זָכַר

“To remember” in Hebrew is Zakhar (זָכַר), pronounced “za-KHAR.” Zakhar comes from the root ז-כ-ר (zayin-kaf-resh), meaning 'to remember, to bring to mind, to act upon.' The same root produces 'zikaron' (memorial), 'Zechariah' (God remembers), and 'azkarah' (memorial offering). Hebrew memory is always active and consequential.

Zakhar (זָכַר) means “To remember, to recall, to mention” in Biblical Hebrew. Zakhar appears over 230 times in the Hebrew Bible. God remembers His covenant (Genesis 9:15), His people (Exodus 2:24), and His promises. Humans are commanded to remember the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8), the Exodus (Deuteronomy 5:15), and God's faithfulness (Deuteronomy 8:2).

Zakhar is pronounced “za-KHAR.” The word comes from the Hebrew root ז-כ-ר.

No. When Hebrew says 'God remembered' (vayizkor Elohim), it means God turned His active attention to someone and acted on their behalf. God never literally forgets. The phrase signals the turning point from waiting to deliverance. When God 'remembered' Noah, He sent the drying wind. When He 'remembered' Rachel, He opened her womb. Remembering means acting.

Yizkor (יִזְכּוֹר, 'May He remember') is the Jewish memorial prayer recited four times a year (Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Passover, Shavuot) for deceased loved ones. It asks God to 'remember' the souls of the departed — not just to recall them, but to act on their behalf. Yizkor embodies the Hebrew conviction that memory is sacred and the dead are entrusted to God's active care.

Zechariah (זְכַרְיָה) means 'God remembers' — combining zakhar (remember) with Yah (God). The prophet Zechariah's very name proclaimed his message: God has not forgotten His people or His promises. When God 'remembers,' restoration follows. The name is a theological declaration disguised as a personal name.