נָזַר
𐤍𐤆𐤓
nâzar
H5144 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To dedicate or consecrate by setting apart, especially through abstention from particular activities or substances; to separate oneself or someone from ordinary use, typically with a religious or cultic purpose. The verb often implies voluntary restriction or withdrawal, usually as a signal of devotion, purity, or sacred obligation.
Semantic Range
to devote, to dedicate, to abstain (from food, drink, or impurity), to separate oneself or another for a sacred or cultic purpose, to withdraw, to renounce, to make a vow of abstention
Root / Etymology
The root נזר (נ־ז־ר) carries the core sense of separation or setting apart. The verb form נָזַר derives from this root, expressing the act of holding oneself apart, abstaining, or devoting. Though frequently associated with cultic or ritual separation, the basic sense is physical, social, or ritual distancing.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, נָזַר is most prominently associated with the Nazirite vow (see Numbers 6), where it expresses separation from wine, cutting of hair, or contact with corpses, each a marker of consecration to YHWH. The term appears in other cultic contexts to describe abstention or withdrawal to enhance ritual purity or mark a time of religious obligation. Over time, usages extend to broader senses of separation, including apostasy or withdrawal from proper worship. Classical English translations often obscure the specific associations (such as ritual abstinence or votive dedication), reducing the word to 'separate'—which lacks the nuance of voluntary, cultic, or sacred distinction central to the biblical context. The root also gives rise to nouns (e.g., נֵזֶר, 'diadem, crown') and adjectives (e.g., נָזִיר, 'Nazirite'), focusing on the one set apart, whether by vow or by role. Meaning shifts occur, especially post-exile, as concepts of holiness and separation evolve within communal and religious life.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to hold aloof, i.e. (intransitivey) abstain (from food and drink, from impurity, and even from divine worship (i.e. apostatize)); specifically, to set apart (to sacred purposes), i.e. devote; consecrate, separate(-ing, self).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נזר (n-z-r) — separation, dedication, abstention
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4216 | מַזָּרָה | distinguished constellations |
| H4502 | מִנְּזָר | your consecration-diadems |
| H5139 | נָזִיר | the consecrated one |
| H5145 | נֶזֶר | the consecrated diadem |
Word Forms
9 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5144-09 |
יַזִּ֔יר | yazir | HVhi3ms |
he separates | he sets apart | 2 |
H5144-02 |
הִנָּזֵ֕ר | hinazer | HVNa |
abstaining | being set apart | 1 |
H5144-01 |
הַזִּיר֖/וֹ | haziro | HVhc/Sp3ms |
of his separation | his setting-apart | 1 |
H5144-07 |
וְ/יִנָּזֵ֣ר | veyinazer | HC/VNi3ms |
and separates | and he will separate himself | 1 |
H5144-04 |
וַ/יִּנָּֽזְרוּ֙ | vayinazeru | HC/VNw3mp |
and consecrated themselves | and they set themselves apart | 1 |
H5144-08 |
וְ/יִנָּֽזְרוּ֙ | veyinazeru | HC/VNi3mp |
that they separate themselves | they will separate themselves | 1 |
H5144-05 |
וְ/הִזַּרְתֶּ֥ם | vehizaretem | HC/Vhq2mp |
and-you-shall-separate | and you caused to set apart | 1 |
H5144-06 |
וְ/הִזִּ֤יר | vehizir | HC/Vhq3ms |
and he shall consecrate | and he set apart | 1 |
H5144-03 |
לְ/הַזִּ֖יר | lehazir | HR/Vhc |
to dedicate | to set apart | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
10 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5144-05 |
Leviticus 15:31 | וְ/הִזַּרְתֶּ֥ם | vehizaretem | HC/Vhq2mp |
and-you-shall-separate | and you caused to set apart |
H5144-08 |
Leviticus 22:2 | וְ/יִנָּֽזְרוּ֙ | veyinazeru | HC/VNi3mp |
that they separate themselves | they will separate themselves |
H5144-03 |
Numbers 6:2 | לְ/הַזִּ֖יר | lehazir | HR/Vhc |
to dedicate | to set apart |
H5144-09 |
Numbers 6:3 | יַזִּ֔יר | yazir | HVhi3ms |
he shall separate | he sets apart |
H5144-09 |
Numbers 6:5 | יַזִּ֤יר | yazir | HVhi3ms |
he separates | he sets apart |
H5144-01 |
Numbers 6:6 | הַזִּיר֖/וֹ | haziro | HVhc/Sp3ms |
of his separation | his setting-apart |
H5144-06 |
Numbers 6:12 | וְ/הִזִּ֤יר | vehizir | HC/Vhq3ms |
and he shall consecrate | and he set apart |
H5144-07 |
Ezekiel 14:7 | וְ/יִנָּזֵ֣ר | veyinazer | HC/VNi3ms |
and separates | and he will separate himself |
H5144-04 |
Hosea 9:10 | וַ/יִּנָּֽזְרוּ֙ | vayinazeru | HC/VNw3mp |
and consecrated themselves | and they set themselves apart |
H5144-02 |
Zechariah 7:3 | הִנָּזֵ֕ר | hinazer | HVNa |
abstaining | being set apart |