Lexical Summary yaqar: To be precious, to be rare, to be valuable, to be esteemed Original Word: יָקַר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance be make precious, be prized, be set by, withdraw A primitive root; properly, apparently, to be heavy, i.e. (figuratively) valuable; causatively, to make rare (figuratively, to inhibit) -- be (make) precious, be prized, be set by, withdraw. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to be precious, prized or appraised NASB Translation costly (1), esteemed (1), make...scarcer (1), precious (6), rarely (1), valued (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [יָקַר] verb be precious, prized, appraised (Late Hebrew id., Pi`el, Hiph`il; Aramaic יְקַר,  , be heavy, precious; Pa`el honour; יַקִּיר,  weighty, precious, honoured; compare Assyrian a‡âru, be precious, costly, and derivatives, DlHWB 240; Arabic  be heavy, II. honour;  dignity; Sabean noun יקר honour DHMZMG 1883, 402) — Qal Perfect3feminine singular יָָֽקְרָה 1 Samuel 16:21; 2masculine singular יָקַרְתָּ Isaiah 43:4; 1singular יָקַרְתִּי Zechariah 11:13; 3plural יָקְרוּ Psalm 139:17; Imperfect וַיִּיקַר 1 Samuel 18:30; וְיֵקַר Psalm 49:9; וְיֵיקַר Psalm 72:14; jussive תִּיקַר(נָֿאׅ 2 Kings 1:13,14; — 1 be precious: a. = highly valued, esteemed, David's name, וַיִּיקַר שְׁמוֺ מְאֹד 1 Samuel 18:30; of Israel, יָקַרְתָּ בְעֵינַי Isaiah 43:4 (+ נִכְבַּדְתָּ, אֲהַבְתִּיךָ); of God's thoughts וְלִי מַהיָָּֽֿקִרוּ רֵעֶיךָ Psalm 139:17 (Ew Hi Hup render hard, difficult: compare יַקִּירָה Daniel 2:11). b. especially of life (נֶפֶשׁ), in phrase יָָֽקִרָה נַפְשִׁי בְּעֵינֶיךָ 1 Samuel 26:21, i.e. thou hast spared it; so (jussive) 2 Kings 1:13,14; similarly יֵיקַר דָּמָם בְּעֵינָיו Psalm 72:14 ("" מִתּוֺךְ וּמֵחָמָס יִגְאַל נַפְשָׁס). c. be costly, וְיֵקַר מִּדְיוֺן נַפְשָׁם Psalm 49:9. 2 be appraised, valued, אֶדֶר הַיְקָר אֲשֶׁר יָקַרְתִּי מֵעֲלֵיהֶם Zechariah 11:13 the magnificence of the price at which I was appraised (and dismissed) from them! Hiph`il Imperfect1singular אוֺקִיר אֱנוֺשׁ מִמָּ֑ז Isaiah 13:12 I will make men more rare (literally precious) than fine gold. Imperative הֹקַר Proverbs 25:17 make rare (i.e. withhold) thy foot from the house of thy friend. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Scope The verb behind Strong’s Hebrew 3365 communicates a valuation of the highest order: something rare, weighty, honored, or costly. In Scripture it is applied to people, lives, thoughts, and even to the Lord Himself, underscoring intrinsic worth that demands respect, protection, or an appropriate price. Occurrences in Historical Narrative • 1 Samuel 18:30 shows public admiration for David: “his name became highly esteemed.” Wise conduct produces a reputation of lasting worth. These narratives establish a moral principle: the truly godly measure value not by power but by divine assessment of life and character. Usage in Poetry and Wisdom • Psalm 49:8 sets an impossibly high ransom: “the redemption of a soul is costly, so that it should cease forever.” No earthly riches can meet that price. Prophetic and Eschatological Dimensions • Isaiah 13:12 warns that divine judgment will make humanity “rarer than gold of Ophir,” reversing the normal abundance of people. Theological Themes 1. Sanctity of Life: Human beings possess God-given worth that must not be violated; rescue and preservation are mandates for the righteous. Christological Foreshadowing Zechariah’s thirty-silver valuation anticipates the betrayal amount in the Gospels. The cheap price contrasts sharply with the New Testament witness that believers were redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:19). The Old Testament vocabulary of costly value becomes a canvas for the supreme worth of the sacrificial Lamb and the immeasurable price paid for sinners. Ministry and Discipleship Application • Protect life—from the unborn to the marginalized—because it is “precious” to God. Forms and Transliterations אוֹקִ֥יר אוקיר הֹקַ֣ר הקר וְ֭יֵקַר וְיֵיקַ֖ר וַיִּיקַ֥ר וייקר ויקר יָּקְר֣וּ יָקְרָ֥ה יָקַ֖רְתִּי יָקַ֧רְתָּ יקרה יקרו יקרת יקרתי תִּֽיקַר־ תִּיקַ֥ר תיקר תיקר־ ’ō·w·qîr ’ōwqîr hō·qar hoKar hōqar oKir tî·qar tî·qar- tikar tîqar tîqar- vaiyiKar veyeiKar Veyekar way·yî·qar wayyîqar wə·yê·qar wəyêqar yā·qar·tā yā·qar·tî yā·qə·rāh yā·qə·rū yaKarta yaKarti yakeRah yakeRu yāqartā yāqartî yāqərāh yāqərūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Samuel 18:30 HEB: עַבְדֵ֣י שָׁא֔וּל וַיִּיקַ֥ר שְׁמ֖וֹ מְאֹֽד׃ NAS: So his name was highly esteemed. KJV: so that his name was much set by. INT: the servants of Saul esteemed his name was highly 1 Samuel 26:21 2 Kings 1:13 2 Kings 1:14 Psalm 49:8 Psalm 72:14 Psalm 139:17 Proverbs 25:17 Isaiah 13:12 Isaiah 43:4 Zechariah 11:13 11 Occurrences |
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