2143. zeker
Lexical Summary
zeker: memory, name, remembered

Original Word: זֵכֶר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: zeker
Pronunciation: ZAY-ker
Phonetic Spelling: (zay'-ker)
KJV: memorial, memory, remembrance, scent
NASB: memory, name, remembered, remembrance, memorial-name, mention, renown
Word Origin: [from H2142 (זָכַר - remember)]

1. a memento, abstr. recollection (rarely if ever)
2. (by implication) commemoration

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
memorial, memory, remembrance, scent

Or zeker {zeh'-ker}; from zakar; a memento, abstr. Recollection (rarely if ever); by implication, commemoration -- memorial, memory, remembrance, scent.

see HEBREW zakar

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from zakar
Definition
remembrance, memorial
NASB Translation
memorial-name (1), memory (12), mention (1), name (4), remembered (2), remembrance (2), renown (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
II. זֶ֫כֶר noun masculine Exodus 17:14, see following.

זֵ֫כֶר noun masculinePsalm 9:7 remembrance, memorial (compare HptHebraica. 1885, 230) — ׳ז absolute Psalm 111:4; construct Deuteronomy 25:19 +; זֶכֶר construct Exodus 17:14 van d. H; suffix זִכְרִי Exodus 3:15, זִכְרְךָ Isaiah 26:8 +, זִכְרֶ֑ךָ Psalm 6:6, זִכְרוֺ Hosea 12:6 +, זִכְרָם Deuteronomy 32:26 +: —

1 remembrance, memory:

a. of persons or people, blotted out by their destruction, Exodus 17:14 (E; with מחה) = Deuteronomy 25:19; Deuteronomy 32:26 (השׁבית) Psalm 34:17; Psalm 109:15 (both הכרית), Psalm 9:7 (אבד), Job 18:17 (אבד; "" שֵׁם), Isaiah 26:14 (אבּד); compare on other hand עוֺלָם ׳ז as portion of righteous.

b. of ׳י Psalm 6:6; Psalm 102:13 ("" אַתָּה = יהוה).

c. of ׳יs character and works Psalm 30:5; Psalm 97:12; Psalm 111:4.

d. remembrance of particular days, i.e. their observance Esther 9:28 (הַמּוּרִים יְמֵי).

2 memorial, by which one is remembered:

a. nearly = שֵׁם, צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה ׳ז Proverbs 10:7 ("" שֵׁם), compare also Ecclesiastes 9:5 (with נשׁכח); especially of ׳י Exodus 3:15 (E), Hosea 12:6; Isaiah 26:8; Psalm 135:13 (all "" שֵׁם).

b. = renown (of Israel) Hosea 14:8 (compare VB).

Topical Lexicon
Overview

זֵכֶר (zeker) denotes “remembrance,” “memory,” or “memorial.” Scripture uses the term both positively—to preserve God’s name, mighty acts, and covenant faithfulness—and negatively—to announce the complete erasure of the wicked. The word therefore functions as a theological hinge between salvation history and human response, anchoring worship, warning, and hope.

Divine Name as Eternal Memorial

God Himself establishes the primary remembrance in Scripture. When revealing His name to Moses He declares, “This is My name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered in every generation” (Exodus 3:15). Psalm 135:13 echoes, “Your name, O LORD, endures forever, Your remembrance, O LORD, through all generations.” Here zeker underlines the permanence of the covenant name YHWH. Israel is commanded not merely to recall a fact but to perpetuate a living testimony of God’s identity and character. Every feast, sacrifice, and psalm of praise draws its authority from this perpetual memorial.

Covenant Judgment and the Blotting Out of Memory

Conversely, zeker also marks the utter obliteration of those who oppose the LORD. The Amalekites, who attacked Israel’s weak stragglers, become the paradigmatic example: “you shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven” (Deuteronomy 25:19; cf. Exodus 17:14). In Deuteronomy 32:26 God warns apostate Israel with the very penalty once reserved for the nations: “I would have said, ‘I will cut them to pieces and blot out their memory from mankind.’” The prophets adopt the same language against the wicked (Isaiah 26:14; Psalm 34:16; Psalm 9:6), showing that divine justice extends beyond physical destruction to historical oblivion. Memory itself becomes an arena of covenant blessing or curse.

