זָכוּר
za.khur
male
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Hebrew word "za.khur" (Strong's number: H2138) is a masculine noun that translates to "male." This word appears four times in the Bible. Given its definition, it's likely used to refer to a male individual or animal. The frequency of its occurrence is relatively low, suggesting it might be used in specific contexts where a clear distinction between male and female is necessary. One possible range of usage is that "za.khur" is often paired with other words to create a binary distinction, such as male and female. This noun's definition doesn't reveal much about its connotations or emotional undertones; it straightforwardly indicates the presence or absence of masculine characteristics. The significance of "za.khur" lies in its ability to highlight the binary nature of certain concepts in the Hebrew Bible, such as the separation of animals or the identification of individuals.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences across the text
Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord Yahweh.
Exodus 34:23Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord Yahweh, the God of Israel.
Deuteronomy 16:16Three times in a year all of your males shall appear before Yahweh your God in the place which he chooses: in the feast of unleavened bread, in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of booths. They shall not appear before Yahweh empty.
Deuteronomy 20:13When Yahweh your God delivers it into your hand, you shall strike every male of it with the edge of the sword;