Word Study for H5145 (נֶזֶר) | Strong's Concordance

nezer /neh'-zer/ Ask about this word

Rootor נֵזֶר · from נָזַר

Meaningproperly, something set apart, i.e. (abstractly) dedication (of a priet or Nazirite); hence (concretely) unshorn locks; also (by implication) a chaplet (especially of royalty)

KJV usageconsecration, crown, hair, separation.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of nezer — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word nezer, represented by H5145, conveys the core idea of something set apart. Derived from the root verb to separate H5144, it is used to describe dedication, consecration, and separation. Concretely, it can refer to a royal crown, unshorn hair, or a priest's holy chaplet. This term appears 25 times in 22 unique verses, highlighting its significance in contexts of royalty and sacred devotion.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H5145 signifies both royal authority and religious consecration. As a symbol of kingship, it is the crown placed upon the head of a new king during his anointing (2 Kings 11:12, 2 Chronicles 23:11) and is taken as a spoil of war from a fallen king 2 Samuel 1:10. In a priestly context, it is the "holy crown" placed upon the high priest's mitre Exodus 29:6, a golden plate engraved with the words "HOLINESS TO THE LORD" Exodus 39:30. The term is also central to the Nazarite vow, where it denotes the "separation" or "consecration" of the individual to God, symbolized by their unshorn hair (Numbers 6:5, Numbers 6:18).

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning of H5145:

H5144 nazar (consecrate, separate): As the root verb, this word establishes the foundational action of being set apart for a sacred purpose, as when a Nazarite separates himself to the LORD Numbers 6:5.
H6944 qodesh (holiness, hallowed thing): This term is frequently used with nezer to describe the "holy crown" of the priest Exodus 29:6, emphasizing the sacred nature of the object and the person wearing it.
H4428 melek (a king): The nezer often appears as the crown worn by a king, representing his divinely appointed office and authority 2 Kings 11:12.
H8181 se'ar (hair): The unshorn hair of a Nazarite is the visible sign of his nezer, or consecration, to God Numbers 6:5. In one instance, nezer itself is translated as hair Jeremiah 7:29.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H5145 is expressed in several key themes:

Divinely Sanctioned Authority: The royal nezer is not merely a piece of jewelry but a symbol of authority granted by God. When God's covenant with his servant is made void, his crown is profaned and cast to the ground Psalms 89:39.
Visible Mark of Consecration: For the high priest, the "holy crown" serves as a public declaration of his status as set apart for God's service. The anointing oil upon the priest is itself called a nezer, linking his consecration directly to God Leviticus 21:12.
The Vow of Separation: In the Nazarite vow, nezer represents a total devotion to the LORD for a set time Numbers 6:8. This separation is so profound that if the "head of his consecration" is defiled, the vow must be restarted Numbers 6:9.
The Preciousness of God's People: The concept is applied to God's people as a whole, who are described as being like "the stones of a crown" that will be lifted up in the land, a visible and glorious testimony to God's salvation Zechariah 9:16.

Summary

In summary, H5145 is a multifaceted term that moves beyond a simple definition of a crown or hair. It consistently points to the idea of being set apart for a higher, divine purpose. Whether signifying the authority of a king, the sanctity of a priest, or the personal devotion of a Nazarite, nezer represents a state of consecration. It powerfully illustrates how God's calling bestows a holy status and a visible identity upon those He sets apart for His purposes.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 25 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

נִזְר
נֵּזֶר
נִזְר

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 22 verses across 10 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Numbers (10 verses); never once in the other 29.

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

2 Samuel

2 Kings

2 Chronicles

Psalms

Proverbs

Jeremiah

Zechariah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.