אָצַר
𐤀𐤑𐤓
ʼâtsar
H686 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To store, accumulate, or reserve something intentionally; to keep or hold back, often with a sense of purposeful retention or safeguarding. The verb is used both for storing physical goods, such as grain or treasure, and for the withholding of abstract things, such as rain or blessings, typically by divine agency. Its semantic range includes human action (stockpiling, hoarding) and divine action (restraining, holding back), depending on context.
Semantic Range
to store up, to accumulate, to hoard, to treasure, to hold back, to restrain, to withhold, to keep in reserve
Root / Etymology
The root אָצַר (ʼ-ṣ-r) relates to the idea of enclosing or restraining, developing into meanings of gathering together and keeping something in reserve. From this root comes several nouns denoting a storehouse (אֹצָר) or treasure (אֹצָרוֹת), emphasizing the transition from root meaning to specific uses of accumulation or containment.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, אָצַר appears primarily in reference to both agricultural and divine acts of storing or withholding. When used of people, it most often refers to practical storing—of grain (e.g., 1 Samuel 9:17, Proverbs 10:14) or treasure (e.g., Joshua 6:19). In divine contexts, especially in prophetic and poetic literature, it frequently denotes God's withholding of rain (Deuteronomy 11:17; 1 Kings 8:35) or other blessings, reflecting the ability to restrain or release abundance. The derived noun אֹצָר (storehouse, treasury) appears more often, and this family of words together stresses the broader sense of safekeeping, stockpiling, or restricted access. English translations typically use 'store, treasure, lay up, withhold,' but can miss the verb's breadth, especially the aspect of divine restriction, which in Hebrew thought includes both blessing (treasuring up bounty) and judgment (restricting rain). In later Hebrew, the abstract sense ('to withhold') sometimes dominates, but in the biblical periods both concrete (store, gather) and abstract (withhold, restrain) meanings coexist.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to store up; (lay up in) store, [phrase] (make) treasure(-r).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אצר (ʾ-ṣ-r) — store, accumulate, restrain, keep in reserve
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H686-01 |
אָצְר֧וּ | atseru | HVqp3cp |
have stored | they stored up | 2 |
H686-04 |
יֵֽאָצֵ֖ר | yeatser | HVNi3ms |
it will be stored | he will be kept in reserve | 1 |
H686-02 |
הָ/אֽוֹצְרִ֛ים | haotserim | HTd/Vqrmpa |
the-storing-up | the ones storing up | 1 |
H686-03 |
וָ/אוֹצְרָ֣/ה | vaotserah | HC/Vhw1cs/Sh |
and I appointed | and I caused to store up | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H686-01 |
2 Kings 20:17 | אָצְר֧וּ | atseru | HVqp3cp |
have stored | they stored up |
H686-04 |
Isaiah 23:18 | יֵֽאָצֵ֖ר | yeatser | HVNi3ms |
it will be stored | he will be kept in reserve |
H686-01 |
Isaiah 39:6 | אָצְר֧וּ | atseru | HVqp3cp |
have stored | they stored up |
H686-02 |
Amos 3:10 | הָ/אֽוֹצְרִ֛ים | haotserim | HTd/Vqrmpa |
the-storing-up | the ones storing up |
H686-03 |
Nehemiah 13:13 | וָ/אוֹצְרָ֣/ה | vaotserah | HC/Vhw1cs/Sh |
and I appointed | and I caused to store up |