זָכַר
𐤆𐤊𐤓
zâkar
H2142 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To call to mind or remember (something or someone), to think of, recall, or bring to awareness; also, to make mention of, recount, or commemorate; occasionally, to act upon what is remembered. The word can refer to active remembrance in ritual or prayer, verbal mention in speech, or inner recollection. In pi‘el and hiph‘il stems, also refers to causing to be remembered, public commemoration, or record-keeping. Lexically distinct from the related nominal form זָכָר (zâkâr, 'male'), but shares the root as a denominative in a few rare cases.
Semantic Range
to remember, to recall, to bring to mind, to mention, to make a record, to commemorate, to be mindful, to be remembered (passive), to invoke, to act in response to remembrance
Root / Etymology
From the root זָכַר (z-k-r), which denotes the notion 'to remember, recall, record'. The nominal form זָכָר (zâkâr) means 'male', possibly originating from early associations with commemoration or marking. The verb usually expresses an action of the mind (remembering), speech (mentioning), or public ritual (commemorating). A few uses are denominative from the noun, but the main verb is not limited to gendered meaning. Phonologically, corresponds with Northwest Semitic cognates (Ugaritic dkr, Akkadian zakāru) meaning 'to remember, mention'.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Throughout the Hebrew Bible, זָכַר predominantly describes the act of remembering, both by individuals and by the deity, ranging from simple recollection to covenantal acts where remembrance leads to action (e.g., divine remembrance leads to deliverance or judgment). In ritual contexts, to 'mention' someone's name is to invoke or remember them publically, often in liturgical or official settings (cf. memorial offerings, record-keeping). The verb distinguishes itself from synonyms such as שָׁכַח (shakach, 'to forget') and נָכַר (nākhar, 'to recognize'), by emphasizing inner recollection or public memorization rather than mere recognition or absence of memory. Occasionally, in Later Biblical Hebrew and cognate languages, the root can be extended metaphorically to mean 'to consider', 'to be mindful of', or 'to make oneself known'. English translations as 'to remember' or 'to make mention of' generally capture the core meaning, but sometimes fail to convey the fullness of ritual, legal, or commemorative overtones present in Hebrew usage.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; also as denominative from זָכָר; properly, to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember; by implication, to mention; to be male; [idiom] burn (incense), [idiom] earnestly, be male, (make) mention (of), be mindful, recount, record(-er), remember, make to be remembered, bring (call, come, keep, put) to (in) remembrance, [idiom] still, think on, [idiom] well.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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זכר (z-k-r) — to remember, to mention, to recall, to commemorate
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1798 | דְּכַר | male rams |
| H2138 | זָכוּר | her male |
| H2139 | זַכּוּר | and Remembered-one |
| H2143 | זֵכֶר | for remembrance of |
| H2144 | זֶכֶר | and Zeker |
Word Forms
82 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2142-78 |
זְכֹ֡ר | zekhor | HVqv2ms |
Remember | Remember! | 18 |
H2142-64 |
זָכַ֧ר | zakhar | HVqp3ms |
remembered | male | 12 |
H2142-73 |
זְכָר | zekhar | HVqv2ms |
remember | remember! | 11 |
H2142-68 |
זָֽכְרָ֣ה | zakherah | HVqp3fs |
remember | she remembered | 9 |
H2142-71 |
זָכ֞וֹר | zakhor | HVqa |
remember | remembering | 8 |
H2142-37 |
תִּזְכֹּ֗ר | tizekor | HVqi2ms |
remember | you will remember | 8 |
H2142-47 |
וַ/יִּזְכֹּ֤ר | vayizekor | HC/Vqw3ms |
and remembered | and he remembered | 8 |
H2142-51 |
וְ/זָכַרְתָּ֗ | vezakhareta | HC/Vqq2ms |
and you shall remember | and you will remember | 8 |
H2142-80 |
זִכְרוּ | zikheru | HVqv2mp |
Remember | Remember, you men | 7 |
H2142-67 |
זָכַ֤רְתִּי | zakhareti | HVqp1cs |
I remember | I remembered | 7 |
Occurrences in Scripture
235 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2142-47 |
Genesis 8:1 | וַ/יִּזְכֹּ֤ר | vayizekor | HC/Vqw3ms |
and remembered | and he remembered |
H2142-53 |
Genesis 9:15 | וְ/זָכַרְתִּ֣י | vezakhareti | HC/Vqq1cs |
and I will remember | and I remembered |
H2142-21 |
Genesis 9:16 | לִ/זְכֹּר֙ | lizekor | HR/Vqc |
to remember | to remember |
H2142-47 |
Genesis 19:29 | וַ/יִּזְכֹּ֥ר | vayizekor | HC/Vqw3ms |
and remembered | and he remembered |
H2142-47 |
Genesis 30:22 | וַ/יִּזְכֹּ֥ר | vayizekor | HC/Vqw3ms |
remembered | and he remembered |
H2142-76 |
Genesis 40:14 | זְכַרְתַּ֣/נִי | zekharetani | HVqp2ms/Sp1cs |
you remember me | you remembered me |
H2142-48 |
Genesis 40:14 | וְ/הִזְכַּרְתַּ֨/נִי֙ | vehizekaretani | HC/Vhq2ms/Sp1cs |
and mention me | and you caused me to be remembered |
H2142-64 |
Genesis 40:23 | זָכַ֧ר | zakhar | HVqp3ms |
remember | male |
H2142-23 |
Genesis 41:9 | מַזְכִּ֥יר | mazekir | HVhrmsa |
remember | the one who causes remembrance |
H2142-47 |
Genesis 42:9 | וַ/יִּזְכֹּ֣ר | vayizekor | HC/Vqw3ms |
remembered | and he remembered |