What does נָכַר (nākar) mean in the Bible?
נָכַר (nākar): Intense scrutiny that leads either to recognition and respect, or deliberate disregard and estrangement.
Hebrew · H5234
נָכַר
Properly, to scrutinize , i.e. look intently at; hence (with recognition implied), to acknowledge , be acquainted with , care for , respect , revere , or (with suspicion implied), to disregard , ignore , be strange toward, reject , resign , dissimulate (as if ignorant or disowning)
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נָכַר H5234
Pronunciation nākar
What does נָכַר (nākar) mean in the Bible?
נָכַר (nākar): Intense scrutiny that leads either to recognition and respect, or deliberate disregard and estrangement.
Full entry for נָכַר (H5234) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5234?
The BSB source-word alignment has 49 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include recognized (5), recognize him (2), To show partiality (2), . . . (1), a foreign (1).
Where does נָכַר (nākar) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 27:23. Its strongest book concentrations include Genesis (10), Job (8), Deuteronomy (5), 1 Kings (4).
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 recognized 5× Genesis 42:8, Judges 18:3, 1 Samuel 26:17, 1 Kings 20:41
recognize him 2× Genesis 27:23, Genesis 42:8
To show partiality 2× Proverbs 24:23, Proverbs 28:21
. . . 1× Deuteronomy 33:9
a foreign 1× Jeremiah 19:4
accept 1× Job 21:29
acknowledge him 1× Daniel 11:39
acknowledge us 1× Isaiah 63:16
attends 1× Psalms 142:4
but could 1× Nehemiah 13:24
but he treated them as strangers 1× Genesis 42:7
could recognize her 1× Ruth 3:14
discern 1× Job 4:16
disguised 1× 1 Kings 14:6
disguises himself 1× Proverbs 26:24
distinguish 1× Ezra 3:13
Examine it 1× Genesis 37:32
examine them 1× Genesis 38:25
favor 1× Job 34:19
has delivered 1× 1 Samuel 23:7
he must acknowledge 1× Deuteronomy 21:17
he recognized them 1× Genesis 42:7
He recognizes 1× Job 34:25
His father recognized it 1× Genesis 37:33
I realized 1× Nehemiah 6:12
I regard 1× Jeremiah 24:5
is known 1× Proverbs 20:11
knowing 1× Job 24:13
misunderstand 1× Deuteronomy 32:27
or show partiality 1× Deuteronomy 16:19
recognize [Job] 1× Job 2:12
recognized [the items] 1× Genesis 38:26
remembers him 1× Job 7:10
remembers it 1× Psalms 103:16
see 1× Genesis 31:32
Show no partiality 1× Deuteronomy 1:17
that you should take notice of me 1× Ruth 2:10
they are friends with 1× Job 24:17
took note 1× 2 Samuel 3:36
When Obadiah recognized him 1× 1 Kings 18:7
who noticed you 1× Ruth 2:19
will acknowledge 1× Isaiah 61:9
will be disguised 1× 1 Kings 14:5
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 27:23 הִכִּיר֔וֹ to recognize him Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular Genesis 31:32 הַֽכֶּר־ to see Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular Genesis 37:32 הַכֶּר־ to Examine it Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular Genesis 37:33 וַיַּכִּירָ֤הּ to His father recognized it Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular Genesis 38:25 הַכֶּר־ to examine them Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular Genesis 38:26 וַיַּכֵּ֣ר to recognized [the items] Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 42:7 וַיַּכִּרֵ֑ם to he recognized them Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural Genesis 42:7 וַיִּתְנַכֵּ֨ר to but he treated them as strangers Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 42:8 וַיַּכֵּ֥ר to recognized Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 42:8 הִכִּרֻֽהוּ׃ to recognize him Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural | third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 27:23
Aligned rows 49
Books represented 16
Genesis 10 Deuteronomy 5 Judges 1 Ruth 3 1 Samuel 2 2 Samuel 1 1 Kings 4 Ezra 1 Nehemiah 2 Job 8 Psalms 2 Proverbs 4 Isaiah 2 Jeremiah 2 Lamentations 1 Daniel 1
Source forms
הִכִּ֔ירוּ 2x hik·kî·rū Judges 18:3, 2 Samuel 3:36
הַֽכֵּר־ 2x hak·kêr- Proverbs 24:23, Proverbs 28:21
הַכֶּר־ 2x hak·ker- Genesis 37:32, Genesis 38:25
וַיַּכֵּ֤ר 2x way·yak·kêr 1 Samuel 26:17, 1 Kings 20:41
יַכִּירֶ֖נּוּ 2x yak·kî·ren·nū Job 7:10, Psalms 103:16
אַכִּ֬יר 1x ’ak·kîr Job 4:16
אַכִּ֞יר 1x ’ak·kîr Jeremiah 24:5
הִכִּ֔יר 1x hik·kîr Deuteronomy 33:9
Parsing patterns
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 5x Deuteronomy 21:17, Ruth 3:14, Job 24:17, Job 34:25
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 4x Genesis 38:26, Genesis 42:8, 1 Samuel 26:17, 1 Kings 20:41
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular 3x Genesis 31:32, Genesis 37:32, Genesis 38:25
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural 3x Judges 18:3, 2 Samuel 3:36, Job 24:13
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular 2x Job 4:16, Jeremiah 24:5
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular 2x Job 7:10, Psalms 103:16
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute 2x Proverbs 24:23, Proverbs 28:21
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural 2x Ezra 3:13, Nehemiah 13:24
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Intense scrutiny that leads either to recognition and respect, or deliberate disregard and estrangement.
Strong's H5234
Lexical occurrences 50 verses Word forms 4 forms 31 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Genesis 37:12-36 Source Gloss
properly, to scrutinize , i.e. look intently at; hence (with recognition implied), to acknowledge , be acquainted with , care for , respect , revere , or (with suspicion implied), to disregard , ignore , be strange toward, reject , resign , dissimulate (as if ignorant or disowning)
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 4 Aligned forms 31
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 22×
Imperfect Dan 11:39 · Deut 21:17 · Job 24:17 · Job 34:25 · Ruth 3:14 · Jer 24:5 · Job 4:16 · Deut 1:17 · Deut 16:19 9×
Perfect 2Sam 3:36 · Job 24:13 · Judg 18:3 · Dan 11:39 · Deut 33:9 5×
Participle active Ezra 3:13 · Neh 13:24 · Ps 142:5 3×
Sequential imperfect Gen 31:32 · Gen 37:32 · Gen 38:25 3×
Infinitive absolute Prov 24:23 · Prov 28:21 2×
Hithpael reflexive or reciprocal — the subject acts on itself or mutually with others 3×
Participle active 1Kgs 14:5 · 1Kgs 14:6 2×
Imperfect Prov 20:11 1×
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 4×
Perfect 1Sam 23:7 · Job 34:19 2×
Imperfect Deut 32:27 · Job 21:29 2×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 2×
Perfect Lam 4:8 1×
Imperfect Prov 26:24 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Recognition and acknowledgment of a familiar object or garment
Failure to recognize or acknowledge someone due to changed circumstances
Discerning or perceiving a person's character through scrutiny of their behavior
Concealing true feelings and disregarding honesty through deceptive behavior
Showing respect or regard for persons based on external appearance or status
Showing 5 selected witnesses from 50 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
נָכַר is a primitive root - no further derivation.
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.
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