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נָצַר

𐤍𐤑𐤓

nâtsar

H5341 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To watch over, guard, or keep something with care, maintaining its safety or integrity; in some contexts, to protect or preserve against harm or loss. In other contexts, to observe (regard) or retain (in memory or deed). Occasionally, in negative or ambiguous contexts, to keep secret or conceal. The term can refer to tangible protection (e.g., safeguarding a city, vineyard, or covenant), to personal conduct (keeping commandments or precepts), or to mental/spiritual attentiveness (preserving loyalty or purity).

Semantic Range

to guard or protect (cities, people, possessions), to keep or observe (commandments, promises), to preserve (memory, reputation, purity), to conceal or keep secret, to maintain or retain, to be careful or watchful

Root / Etymology

Root נצר (n-ṣ-r), commonly bearing the core meaning of guarding or keeping. נָצַר directly derives from this root, typically carrying the nuance of deliberate and careful observation or safeguarding. The root overlaps with others like שמר (to keep, watch) but has a tendency toward notions of inner protection or fidelity. Cognates in related Semitic languages, such as Aramaic and Arabic (nṣr, "to protect, help"), support the nuance of intentional guarding or preservation.

Historical & Contextual Notes

נָצַר is primarily used in the Hebrew Bible for the active process of guarding or keeping—whether commandments, trust, or physical entities. It appears notably in contexts describing the observance of divine regulations (e.g., Proverbs 4:13; "keep my instruction"), faithfulness to personal or communal commitments, and tangible protection (e.g., guarding a vineyard, Isaiah 27:3). Unlike שָׁמַר, which often implies watching or custodianship, נָצַר emphasizes care, commitment, and sometimes secrecy. In exilic and post-exilic texts, it can emphasize preservation of identity or tradition under pressure. While some translations use "observe" or "keep," these may not always capture the nuanced sense of devoted protection or internalizing. Later usage and translation traditions sometimes apply the term to spiritual, moral, or doctrinal guardianship, especially in Psalms and Prophets.

Translation Consistency

primary "guard" 13 occurrences

“Guard” best covers the primary, most common sense of נָצַר — to watch over, protect, or keep safe — and aligns with the majority of occurrences (guard/guarded/guarding). It also naturally extends to keeping commandments, preserving reputation/memory, and concealing/holding something back (e.g., guarding a secret), while sounding natural in English and allowing consistent inflection across all word forms.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to guard, in a good sense (to protect, maintain, obey, etc.) or a bad one (to conceal, etc.); besieged, hidden thing, keep(-er, -ing), monument, observe, preserve(-r), subtil, watcher(-man).

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

נצר (nâtsîyr) — to guard, to keep, to watch, to preserve

Root נצר to guard, keep, protect, observe, preserve
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H5336 נָצִיר and preserved ones of
H5342 נֵצֶר like a fresh shoot

Word Forms

39 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H5341-14 נֹצֵ֥ר notser HVqrmsa he who guards guarding one guarding one 8
H5341-10 נְצֹ֥ר netsor HVqv2ms keep Guard! Guard! 4
H5341-17 נוֹצְרִ֖ים notserim HVqrmpa of watchmen guarding ones guarding ones 4
H5341-35 יִנְצֹֽרוּ yinetsoru HVqi3mp keep they will guard they will guard 4
H5341-06 נָצָֽרְתִּי natsareti HVqp1cs I have kept I have guarded I have guarded 3
H5341-22 תִּצֹּ֖ר titsor HVqi2ms guard you will guard you will guard 3
H5341-19 תִּנְצְרֵֽ/נִי tinetsereni HVqi2ms/Sp1cs preserve me you shall guard me you shall guard me 2
H5341-28 וְ/אֶצָּרְ/ךָ֗ veetsarekha HC/Vqi1cs/Sp2ms and-I-will-keep-you and I will guard you and I will guard you 2
H5341-29 וְ/אֶצְּרָ֥ה veetserah HC/Vqh1cs and I will keep and let me guard and let me guard 2
H5341-38 יִצְּר֑וּ/נִי yitseruni HVqi3mp/Sp1cs let-them-encompass-me they guard me they guard me 2

Occurrences in Scripture

63 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H5341-10 Proverbs 6:20 נְצֹ֣ר netsor HVqv2ms keep Guard! Guard!
H5341-24 Proverbs 7:10 וּ/נְצֻ֥רַת unetsurat HC/Vqsfsc and cunning and guarded and guarded
H5341-14 Proverbs 13:3 נֹצֵ֣ר notser HVqrmsa He who guards guarding one guarding one
H5341-22 Proverbs 13:6 תִּצֹּ֣ר titsor HVqi3fs guards you will guard guards
H5341-14 Proverbs 16:17 נֹצֵ֥ר notser HVqrmsa he who guards guarding one guarding one
H5341-37 Proverbs 20:28 יִצְּרוּ yitseru HVqi3mp preserve they guard they guard
H5341-07 Proverbs 22:12 נָ֣צְרוּ natseru HVqp3cp preserve they guarded they have guarded
H5341-23 Proverbs 23:26 תִּצֹּֽרְנָה titsorenah HVqj3fp may they keep may they guard may they guard
H5341-32 Proverbs 24:12 וְ/נֹצֵ֣ר venotser HC/Vqrmsa and who keeps and the one guarding and the one guarding
H5341-14 Proverbs 27:18 נֹצֵ֣ר notser HVqrmsc tends guarding one guarding one
H5341-14 Proverbs 28:7 נוֹצֵ֣ר notser HVqrmsa keeps guarding one guarding one
H5341-14 Job 7:20 נֹצֵ֪ר notser HVqrmsc O thou preserver guarding one guarding one
H5341-14 Job 27:18 נֹצֵֽר notser HVqrmsa the watchman guarding one guarding one
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