English · KJV
H5849

עָטַר

ʻâṭar /aw-tar'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto encircle (for attack or protection); especially to crown (literally or figuratively)
KJV usagecompass, crown.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʻâṭar — 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 ʻâṭar, represented by H5849, is a primitive root meaning to encircle, whether for attack or protection. It is most often used in the sense of crowning, either literally or figuratively. This term appears 8 times across 7 unique verses in the Bible, highlighting its specific but significant applications in describing both hostile and benevolent actions.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H5849 conveys a range of meanings. It is used literally in the context of King Solomon, whom his mother crowned on the day of his espousals Song of Solomon 3:11. Figuratively, it describes God's blessings, such as when He crowneth the righteous with lovingkindness and tender mercies Psalms 103:4. The word also carries the meaning of encirclement. For protection, God will compass the righteous with favour as with a shield Psalms 5:12. Conversely, it can denote a hostile encirclement, as when Saul and his men compassed David and his men to capture them 1 Samuel 23:26.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the contexts in which ʻâṭar is used:

  • H5850 ʻăṭârâh (crown): The noun form derived from H5849, this word refers to a literal or figurative crown. It is used in the account of King Solomon being crowned by his mother Song of Solomon 3:11.
  • H3519 kâbôwd (glory): This word for splendor or honor is often what is bestowed through the act of crowning. For example, God has crowned man with glory and honour Psalms 8:5.
  • H6793 tsinnâh (shield): This term for a large shield illustrates the protective aspect of being encircled. God is said to compass the righteous with favour as with a shield Psalms 5:12.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H5849 is demonstrated through its application in several key themes:

  • Divine Blessing and Favor: The act of crowning is often a metaphor for God's abundant provision and favor. He crownest the year with goodness Psalms 65:11 and blesses His people with lovingkindness H2617 and tender mercies H7356 Psalms 103:4.
  • Conferral of Honor: To be crowned is to be given a high status and dignity. God has crowned humanity with glory H3519 and honour H1926, placing them just a little lower than the angels H430 Psalms 8:5. Similarly, Tyre is described as the crowning city, whose merchants were princes H8269 Isaiah 23:8.
  • Encirclement for Protection or Attack: The root meaning of "to encircle" is shown in both a positive and negative light. God surrounds the righteous for their defense Psalms 5:12, while enemies compassed David in an attempt to capture him 1 Samuel 23:26, showing the word's dual application.

Summary

In summary, H5849 is a dynamic word that signifies more than a simple circlet of gold. It captures the concept of being surrounded, whether by a crown of honor, a shield of divine favor, or a hostile army. Its usage reveals a powerful biblical theme where God bestows glory and blessing upon His creation and protects the righteous by encircling them with His goodness.

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 verb across 7 occurrences, inflected in 7 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.

  • מַּעֲטִירָה
  • תְּעַטְּרֵ
  • מְעַטְּרֵ
  • עִטַּרְתָּ
  • עִטְּרָה
  • תַּעְטְרֶ
  • עֹטְרִים

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H5850 עֲטָרָה from עָטַר; a crown; crown. H3519 כָּבוֹד rarely כָּבֹד; from כָּבַד; properly, weight, but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness; glorious(- H6793 צִנָּה feminine of צֵן; a hook (as pointed); also a (large) shield (as if guarding by prickliness); also cold (as piercing); bu H2617 חֵסֵד from חָסַד; kindness; by implication (towards God) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty; favour, H7356 רַחַם from רָחַם; compassion (in the plural); by extension, the womb (as cherishing the fetus); by implication, a maiden; bowe H1926 הָדָר from הָדַר; magnificence, i.e. ornament or splendor; beauty, comeliness, excellency, glorious, glory, goodly, honour, ma

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 7 verses across 4 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Psalms (4 verses); never once in the other 35.

1
1 Samuel
4
Psalms
1
Song of Solomon
1
Isaiah

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.