Word Study for H814 (אֶשְׁכָּר)

ʼeshkâr /esh-cawr'/ Ask about this word

Meaninga gratuity

KJV usagegift, present.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʼeshkâr — 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 ʼeshkâr, represented by H814, is defined as a gratuity, gift, or present. It appears only 2 times across 2 unique verses, making it a rare term. The word signifies a valuable item given as an expression of honor or as part of a commercial exchange.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H814 describes offerings of significant value given by foreign entities. In Psalms, it is used in a prophecy where the kings of Sheba H7614 and Seba H5434 shall offer gifts as a form of tribute to a righteous king Psalms 72:10. In Ezekiel, the term describes valuable goods brought by merchants from Dedan H1719 to the great trading city of Tyre. These merchants brought thee for a present horns H7161 of ivory H8127 and ebony H1894 as part of their international commerce Ezekiel 27:15.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the context in which a gift H814 is given:

H4503 minchâh (gift, oblation, present): This word for "present" is used in parallel with ʼeshkâr in Psalms 72:10, often referring to a donation, tribute, or a sacrificial offering. It can be a "pure offering" presented to God's name Malachi 1:11.
H5506 çᵉchôrâh (merchandise): This term defines the context of the gift in Ezekiel 27:15 as part of a commercial transaction or traffic. The isles were engaged in trade, and their ʼeshkâr was part of this merchandise Ezekiel 27:15.
H7126 qârab (to offer, present): This verb describes the action of bringing a gift or sacrifice near. In Psalms 72:10, kings shall offer these gifts, signifying an act of approaching and presenting something of value to a figure of authority.

Theological Significance

The significance of H814 is tied to its specific contexts of honor and value:

Tribute to the King: The gift in Psalms 72:10 is an act of homage from foreign kings H4428 to God's chosen ruler, acknowledging his greatness and dominion. It illustrates nations bringing their wealth to honor the righteous king.
Valuable Commerce: In Ezekiel 27:15, the present consists of rare and precious materials like ivory H8127 and ebony H1894. This highlights the value and exotic nature of the gift, connecting it to the wealth that flows through global trade and the "merchandise of thine hand".
Expression of Honor: As a gratuity, H814 represents a voluntary offering of high worth. Whether given as tribute to a king or as a prized item of trade, it functions as a tangible expression of respect, relationship, or goodwill.

Summary

In summary, H814 is a specific and infrequently used term for a valuable gift or present. Its two occurrences place it in the high-stakes worlds of royal tribute and international commerce. The word ʼeshkâr conveys more than a simple gift; it signifies a gratuity of significant worth, offered to show honor to a king or as a prized piece of merchandise.

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 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 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.

אֶשְׁכָּר
אֶשְׁכָּרֵ

Related Words

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.

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 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Psalms and Ezekiel (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

Psalms

Ezekiel

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.