Corporate Worship and Praise

Several psalms harness zeker to call God’s people into thanksgiving:
• “Sing to the LORD, you saints of His, and praise His holy name” (Psalm 30:4).
• “He has caused His wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate” (Psalm 111:4).
• “Let them give thanks to the LORD for His great love” (Psalm 145:7).

In these contexts remembrance is active liturgy. The community rehearses God’s deeds, ensuring that succeeding generations inherit a faith informed by history rather than sentiment. Thus, worship is historically rooted, intellectually engaged, and spiritually enlivened.

The Fate of the Wicked and the Blessing of the Righteous

Wisdom literature applies zeker to individual legacy. Proverbs 10:7 teaches, “The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.” Job anticipates the same outcome for the ungodly: “The memory of him will perish from the earth” (Job 18:17). Psalm 112:6, by contrast, assures the god-fearer, “Surely he will never be shaken; the righteous man will be remembered forever.” The doctrine is two-edged: God vindicates those who fear Him by preserving their story, while He consigns the unrepentant to obscurity.

Eschatological Longing

Isaiah’s prayer captures Israel’s yearning for covenant fulfillment: “Yes, LORD, walking in the way of Your judgments, we wait for You; Your name and Your renown are the desire of our souls” (Isaiah 26:8). The remnant’s hope is anchored in God’s remembered faithfulness, which guarantees future restoration (Hosea 14:7). Even Ecclesiastes 9:5—“the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten”—serves to heighten the contrast between life under the sun and the enduring memorial of those who trust in the LORD.

Historical Continuity in Post-Exilic Israel

Esther 9:28 shows how zeker structures Israel’s collective memory after exile: “These days should be remembered and observed in every generation.” The Feast of Purim institutionalizes deliverance as liturgical memory, safeguarding national identity amid diaspora pressures. The principle remains: salvation history must be embedded in calendrical rhythm lest it fade.

New Covenant Resonances

Although the Hebrew term does not appear in the New Testament, its theology undergirds the Lord’s Supper (“Do this in remembrance of Me,” Luke 22:19) and apostolic admonitions to remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead (2 Timothy 2:8). The final book of Scripture culminates in the Lamb’s “book of life,” the ultimate repository of divine remembrance, contrasting with those “whose names are not written” (Revelation 20:15).

Ministry Application

1. Preaching: Proclaim God’s acts with historical specificity; faith is strengthened when believers trace the unbroken line of divine remembrance.
2. Worship Planning: Integrate testimonies, Scripture readings, and hymns that recount God’s deeds, following the psalmic model.
3. Pastoral Care: Encourage saints facing obscurity that “the righteous will be remembered forever” (Psalm 112:6).
4. Discipleship: Teach believers to steward personal and congregational memories—journaling answered prayer, celebrating baptism anniversaries—thus building “living stones” of testimony.
5. Evangelism: Warn the unrepentant that apart from Christ, even the most celebrated earthly name will decay (Proverbs 10:7).

Summary

זֵכֶר frames the biblical drama of salvation and judgment. God’s own name stands as an eternal memorial, inviting perpetual praise. At the same time, He alone has authority to erase remembrance from under heaven, vindicating holiness. For the church today, rightly practicing remembrance nurtures doctrinal fidelity, fuels worship, and readies the saints for the day when “His name will be on their foreheads” and His memorial will fill the new creation forever.

