What does זָכָר (zākār) mean in the Bible?
זָכָר (zākār): Male defined by remembrance and prominence; marks the socially or biologically significant member of species.
Hebrew · H2145
זָכָר
Properly, remembered , i.e. a male (of man or animals, as being the most noteworthy sex)
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זָכָרH2145
Pronunciationzākār
What does זָכָר (zākār) mean in the Bible?
זָכָר (zākār): Male defined by remembrance and prominence; marks the socially or biologically significant member of species.
Full entry for זָכָר (H2145) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2145?
The BSB source-word alignment has 82 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include male (32), men (13), a man (6), the males (4), a male (3).
Where does זָכָר (zākār) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 1:27. Its strongest book concentrations include Leviticus (18), Numbers (18), Genesis (14), Ezra (12).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itmale32×Genesis 1:27, Genesis 5:2, Genesis 6:19, Genesis 7:3
men13×Genesis 34:22, Ezra 8:3, Ezra 8:4, Ezra 8:5
a man6×Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13, Numbers 31:17, Numbers 31:35
the males4×Numbers 3:22, Numbers 3:28, Numbers 3:34, Numbers 3:39
a male3×Leviticus 3:6, Leviticus 27:3, Jeremiah 30:6
for the male3×Leviticus 27:5, Leviticus 27:6, Leviticus 27:7
a son2×Leviticus 12:2, Jeremiah 20:15
males2×Exodus 13:12, Numbers 3:43
-1×Joshua 5:4
. . .1×Leviticus 4:23
[they distributed portions] to the males1×2 Chronicles 31:16
a boy1×Isaiah 66:7
an acceptable male1×Malachi 1:14
are the other male1×Joshua 17:2
But if any male1×Genesis 17:14
male among you1×Genesis 17:10
males [in the household]1×Exodus 12:48
man1×Numbers 1:2
of a male1×Deuteronomy 4:16
of any male1×Leviticus 15:33
the boys1×Numbers 31:17
the male1×Genesis 7:16
whether to a male1×Leviticus 12:7
with a man1×Numbers 31:18
your males1×Genesis 34:15
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 1:27זָכָ֥רtomaleNoun - masculine singularGenesis 5:2זָכָ֥רtoMaleNoun - masculine singularGenesis 6:19זָכָ֥רtomaleNoun - masculine singularGenesis 7:3זָכָ֣רtomaleNoun - masculine singularGenesis 7:9זָכָ֣רtomaleNoun - masculine singularGenesis 7:16זָכָ֨רtothe maleNoun - masculine singularGenesis 17:10זָכָֽר׃tomale among youNoun - masculine singularGenesis 17:12זָכָ֖רtomaleNoun - masculine singularGenesis 17:14זָכָ֗רtoBut if any maleNoun - masculine singularGenesis 17:23זָכָ֕רtomaleNoun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 1:27
Aligned rows82
Books represented14
Genesis14Exodus4Leviticus18Numbers18Deuteronomy2Joshua2Judges31 Kings22 Chronicles2Ezra12Isaiah1Jeremiah2Ezekiel1Malachi1
Source forms
הַזְּכָרִֽים׃ס10xhaz·zə·ḵā·rîmEzra 8:4, Ezra 8:5, Ezra 8:6, Ezra 8:7
זָכָ֥ר9xzā·ḵārGenesis 1:27, Genesis 5:2, Genesis 6:19, Exodus 12:5
זָכָ֖ר9xzā·ḵārGenesis 17:12, Numbers 1:2, Numbers 26:62, Numbers 31:17
זָכָ֔ר9xzā·ḵārGenesis 34:22, Genesis 34:24, Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 22:19
זָכָר֙7xzā·ḵārLeviticus 3:1, Leviticus 3:6, Leviticus 20:13, Numbers 3:39
זָכָ֑ר7xzā·ḵārLeviticus 12:2, Numbers 31:18, Numbers 31:35, Judges 21:12
זָכָ֗ר5xzā·ḵārGenesis 17:14, Exodus 12:48, Numbers 1:20, Numbers 1:22
זָכָֽר׃5xzā·ḵārGenesis 17:10, Genesis 34:15, Genesis 34:25, Numbers 31:7
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular58xGenesis 1:27, Genesis 5:2, Genesis 6:19, Genesis 7:3
Article | Noun - masculine plural15xExodus 13:12, Exodus 13:15, Joshua 5:4, Joshua 17:2
Article | Noun - masculine singular4xLeviticus 27:3, Leviticus 27:5, Leviticus 27:6, Deuteronomy 15:19
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural2x2 Chronicles 31:16, Ezra 8:3
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular2xLeviticus 12:7, Leviticus 15:33
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular1xNumbers 5:3
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Male defined by remembrance and prominence; marks the socially or biologically significant member of species.
Source Gloss
properly, remembered , i.e. a male (of man or animals, as being the most noteworthy sex)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Male defined by remembrance and prominence; marks the socially or biologically significant member of species.
properly, remembered, i.e. a male (of man or animals, as being the most noteworthy sex) BDB: male Usage: × him, male, man(child, -kind).
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Specification of male animals acceptable for burnt offering sacrifice
Designation of male animal as proper offering for peace offering ritual
Requirement for male animals in prescribed sacrificial regulations and practices
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 82 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
זָכָר is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.