---
title: זָהַר — be light · The Tanakh dictionary
description: זָהַר (lemma:זָהַר), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 21 times: be light. BDB 1906: vb. Hiph., Niph. Hiph. With 2 verses in Hebrew, word for word and JPS 1917.
---

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# זָהַר

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«זָהַר» in the Tanakh dictionary: **be light** — how often it is used, MACULA's glosses, its meanings in the printed dictionaries and why they were chosen, and 2 verses in layers.

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**Used:** 21 times · **Key:** lemma:זָהַר · **BDB:** זָהַר²

### Glosses

you.will.warn (4); you (3); be.warned (2)

### Meaning (OSHB)

be light [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1494/lemma_3a_5d6_5b8_5d4_5b7_5e8/#m1)

### Meaning (BDB 1906)

vb. Hiph., Niph. Hiph. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1494/lemma_3a_5d6_5b8_5d4_5b7_5e8/#m2)

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**The whole BDB entry:** vb. only Hiph., Niph. (NH Hiph., admonish, cf. Aramaic זְהַר (Aph. Pa. etc.), ܙܗܰܪ (Arabic زَهَرَ viii. take care of, be mindful of is perhaps Aramaic loan-word, so TA cf. Lane).—Most identify with I. זהר = give light, enlighten, instruct, admonish; this possible, but not certain, meaning shine is late in Heb.; usual sense as given below is not enlighten, illumine mentally, but warn; v. also construction with two accusatives Ex 18:20);— Pf. וְהִזְהִיר consec. Ez 33:3; sf. וְהִזְהִירֹה 2 K 6:10; 2 ms. הִזְהַרְתָּ Ez 3:19; 33:9, וְהִזְהַרְתָּ֫ Ez 3:17; 33:7, וְהִזְהַרְתָּ֫ה Ex 18:20, sf. הִזְהַרְתּוֹ Ez 3:18, 20, 21, וְהִזְהַרְתָּ consec. Ez 3:17; 33:7; וְהִזְהַרְתֶּם consec. 2 Ch 19:10; Inf. cstr. לְהַזְהִיר Ez 3:18; 33:8;—instruct, teach, warn: Ex 18:20 (E) teach them ordinances (2 acc.); 2 K 6:10 the place which (אֲשֶׁר) the man of God told him of (אָמַר־לוֹ) and warned him (sf.) of; elsewhere only Ez Ch; warn, give a warning to, always sq. acc. pers. only: Ez 3:18, 19, 20; 33:3; give them (acc.) a warning from me (מִמֶּנִּי, י׳ speaks) Ez 3:17; 33:7; warn the wicked (רָשָׁע) from (away from, מִן) his way Ez 3:18; 33:8, 9 warn the righteous (צַדִּיק) Ez 3:21 sq. Inf. in order that the righteous sin not, cf. 2 Ch 19:10 sq. acc. pers. + final cl. c. וְ. Pf. 3 ms. נִזְהָ֔ר Ez 3:21; 33:4, 5, 6; also נִזְהָ֖ר v 5 (read perhaps הִזְהִיר, so We Sm Co); Imv. הִזָּהֵר Ec 12:12; Inf. cstr. לְהִזָּהֵר Ec 4:13; Pt. נִזְהָר ψ 19:12;—be instructed, admonished, warned (pass. of Hiph.):—גַּם־עַבְדְּךָ נִזְהָ֣ר בָּהֶם ψ 19:12 yea thy servant, he is instructed (or warned) by them (i.e. lets himself be instructed or warned by the מִשְׁפְּטֵי י׳ v 10); in Ez distinctly take warning, abs. Ez 3:21 (cf. Hiph.) 33:4, 5a; so Ec 12:12 and, more generally, אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַע לְהִזָּהֵר Ec 4:13 who knoweth not how to take admonition; be warned, receive warning Ez 33:6 (of people, c. לֹא, i.e. if no warning be given them), also MT v 5 b, but read perhaps Hiph. (v. supr.) but he (i.e. the watchman) gave warning, he hath delivered his (own) soul.

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Why these entries: BDB: headword, part of speech agrees, 18 of its verses cited, 0 words shared with the glosses (3 candidates); OSHB: headword, part of speech agrees, 1 words shared with the BDB entry, 0 with the glosses (3 candidates)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every English meaning of «זָהַר» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1494/lemma_3a_5d6_5b8_5d4_5b7_5e8/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.

### In the verses

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[Psalms 19:12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/PSA.19.12/)

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גַּֽם־עַ֭בְדְּךָ נִזְהָ֣ר בָּהֶ֑ם בְּ֝שָׁמְרָ֗ם עֵ֣קֶב רָֽב׃

*Word for word:* also servant your \[is\].warned by them \[is\].in keeping them consequence great

*JPS 1917:* Moreover by them is Thy servant warned; in keeping of them there is great reward.

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[Ecclesiastes 4:13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/ECC.4.13/)

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ט֛וֹב יֶ֥לֶד מִסְכֵּ֖ן וְחָכָ֑ם מִמֶּ֤לֶךְ זָקֵן֙ וּכְסִ֔יל אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־יָדַ֥ע לְהִזָּהֵ֖ר עֽוֹד׃

*Word for word:* \[is\].good a.youth poor and wise more than.a.king old and a.fool who not he.knows to be.warned still

*JPS 1917:* Better is a poor and wise child than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more.

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