אַחַר (a.char)
a.char
after; backwards
H:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 607 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:A
Word Overview
The Hebrew word aḥar primarily denotes position or sequence, meaning "behind" in space or "after" in time. With over six hundred occurrences in Scripture, it serves as a fundamental marker for order and direction. It appears frequently in Genesis to describe events following one another, establishing the chronological flow of the narrative.
While often translated simply as "after," the word carries a spatial sense of being at the back or hind part. This physical meaning extends to temporal sequence, indicating what follows an event. In rare instances, such as Proverbs 28:23, it describes someone who turns backwards, highlighting its core idea of facing away from the front.
Translators render aḥar in various ways depending on context, including "behind," "afterward," or "following." Its versatility allows it to function as an adverb, preposition, conjunction, or substantive. This range enables precise descriptions of both physical location and historical succession throughout the Old Testament.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word aḥar marks what comes next in time or space. It appears hundreds of times in the Old Testament, often linking one generation to the next. This simple term reminds us that history moves forward under God’s care. Each event follows another, building toward His purposes.
When you read about ancestors living long lives after having children, aḥar shows the steady flow of time. It is not random chance but a sequence held by God. Your own life has moments that follow others, and this word invites trust in that order. Even when the path ahead seems unclear, God remains present in what comes next.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 607 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- after268×
- and/ after75×
- after/ him60×
- after/ them42×
- after/ you28×
- from/ after24×
- behind19×
- after/ me18×
- behind/ you10×
- from/ after/ him9×
- and/ after/ him8×
- behind/ him7×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- אַחֲרֵ֣י59×
- אַחֲרֵ֥י34×
- אַחֲרֵ֖י31×
- אַחֲרֵי֙17×
- אַֽחֲרֵי֙14×
- אַחֲרָֽי/ו\׃14×
- וְ/אַחֲרֵי\־13×
- אַחַ֣ר13×
- אַחֲרֵי\־13×
- אַחֲרֵ֤י13×
- אַחֲרָ֖י/ו12×
- וְ/אַחַ֖ר11×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 5:22
After Methuselah’s birth, Enoch walked with God for three hundred years, and became the father of more sons and daughters.
This verse uses aḥar to mark the start of Enoch’s unique walk with God after Methuselah’s birth, highlighting a pivotal spiritual shift in the lineage.
-
Genesis 9:9
“As for me, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your offspring after you,
Here aḥar establishes the covenant as extending to future generations, showing God’s promise continues beyond the immediate moment.
-
Genesis 13:14
Yahweh said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, “Now, lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward,
The word signals a turning point for Abram after Lot departs, leading directly to God’s renewed promise and vision.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does aḥar mean in the Old Testament?
How is aḥar different from other words for 'after'?
Where does this word appear most frequently?
Every Occurrence (607 verses across 30 books)
Genesis 80 verses
The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he became the father of other sons…
Genesis 5:7Seth lived after he became the father of Enosh eight hundred seven years, and became the father of other sons and…
Genesis 5:10Enosh lived after he became the father of Kenan eight hundred fifteen years, and became the father of other sons and…
Genesis 5:13Kenan lived after he became the father of Mahalalel eight hundred forty years, and became the father of other sons and…
Genesis 5:16Mahalalel lived after he became the father of Jared eight hundred thirty years, and became the father of other sons and…
Genesis 5:19Jared lived after he became the father of Enoch eight hundred years, and became the father of other sons and daughters.
Genesis 5:22After Methuselah’s birth, Enoch walked with God for three hundred years, and became the father of more sons and…
Genesis 5:26Methuselah lived after he became the father of Lamech seven hundred eighty-two years, and became the father of other…
Genesis 5:30Lamech lived after he became the father of Noah five hundred ninety-five years, and became the father of other sons and…
Genesis 6:4The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when God’s sons came in to men’s daughters and had…
Genesis 9:9“As for me, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your offspring after you,
Genesis 9:28Noah lived three hundred fifty years after the flood.
Genesis 10:1Now this is the history of the generations of the sons of Noah and of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them…
Genesis 10:18the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. Afterward the families of the Canaanites were spread abroad.
Genesis 10:32These are the families of the sons of Noah, by their generations, according to their nations. The nations divided from…
Genesis 11:10This is the history of the generations of Shem: Shem was one hundred years old when he became the father of Arpachshad…
Genesis 11:11Shem lived five hundred years after he became the father of Arpachshad, and became the father of more sons and…
Genesis 11:13Arpachshad lived four hundred three years after he became the father of Shelah, and became the father of more sons and…
Genesis 11:15Shelah lived four hundred three years after he became the father of Eber, and became the father of more sons and…
Genesis 11:17Eber lived four hundred thirty years after he became the father of Peleg, and became the father of more sons and…
Genesis 11:19Peleg lived two hundred nine years after he became the father of Reu, and became the father of more sons and daughters.