Forms and Transliterations
וְ֝זִכְרְךָ֗ וְזִכְרָ֖ם וּֽלְזִכְרְךָ֖ וזכרך וזכרם ולזכרך זִֽכְרוֹ־ זִכְר֖וֹ זִכְרְךָ֥ זִכְרִ֖י זִכְרֶ֑ךָ זִכְרָ֣ם זִכְרָֽם׃ זִכְרֽוֹ׃ זֵ֖כֶר זֵ֣כֶר זכר זכרו זכרו־ זכרו׃ זכרי זכרך זכרם זכרם׃ לְזֵ֣כֶר לְזֵ֥כֶר לזכר lə·zê·ḵer leZecher ləzêḵer ū·lə·ziḵ·rə·ḵā ulezichreCha ūləziḵrəḵā vezichRam vezichrecha wə·ziḵ·rām wə·ziḵ·rə·ḵā wəziḵrām wəziḵrəḵā zê·ḵer Zecher zêḵer zichRam zichRecha zichRi zichRo zichrov ziḵ·rām ziḵ·re·ḵā ziḵ·rə·ḵā ziḵ·rî ziḵ·rōw ziḵ·rōw- ziḵrām ziḵreḵā ziḵrəḵā ziḵrî ziḵrōw ziḵrōw-
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Exodus 3:15
HEB: לְעֹלָ֔ם וְזֶ֥ה זִכְרִ֖י לְדֹ֥ר דֹּֽר׃
NAS: and this is My memorial-name to all
KJV: for ever, and this [is] my memorial unto all
INT: forever and this is my memorial-name to all generations

Exodus 17:14
HEB: אֶמְחֶה֙ אֶת־ זֵ֣כֶר עֲמָלֵ֔ק מִתַּ֖חַת
NAS: blot out the memory of Amalek
KJV: put out the remembrance of Amalek
INT: will utterly blot the memory of Amalek under

Deuteronomy 25:19
HEB: תִּמְחֶה֙ אֶת־ זֵ֣כֶר עֲמָלֵ֔ק מִתַּ֖חַת
NAS: you shall blot out the memory of Amalek
KJV: it, [that] thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek
INT: to possess shall blot the memory of Amalek under

Deuteronomy 32:26
HEB: אַשְׁבִּ֥יתָה מֵאֱנ֖וֹשׁ זִכְרָֽם׃
NAS: I will remove the memory of them from men,
KJV: I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease
INT: will remove men the memory

Esther 9:28
HEB: מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַיְּהוּדִ֔ים וְזִכְרָ֖ם לֹא־ יָס֥וּף
NAS: the Jews, or their memory fade
KJV: the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish
INT: among the Jews their memory not fade

Job 18:17
HEB: זִֽכְרוֹ־ אָ֭בַד מִנִּי־
NAS: Memory of him perishes
KJV: His remembrance shall perish
INT: Memory perishes from

Psalm 6:5
HEB: אֵ֣ין בַּמָּ֣וֶת זִכְרֶ֑ךָ בִּ֝שְׁא֗וֹל מִ֣י
NAS: For there is no mention of You in death;
KJV: For in death [there is] no remembrance of thee: in the grave
INT: there death mention Sheol who

Psalm 9:6
HEB: נָתַ֑שְׁתָּ אָבַ֖ד זִכְרָ֣ם הֵֽמָּה׃
NAS: The very memory of them has perished.
KJV: cities; their memorial is perished
INT: have uprooted has perished memory the very

Psalm 30:4
HEB: חֲסִידָ֑יו וְ֝הוֹד֗וּ לְזֵ֣כֶר קָדְשֽׁוֹ׃
NAS: And give thanks to His holy name.
KJV: of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
INT: his godly and give name to his holy

Psalm 34:16
HEB: לְהַכְרִ֖ית מֵאֶ֣רֶץ זִכְרָֽם׃
NAS: To cut off the memory of them from the earth.
KJV: to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
INT: to cut the earth the memory

Psalm 97:12
HEB: בַּֽיהוָ֑ה וְ֝הוֹד֗וּ לְזֵ֣כֶר קָדְשֽׁוֹ׃
NAS: And give thanks to His holy name.
KJV: and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
INT: the LORD and give name to his holy

