What does זָמַר (zāmar) mean in the Bible?
זָמַר (zāmar): Make music and song as the characteristic mode of praising God; joyful vocal celebration with instrumental accompaniment
Hebrew · H2167
זָמַר
Properly, to touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument, i.e. play upon it; to make music , accompanied by the voice; hence to celebrate in song and music
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זָמַר H2167
Pronunciation zāmar
What does זָמַר (zāmar) mean in the Bible?
זָמַר (zāmar): Make music and song as the characteristic mode of praising God; joyful vocal celebration with instrumental accompaniment
Full entry for זָמַר (H2167) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2167?
The BSB source-word alignment has 45 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include sing praises (11), I will sing praise (5), and make music (4), I will sing praises (4), Sing (3).
Where does זָמַר (zāmar) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Judges 5:3. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (41), 1 Chronicles (1), 2 Samuel (1), Isaiah (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It sing praises 11× 1 Chronicles 16:9, Psalms 9:11, Psalms 47:6, Psalms 68:4
I will sing praise 5× Judges 5:3, Psalms 9:2, Psalms 71:22, Psalms 75:9
and make music 4× Psalms 27:6, Psalms 57:7, Psalms 108:1, Psalms 149:3
I will sing praises 4× 2 Samuel 22:50, Psalms 18:49, Psalms 101:1, Psalms 146:2
Sing 3× Psalms 30:4, Psalms 66:2, Isaiah 12:5
I will sing Your praises 2× Psalms 57:9, Psalms 108:3
make music 2× Psalms 33:2, Psalms 147:7
they sing praise 2× Psalms 66:4
and praise 1× Psalms 21:13
and sing praise 1× Psalms 7:17
and sing praises 1× Psalms 98:4
and to sing praises 1× Psalms 92:1
I sing praise 1× Psalms 71:23
I sing praises 1× Psalms 59:17
I sing Your praises 1× Psalms 138:1
I will make music 1× Psalms 144:9
may sing 1× Psalms 30:12
sing praise 1× Psalms 61:8
sing to Him a psalm of praise 1× Psalms 47:7
to sing praises 1× Psalms 147:1
Show sample aligned rows
Judges 5:3 אֲזַמֵּ֕ר to I will sing praise Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular 2 Samuel 22:50 אֲזַמֵּֽר׃ to I will sing praises Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular 1 Chronicles 16:9 זַמְּרוּ־ to sing praises Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural Psalms 7:17 וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה to and sing praise Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular Psalms 9:2 אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה to I will sing praise Verb - Piel - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular Psalms 9:11 זַמְּר֗וּ to Sing praises Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural Psalms 18:49 אֲזַמֵּֽרָה׃ to I will sing praises Verb - Piel - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular Psalms 21:13 וּֽ֝נְזַמְּרָה to and praise Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural Psalms 27:6 וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה to and make music Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular Psalms 30:4 זַמְּר֣וּ to Sing Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Judges 5:3
Aligned rows 45
Books represented 5
Judges 1 2 Samuel 1 1 Chronicles 1 Psalms 41 Isaiah 1
Source forms
זַמְּר֣וּ 4x zam·mə·rū Psalms 30:4, Psalms 47:6, Psalms 98:5, Isaiah 12:5
אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה 3x ’ă·zam·mə·rāh Psalms 9:2, Psalms 104:33, Psalms 146:2
וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה 3x wa·’ă·zam·mə·rāh Psalms 7:17, Psalms 27:6, Psalms 108:1
זַמְּר֖וּ 3x zam·mə·rū Psalms 47:6, Psalms 68:32, Psalms 147:7
זַמְּר֥וּ 3x zam·mə·rū Psalms 47:7, Psalms 66:2, Psalms 135:3
זַמְּרוּ־ 3x zam·mə·rū- 1 Chronicles 16:9, Psalms 33:2, Psalms 105:2
אֲזַמְּרָ֣ה 2x ’ă·zam·mə·rāh Psalms 61:8, Psalms 71:22
אֲזַמְּרָה־ 2x ’ă·zam·mə·rāh- Psalms 71:23, Psalms 144:9
Parsing patterns
Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural 17x 1 Chronicles 16:9, Psalms 9:11, Psalms 30:4, Psalms 33:2
Verb - Piel - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular 11x Psalms 9:2, Psalms 18:49, Psalms 59:17, Psalms 61:8
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular 4x Psalms 7:17, Psalms 27:6, Psalms 57:7, Psalms 108:1
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular 2x Judges 5:3, 2 Samuel 22:50
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural 2x Psalms 66:4, Psalms 149:3
Verb - Piel - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular | second person masculine singular 2x Psalms 57:9, Psalms 138:1
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural 1x Psalms 66:4
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural 1x Psalms 21:13
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Make music and song as the characteristic mode of praising God; joyful vocal celebration with instrumental accompaniment
Source Gloss
properly, to touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument, i.e. play upon it; to make music , accompanied by the voice; hence to celebrate in song and music
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Make music and song as the characteristic mode of praising God; joyful vocal celebration with instrumental accompaniment
properly, to touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument, i.e. play upon it; to make music, accompanied by the voice; hence to celebrate in song and music BDB: make music Usage: give praise, sing forth praises, psalms.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 1 Aligned forms 33
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 33×
Sequential imperfect 1Chr 16:9 · Isa 12:5 · Ps 9:12 · Ps 30:5 · Ps 33:2 · Ps 47:7 · Ps 47:8 · Ps 66:2 · Ps 68:5 · Ps 68:33 · Ps 98:5 · Ps 105:2 · Ps 135:3 · Ps 147:7 17×
Cohortative Ps 9:3 · Ps 18:50 · Ps 61:9 · Ps 75:10 · Ps 101:1 · Ps 104:33 · Ps 144:9 · Ps 146:2 8×
Imperfect 2Sam 22:50 · Judg 5:3 · Ps 59:18 · Ps 71:22 · Ps 71:23 · Ps 66:4 · Ps 149:3 7×
Infinitive construct Ps 147:1 1×
Word Origins
זָמַר is built from this root:
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain