זָכַר (za.khar)
za.khar
to remember
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 175 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb zakar means to remember, but it carries a sense of active recall rather than passive retention. It describes bringing something into present awareness so that it influences current thought or action. In the Psalms and prophetic books, it often appears when David or the prophets ask God to remember His people (Psalms 25:6) or when they recall past acts of deliverance (Exodus 2:24). The word implies that memory is a catalyst for engagement.
Its etymology suggests an original idea of marking or piercing, as if fixing an impression so deeply that it cannot be ignored. This explains why God’s remembering in Scripture is rarely just mental; it leads to intervention. When God remembers His covenant (Genesis 9:15), He acts on it. Conversely, when human names are said not to be remembered, it signifies total erasure from history.
Translators often render zakar simply as "remember," which can soften its force. The Hebrew concept is closer to "call to mind with intent." It bridges the gap between past event and present reality, ensuring that what has happened continues to shape what is happening now.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word zakar carries a weight that English often misses. It is not merely recalling a fact from the past, but actively bringing it into the present moment with intent to act. When Scripture says God remembers, it signals that He is moving toward a situation based on His promises. This shifts memory from a passive mental state to a dynamic force that shapes reality.
For your daily life, this offers profound comfort. You can trust that God does not forget your struggles or your prayers. Just as He remembered Noah and acted to preserve life, or remembered Rachel to open her womb, His attention is focused on bringing help where it is needed most. Your past faithfulness and present needs are held in His active care.
This understanding invites you to rest in the certainty of His covenant love. You do not need to remind Him of your situation; He has already marked it with His attention. Let this assurance steady your heart, knowing that the God who remembers is also the God who acts on behalf of those He loves.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 175 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- remember37×
- and/ you will remember10×
- remember/ !7×
- he remembered7×
- and/ he remembered7×
- they remembered5×
- the/ recorder5×
- you will remember4×
- he will remember4×
- I will remember4×
- you remember3×
- remember/ me3×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- זְכָר\־10×
- זָכְרָ/ה\־4×
- הַ/מַּזְכִּֽיר\׃4×
- זָ֘כַ֤רְתִּי3×
- זְכֹר֙3×
- זְכֹ֤ר3×
- וַ/יִּזְכֹּ֥ר3×
- מַזְכִּֽיר\׃2×
- מַזְכִּ֥יר2×
- יִזָּכֵ֑ר2×
- יִזְכָּר\־2×
- זָכַ֣ר2×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 8:1
God remembered Noah, all the animals, and all the livestock that were with him in the ship; and God made a wind to pass over the earth. The waters subsided.
This verse demonstrates that God's remembering is immediately followed by physical intervention, as He sends a wind to subside the waters after recalling Noah.
-
Exodus 2:24
God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
Here God's memory of His covenant with the patriarchs directly leads to Him hearing the groaning of Israel, linking past promise to present deliverance.
-
Genesis 9:15
I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh, and the waters will no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
God uses this word to assure Noah that He will actively uphold the rainbow covenant, ensuring the flood will not return to destroy all flesh.
-
Exodus 32:13
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of the sky, and all this land that I have spoken of I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’”
Moses appeals to this concept by asking God to remember His sworn promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel as a basis for mercy during the golden calf incident.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word zakar mean?
How is God's remembering different from human memory?
Why does God ask humans to remember in the Old Testament?
Every Occurrence (175 verses across 28 books)
Genesis 9 verses
God remembered Noah, all the animals, and all the livestock that were with him in the ship; and God made a wind to pass…
Genesis 9:15I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh, and the waters will no…
Genesis 9:16The rainbow will be in the cloud. I will look at it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every…
Genesis 19:29When God destroyed the cities of the plain, God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the middle of the overthrow,…
Genesis 30:22God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her, and opened her womb.
Genesis 40:14But remember me when it is well with you. Please show kindness to me, and make mention of me to Pharaoh, and bring me…
Genesis 40:23Yet the chief cup bearer didn’t remember Joseph, but forgot him.
Genesis 41:9Then the chief cup bearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I remember my faults today.
Genesis 42:9Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed about them, and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the…