Psalm 102:12
HEB: לְעוֹלָ֣ם תֵּשֵׁ֑ב וְ֝זִכְרְךָ֗ לְדֹ֣ר וָדֹֽר׃
NAS: forever, And Your name to all
KJV: for ever; and thy remembrance unto all
INT: forever abide and your name to all generations

Psalm 109:15
HEB: וְיַכְרֵ֖ת מֵאֶ֣רֶץ זִכְרָֽם׃
NAS: That He may cut off their memory from the earth;
KJV: that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.
INT: may cut the earth their memory

Psalm 111:4
HEB: זֵ֣כֶר עָ֭שָׂה לְנִפְלְאֹתָ֑יו
NAS: His wonders to be remembered; The LORD
KJV: his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD
INT: to be remembered has made his wonders

Psalm 112:6
HEB: לֹא־ יִמּ֑וֹט לְזֵ֥כֶר ע֝וֹלָ֗ם יִהְיֶ֥ה
NAS: The righteous will be remembered forever.
KJV: shall be in everlasting remembrance.
INT: not be shaken will be remembered forever become

Psalm 135:13
HEB: לְעוֹלָ֑ם יְ֝הוָ֗ה זִכְרְךָ֥ לְדֹר־ וָדֹֽר׃
NAS: is everlasting, Your remembrance, O LORD,
KJV: [endureth] for ever; [and] thy memorial, O LORD,
INT: is everlasting LORD your remembrance all generations

Psalm 145:7
HEB: זֵ֣כֶר רַב־ טוּבְךָ֣
NAS: They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant
KJV: They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great
INT: the memory of your abundant goodness

Proverbs 10:7
HEB: זֵ֣כֶר צַ֭דִּיק לִבְרָכָ֑ה
NAS: The memory of the righteous
KJV: The memory of the just [is] blessed:
INT: the memory of the righteous is blessed

Ecclesiastes 9:5
HEB: כִּ֥י נִשְׁכַּ֖ח זִכְרָֽם׃
NAS: a reward, for their memory is forgotten.
KJV: neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
INT: for is forgotten their memory

Isaiah 26:8
HEB: קִוִּינ֑וּךָ לְשִׁמְךָ֥ וּֽלְזִכְרְךָ֖ תַּאֲוַת־ נָֽפֶשׁ׃
NAS: Your name, even Your memory, is the desire
KJV: [is] to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
INT: have waited your name your memory is the desire of souls

Isaiah 26:14
HEB: וַתְּאַבֵּ֥ד כָּל־ זֵ֖כֶר לָֽמוֹ׃
NAS: out all remembrance of them.
KJV: and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.
INT: have wiped all remembrance

Hosea 12:5
HEB: הַצְּבָא֑וֹת יְהוָ֖ה זִכְרֽוֹ׃
NAS: of hosts, The LORD is His name.
KJV: of hosts; the LORD [is] his memorial.
INT: of hosts the LORD is his name

Hosea 14:7
HEB: וְיִפְרְח֣וּ כַגָּ֑פֶן זִכְר֖וֹ כְּיֵ֥ין לְבָנֽוֹן׃
NAS: like the vine. His renown [will be] like the wine
KJV: as the vine: the scent thereof [shall be] as the wine
INT: will blossom the vine his renown the wine of Lebanon

23 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 2143
23 Occurrences


lə·zê·ḵer — 3 Occ.
ū·lə·ziḵ·rə·ḵā — 1 Occ.
wə·ziḵ·rām — 1 Occ.
wə·ziḵ·rə·ḵā — 1 Occ.
zê·ḵer — 6 Occ.
ziḵ·rām — 5 Occ.
ziḵ·re·ḵā — 2 Occ.
ziḵ·rî — 1 Occ.
ziḵ·rōw — 2 Occ.
ziḵ·rōw- — 1 Occ.

2142
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