaqar HAamsa precious valuable precious
H3368-06 Daniel 11:38 יְקָרָ֖ה yeqarah HAafsa precious precious precious
H3368-06 1 Chronicles 20:2 יְקָרָ֔ה yeqarah HAafsa precious precious precious
H3368-06 1 Chronicles 29:2 יְקָרָ֛ה yeqarah HAafsa precious precious precious
H3368-06 2 Chronicles 3:6 יְקָרָ֖ה yeqarah HAafsa precious precious precious
H3368-06 2 Chronicles 9:1 יְקָרָ֑ה yeqarah HAafsa precious precious precious
H3368-06 2 Chronicles 9:9 יְקָרָ֑ה yeqarah HAafsa precious precious precious
H3368-06 2 Chronicles 9:10 יְקָרָֽה yeqarah HAafsa precious precious precious
H3368-06 2 Chronicles 32:27 יְקָרָ֗ה yeqarah HAafsa precious precious precious
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