← H6238 H6240 →

עֹשֶׁר

𐤏𐤔𐤓

ʻôsher

H6239 noun

SILEX Entry

Root עשר to be rich, to prosper, to have abundance

Definition

Material abundance, wealth, or riches—chiefly tangible assets such as property, livestock, or precious metals and resources. In various biblical passages, עֹשֶׁר signifies a state of financial or material prosperity and is contrasted with poverty. Occasionally the term extends metaphorically to mean general prosperity or well-being, but the primary reference is concrete, visible wealth rather than abstract or qualitative success.

Semantic Range

wealth, riches, material abundance, prosperity, tangible assets, financial means

Root / Etymology

Root עשר (ʿ-š-r), meaning 'to be or become rich.' The noun עֹשֶׁר derives directly from this root and denotes the state or result of that process. The underlying root meaning ('to be rich, to have abundance') forms the nominal abstraction 'wealth' in עֹשֶׁר.

Historical & Contextual Notes

עֹשֶׁר is most often used in narrative and poetic books of the Hebrew Bible to describe material wealth, often in contrast with עֹנִי ('poverty'). In wisdom literature (e.g., Proverbs, Ecclesiastes), it is a central concept in discussions of the moral implications of wealth and poverty; these texts frequently juxtapose עֹשֶׁר with righteousness and sometimes question its value or permanence. In early Israelite society, עֹשֶׁר referred principally to tangible assets—crops, livestock, silver, and land—rather than currency or abstract affluence. Later, particularly post-exile, the term begins to appear in broader reflections on the impermanence of material prosperity. English translations typically render עֹשֶׁר as 'wealth' or 'riches,' but these words may sometimes carry connotations (such as financial capital) not always present in the ancient Israelite context, where wealth was closely tied to land and family resources rather than cash. Do not confuse עֹשֶׁר with עֲשֶׁרֶת (ʿăśéret, 'ten' or 'tenth'), which is derived from a numerically related but lexically distinct usage of the root. The King James and many later translations occasionally use 'riches' or idioms such as 'far richer' for emphasis, which reflects the comparative sense in Hebrew usage as well.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from עָשַׁר; wealth; [idiom] far (richer), riches.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

עשר (ʿ-š-r) — to be rich, to prosper, to have abundance

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4643 מַעֲשֵׂר the tenth-portion
H6218 עָשׂוֹר group of ten
H6223 עָשִׁיר wealthy man
H6224 עֲשִׂירִי tenth
H6235 עֶשֶׂר ten

Word Forms

11 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6239-07 עֹ֣שֶׁר osher HNcmsa riches material wealth 20
H6239-02 עָשְׁר֑/וֹ ashero HNcmsc/Sp3ms of his riches his wealth 3
H6239-05 לְ/עֹ֖שֶׁר leosher HR/Ncmsa in riches to wealth 2
H6239-08 וָ/עֹ֥שֶׁר vaosher HC/Ncmsa and-riches and material wealth 2
H6239-04 הָ/עֹ֗שֶׁר haosher HTd/Ncmsa the wealth the wealth 2
H6239-01 עָ֝שְׁרָ֗/ם asheram HNcmsc/Sp3mp is their riches their wealth 2
H6239-03 בְּ/עָשְׁרֽ/וֹ beashero HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms in his riches in his wealth 2
H6239-10 וְ/הָ/עֹ֤שֶׁר vehaosher HC/Td/Ncmsa and-the-riches and the wealth 1
H6239-11 וְ/עֹ֨שֶׁר veosher HC/Ncmsa and riches material wealth 1
H6239-09 בְ/עָשְׁר֔/וֹ veashero HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms by his riches in his wealth 1

Occurrences in Scripture

37 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6239-04 Genesis 31:16 הָ/עֹ֗שֶׁר haosher HTd/Ncmsa the wealth the wealth
H6239-07 1 Samuel 17:25 עֹ֣שֶׁר osher HNcmsa riches material wealth
H6239-07 1 Kings 3:11 עֹ֔שֶׁר osher HNcmsa riches material wealth
H6239-07 1 Kings 3:13 עֹ֖שֶׁר osher HNcmsa riches material wealth
H6239-05 1 Kings 10:23 לְ/עֹ֖שֶׁר leosher HR/Ncmsa in riches to wealth
H6239-03 Jeremiah 9:22 בְּ/עָשְׁרֽ/וֹ beashero HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms in his riches in his wealth
H6239-07 Jeremiah 17:11 עֹ֖שֶׁר osher HNcmsa riches material wealth
H6239-01 Psalms 49:7 עָ֝שְׁרָ֗/ם asheram HNcmsc/Sp3mp of their riches their wealth
H6239-02 Psalms 52:9 עָשְׁר֑/וֹ ashero HNcmsc/Sp3ms of his riches his wealth
H6239-08 Psalms 112:3 וָ/עֹ֥שֶׁר vaosher HC/Ncmsa and-riches and material wealth
← H6238 Hebrew Lexicon H6240 →