Hebrew word · H234

אַזְכָּרָה

'azkaratah

memorial

A ritual technical term from the root z-k-r ('remember, mention, call to mind'). Used only for the small part of a grain-type offering that is put on the altar (Lev 2:2, 9, 16; 5:12; 6:8 [6:15 Eng.]; Num 5:26) and for the frankincense laid on the bread of the Presence (Lev 24:7).

Appears 7 times in 7 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

memorial-offering, the portion of the meal (food) offering which is burned

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Leviticus 2:2

Range of meaning

A ritual technical term from the root z-k-r ('remember, mention, call to mind'). Used only for the small part of a grain-type offering that is put on the altar (Lev 2:2, 9, 16; 5:12; 6:8 [6:15 Eng.]; Num 5:26) and for the frankincense laid on the bread of the Presence (Lev 24:7). Three main senses have been proposed: (1) a 'reminder', something that brings the offerer to God's remembrance; (2) a 'token portion', the part that stands for and hands over the whole; (3) an 'invocation', since the causative verb hizkir can mean 'to call on / proclaim' a name.

Against the English

KJV/WEB 'memorial' and BSB/ESV/NIV 'memorial portion' keep the link to remembering. Some modern versions say 'token portion', which captures the part-for-whole function but loses the remembrance idea.

How it drifted

In modern English a 'memorial' is a monument or service that honours the dead or a past event. The Hebrew term has nothing to do with commemorating the past. It is a portion given now that represents the gift, and probably the giver, before God.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation) usually renders it mnēmosynon, 'memorial, reminder'. That word reappears in Acts 10:4, where Cornelius' prayers and alms 'have gone up as a mnēmosynon before God': a deliberate echo of this sacrificial language. The causative verb 'to bring to remembrance' appears in the headings of Psalms 38 and 70 (lehazkir), which some link to the incense-and-grain rite.

From the study of Leviticus 5:12

Range of meaning

A noun from z-k-r, 'remember, call to mind, mention'. In the Bible it occurs only in ritual texts: the portion of a flour offering burned on the altar (Lev 2:2, 9, 16; 6:15; 5:12; Num 5:26), and the frankincense placed on the bread of the Presence (Lev 24:7).

Against the English

'Memorial' (KJV, BSB, WEB, ESV) suggests a monument to something past, or a ceremony of commemoration. The point is rather forward-looking and relational: the portion that brings the offerer to God's notice, or the token part that stands for the whole offering. Some versions paraphrase it as 'token' or 'representative' portion.

How it drifted

'Memorial' came in through the Latin memoriale and the Greek mnēmosynon. In modern English a 'memorial' looks backward to the dead or to past events.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX translates it mnēmosynon. That word is picked up in Acts 10:4, where Cornelius's prayers and alms 'have gone up as a mnēmosynon before God', clearly echoing this altar language. Compare also Num 10:10, where trumpets serve 'as a reminder (zikkaron) before your God'.

Where it appears

Leviticus · 6

  1. Leviticus 2:2 אַזְכָּרָתָהּ֙ memorial offering its

    and bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the flour and oil, together with all the frankincense, and burn this as a memorial portion on the altar, a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

    Here: 'Its azkarah': the handful plus incense, the part that goes to God and stands for the whole offering. It comes from the root 'remember', and probably also suggests bringing the offerer to God's attention (see study).

  2. Leviticus 2:9 אַזְכָּ֣רָתָ֔הּ memorial offering its

    The priest is to remove the memorial portion from the grain offering and burn it on the altar as a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

  3. Leviticus 2:16 אַזְכָּרָתָ֗הּ memorial offering its

    The priest shall then burn the memorial portion of the crushed grain and the oil, together with all its frankincense, as a food offering to the LORD.

  4. Leviticus 5:12 אַזְכָּרָתָה֙ memorial offering its

    He is to bring it to the priest, who shall take a handful from it as a memorial portion and burn it on the altar atop the food offerings to the LORD; it is a sin offering.

    Here: The part of the offering that goes up to God and stands for the whole. It comes from the root 'remember', so it is the portion that brings the worshipper to God's attention. 'Its' means the offering's.

  5. Leviticus 6:15 אַזְכָּרָתָ֖הּ memorial offering its

    The priest is to remove a handful of fine flour and olive oil, together with all the frankincense from the grain offering, and burn the memorial portion on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

  6. Leviticus 24:7 לְאַזְכָּרָ֔ה to a memorial offering

    And you are to place pure frankincense near each row, so that it may serve as a memorial portion for the bread, a food offering to the LORD.

Numbers · 1

  1. Numbers 5:26 אַזְכָּ֣רָתָ֔הּ memorial offering its

    Then the priest is to take a handful of the grain offering as a memorial portion and burn it on the altar; after that he is to have the woman drink the water.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.