Genesis 11:21Reu lived two hundred seven years after he became the father of Serug, and became the father of more sons and daughters.
Genesis 11:23Serug lived two hundred years after he became the father of Nahor, and became the father of more sons and daughters.
Genesis 11:25Nahor lived one hundred nineteen years after he became the father of Terah, and became the father of more sons and…
Genesis 13:14Yahweh said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, “Now, lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are,…
Genesis 14:17The king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with…
Genesis 15:1After these things Yahweh’s word came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Don’t be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your…
Genesis 15:14I will also judge that nation, whom they will serve. Afterward they will come out with great wealth;
Genesis 16:13She called the name of Yahweh who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees,” for she said, “Have I even stayed alive after…
Genesis 17:7I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an…
Genesis 17:8I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an…
Genesis 17:9God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their…
Genesis 17:10This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you. Every male among you shall…
Genesis 17:19God said, “No, but Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son. You shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant…
Genesis 18:5I will get a piece of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to…
Genesis 18:10He said, “I will certainly return to you at about this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.”…
Genesis 18:12Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
Genesis 18:19For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the…
Genesis 19:6Lot went out to them through the door, and shut the door after himself.
Genesis 19:17It came to pass, when they had taken them out, that he said, “Escape for your life! Don’t look behind you, and don’t…
Genesis 19:26But Lot’s wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
Genesis 22:1After these things, God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” He said, “Here I am.”
Genesis 22:13Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham…
Genesis 22:20After these things, Abraham was told, “Behold, Milcah, she also has borne children to your brother Nahor:
Genesis 23:19After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the…
Genesis 24:5The servant said to him, “What if the woman isn’t willing to follow me to this land? Must I bring your son again to the…
Genesis 24:8If the woman isn’t willing to follow you, then you shall be clear from this oath to me. Only you shall not bring my son…
Genesis 24:36Sarah, my master’s wife, bore a son to my master when she was old. He has given all that he has to him.
Genesis 24:39I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?’
Genesis 24:55Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young lady stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go.”
Genesis 24:61Rebekah arose with her ladies. They rode on the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah, and went his…
Genesis 24:67Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. He loved her. So Isaac was…
Genesis 25:11After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac, his son. Isaac lived by Beer Lahai Roi.
Genesis 25:26After that, his brother came out, and his hand had hold on Esau’s heel. He was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old…
Genesis 26:18Isaac dug again the wells of water, which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had…
Genesis 30:21Afterwards, she bore a daughter, and named her Dinah.
Genesis 31:23He took his relatives with him, and pursued him seven days’ journey. He overtook him in the mountain of Gilead.
Genesis 31:36Jacob was angry, and argued with Laban. Jacob answered Laban, “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have hotly…
Genesis 33:7Leah also and her children came near, and bowed themselves. After them, Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed…
Genesis 35:5They traveled, and a terror of God was on the cities that were around them, and they didn’t pursue the sons of Jacob.
Genesis 35:12The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give it to you, and to your offspring after you I will give the…
Genesis 37:17The man said, “They have left here, for I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” Joseph went after his brothers, and…
Genesis 38:30Afterward his brother came out, who had the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.
Genesis 39:7After these things, his master’s wife set her eyes on Joseph; and she said, “Lie with me.”
Genesis 40:1After these things, the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker offended their lord, the king of Egypt.
Genesis 41:3Behold, seven other cattle came up after them out of the river, ugly and thin, and stood by the other cattle on the…
Genesis 41:6Behold, seven heads of grain, thin and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them.
Genesis 41:19and behold, seven other cattle came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I never saw in all the land of…
Genesis 41:23and behold, seven heads of grain, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them.
Genesis 41:27The seven thin and ugly cattle that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven empty heads of grain blasted…
Genesis 41:30Seven years of famine will arise after them, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will…
Genesis 41:31and the plenty will not be known in the land by reason of that famine which follows; for it will be very grievous.
Genesis 41:39Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has shown you all of this, there is no one so discreet and wise as you.
Genesis 44:4When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men.…
Genesis 45:15He kissed all his brothers, and wept on them. After that his brothers talked with him.
Genesis 46:30Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive.”
Genesis 48:1After these things, someone said to Joseph, “Behold, your father is sick.” He took with him his two sons, Manasseh and…
Genesis 48:4and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful, and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples, and…
Genesis 48:6Your offspring, whom you become the father of after them, will be yours. They will be called after the name of their…
Genesis 50:14Joseph returned into Egypt—he, and his brothers, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried…