אַחַר
a.char
after
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
Supported# The Hebrew Word אַחַר (achar): "After" The Hebrew word *achar* appears 715 times in the Bible, making it one of the most frequently used terms in biblical Hebrew. Its primary meaning is "after," a simple preposition that marks temporal or spatial relationships. This high frequency reflects how essential the concept of sequence—what comes next in time or position—is to biblical narrative and instruction. As a preposition indicating "after," *achar* functions to order events, people, and instructions in time. When describing historical narratives, it establishes what happened following preceding events. In legal and instructional contexts, it clarifies the order in which actions should occur or be understood. The word's ubiquity across 715 biblical occurrences suggests it was the standard Hebrew way of expressing this fundamental relationship, appearing in diverse genres from historical accounts to prophetic literature to legal codes. The significance of *achar* lies in its role as a structural building block of biblical discourse. By appearing so frequently, it shapes how readers understand causation, chronology, and consequence throughout scripture. The word's straightforward meaning—without apparent specialized theological connotations in its basic form—demonstrates that even simple directional and temporal markers are essential to conveying biblical meaning and maintaining narrative coherence.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
715 total occurrences across the text — showing 50
After this, the children of Moab, the children of Ammon, and with them some of the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.
2 Chronicles 20:35After this, Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel. The same did very wickedly.
2 Chronicles 21:18After all this Yahweh struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease.
2 Chronicles 22:4He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, as did Ahab’s house, for they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction.
2 Chronicles 23:14Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, “Bring her out between the ranks; and whoever follows her, let him be slain with the sword.” For the priest said, “Don’t kill her in Yahweh’s house.”
2 Chronicles 24:4After this, Joash intended to restore Yahweh’s house.
2 Chronicles 24:17Now after the death of Jehoiada, the princes of Judah came, and bowed down to the king. Then the king listened to them.
2 Chronicles 25:14Now after Amaziah had come from the slaughter of the Edomites, he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense to them.
2 Chronicles 25:25Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel.
2 Chronicles 25:27Now from the time that Amaziah turned away from following Yahweh, they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem. He fled to Lachish, but they sent after him to Lachish, and killed him there.
2 Chronicles 25:27Now from the time that Amaziah turned away from following Yahweh, they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem. He fled to Lachish, but they sent after him to Lachish, and killed him there.
2 Chronicles 26:2He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.
2 Chronicles 26:17Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him eighty priests of Yahweh, who were valiant men.
2 Chronicles 32:1After these things and this faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, entered into Judah, and encamped against the fortified cities, and intended to win them for himself.
2 Chronicles 32:9After this, Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem, (now he was before Lachish, and all his power with him), to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah who were at Jerusalem, saying,
2 Chronicles 32:23Many brought gifts to Yahweh to Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah; so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from then on.
2 Chronicles 33:14Now after this, he built an outer wall to David’s city, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance at the fish gate. He encircled Ophel with it, and raised it up to a very great height; and he put valiant captains in all the fortified cities of Judah.
Genesis 19:6Lot went out to them through the door, and shut the door after himself.
Nehemiah 13:19It came to pass that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. I set some of my servants over the gates, so that no burden should be brought in on the Sabbath day.
2 Chronicles 34:31The king stood in his place, and made a covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book.
2 Chronicles 34:33Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that belonged to the children of Israel, and made all who were found in Israel to serve, even to serve Yahweh their God. All his days they didn’t depart from following Yahweh, the God of their fathers.
2 Chronicles 35:14Afterward they prepared for themselves and for the priests, because the priests the sons of Aaron were busy with offering the burnt offerings and the fat until night. Therefore the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests the sons of Aaron.
2 Chronicles 35:20After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight against Carchemish by the Euphrates, and Josiah went out against him.
Ezra 3:5and afterward the continual burnt offering, the offerings of the new moons, of all the set feasts of Yahweh that were consecrated, and of everyone who willingly offered a free will offering to Yahweh.
Ezra 7:1Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
Ezra 9:10“Now, our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments,
Ezra 9:13“After all that has come on us for our evil deeds, and for our great guilt, since you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such a remnant,
Nehemiah 3:16After him, Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of half the district of Beth Zur, made repairs to the place opposite the tombs of David, and to the pool that was made, and to the house of the mighty men.
Nehemiah 3:17After him, the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani made repairs. Next to him, Hashabiah, the ruler of half the district of Keilah, made repairs for his district.
Nehemiah 3:18After him, their brothers, Bavvai the son of Henadad, the ruler of half the district of Keilah made repairs.
Nehemiah 3:20After him, Baruch the son of Zabbai earnestly repaired another portion, from the turning of the wall to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest.
Nehemiah 3:21After him, Meremoth the son of Uriah the son of Hakkoz repaired another portion, from the door of the house of Eliashib even to the end of the house of Eliashib.
Nehemiah 3:22After him, the priests, the men of the Plain made repairs.
Nehemiah 3:23After them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs across from their house. After them, Azariah the son of Maaseiah the son of Ananiah made repairs beside his own house.
Nehemiah 3:23After them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs across from their house. After them, Azariah the son of Maaseiah the son of Ananiah made repairs beside his own house.
Nehemiah 3:24After him, Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another portion, from the house of Azariah to the turning of the wall, and to the corner.
Nehemiah 3:25Palal the son of Uzai made repairs opposite the turning of the wall, and the tower that stands out from the upper house of the king, which is by the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh made repairs.
Nehemiah 3:27After him the Tekoites repaired another portion, opposite the great tower that stands out, and to the wall of Ophel.
Nehemiah 3:29After them, Zadok the son of Immer made repairs across from his own house. After him, Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the east gate made repairs.
Nehemiah 3:29After them, Zadok the son of Immer made repairs across from his own house. After him, Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the east gate made repairs.
Nehemiah 3:30After him, Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another portion. After him, Meshullam the son of Berechiah made repairs across from his room.
Nehemiah 3:30After him, Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another portion. After him, Meshullam the son of Berechiah made repairs across from his room.
Nehemiah 3:31After him, Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths to the house of the temple servants, and of the merchants, made repairs opposite the gate of Hammiphkad, and to the ascent of the corner.
Nehemiah 4:13Therefore I set guards in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the open places. I set the people by family groups with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
Nehemiah 4:16From that time forth, half of my servants did the work, and half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows, and the coats of mail; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.
Nehemiah 4:23So neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes. Everyone took his weapon to the water.
Nehemiah 5:15But the former governors who were before me were supported by the people, and took bread and wine from them, plus forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants ruled over the people; but I didn’t do so, because of the fear of God.
Nehemiah 9:26“Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against you, cast your law behind their back, killed your prophets that testified against them to turn them again to you, and they committed awful blasphemies.
Nehemiah 11:8After him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty-eight.
Nehemiah 12:32and after them went Hoshaiah, with half of the princes of Judah,