H5341 H5341
To watch, guard, keep; of observing commandments, protecting persons, standing watch, and besieging cities.
Natsar belongs to the same semantic family as its Aramaic cousin netar ('to guard, keep'), and the two verbs illuminate each other. At its heart, natsar describes vigilant watchfulness — whether directed toward God's commandments, toward a person under one's care, or toward an enemy city under siege. The covenantal sense dominates: the Psalms are saturated with natsar as the faithful keeper of Torah (Ps 119:22, 56, 100), and the word becomes a marker of covenant loyalty itself in passages like Deuteronomy 33:9 where the Levites 'kept your word.' Yet the same root yields the notsrim, 'watchmen,' who stand sentinel over cities (2 Kgs 17:9), and even the surprising military sense of besieging a fortified place (Isa 1:8; Jer 4:16). Arabic nazara ('to look at, examine') preserves the visual core of watchfulness from which all these senses radiate.
1. keep, observe (commandments) — The dominant covenantal sense: to keep, guard, or observe commandments, laws, covenant stipulations, and moral instructions with careful, deliberate obedience. This accounts for 24 of 64 occurrences, concentrated in the Psalms and Proverbs. Spanish guardar and German bewahren both capture the custodial dimension — not mere compliance but treasured preservation of what has been entrusted. Psalm 119 alone uses natsar repeatedly (vv. 22, 56, 100, 129) as a virtual synonym for shamar, though natsar carries a slightly more watchful, attentive connotation. Korean 지키다 ('to protect/keep') mirrors this range well. 24×
AR["(تَحْفَظُها)","أَحْفَظُ","احْرُسِي","اِحْفَظْ","حَافِظِي","حَفِظْتُ","لِحَافِظِي","لِيَحْفَظَ","وَ-أَحْفَظُ","وَ-أَحْفَظُهَا","يَحفَظون","يَحْفَظُونَ","يَحْفَظْ","يَصُونُونَ"]·ben["-আমাকে-ও-আমি-রক্ষা-করব","আমি-পালন-করেছি","আমি-রক্ষা-করব","ও-আমি-রক্ষা-করব","তারা-পালন-করবে","তারা-রক্ষা-করে","পালন-করুক","পাহারা-দাও","পাহারা-দেওয়ার-জন্য","যারা-পালন-করে","রক্ষা-কর","রক্ষা-করবে","সন্তুষ্ট-হোক"]·DE["behütete","bewahrte","sie-bewachte","und-behütete","zu-behütete","zu-bewahrte"]·EN["I-have-kept","I-keep","I-will-keep","and-I-will-keep","and-I-will-keep-it","are-those-keeping","for-those-keeping","guard","keep","let-keep","let-observe","they-guarded","they-will-keep","they-would-observe","to-guard","will-keep"]·FR["et-garder","garder","ils-garda","à-garder"]·heb["(תצורנה)","אצור","אצורה","ו-אצרה","ו-אצרנה","יינצורו","ינצורו","ינצרו","יצור","ל-נוצרי","ל-נצור","נוצרי","נצור","נצרתי"]·HI["(रखें)","के-लिए-मानेवालों","पालन-करते-हैं।","माने","रक्खा-कर","रक्षा-कर","रक्षा-करने-के-लिए","रक्षा-करे","वे-रखें"]·ID["(biarlah-menyimpan)","Peliharalah","akan-aku-pelihara","aku-pelihara","dan-aku-memelihara","dan-aku-menjaga-nya","hendaklah-menyimpan","jagalah","memelihara","mereka-akan-memelihara","mereka-menaati","mereka-menjaga","peliharalah","supaya-aku-memelihara","untuk-menjaga","yang-menjaga"]·IT["[נצור]","custodi'","custodire","e-custodi'","essi-custodi","per-custodire"]·jav["badhé-kula-jagi","dipunjagi","kanggé-ingkang-njagi","kanggé-njagi","lan-kula-njagi","mugi-njaga","njagaa","njagi","sami-njagi","sampun-kula-jagi","tiyang-tiyang-ingkang-njagi"]·KO["(지켜라)","그리고-지키리라","그리고-지키리라-그것-을","보전하리라","지켜라","지켰나이다","지키-기-위해","지키게-하려-함이라","지키는-자들","지키는-자들-에게","지키리라","지키리이다","지킬-것이다"]·PT["Guarda","Para-guardar","e-guardarei","e-o-guardarei","guarda","guardarei","guarde","guardei","guardem","observam","observem","os-que-guardam","para-os-que-guardam"]·RU["Для-охранения","Сохраняй,","буду-хранить-я","будут-соблюдать","да-хранят","для-хранящих","и-буду-хранить","и-буду-хранить-его","охраняй","пусть-хранит","соблюдали","сохранял-я","сохраняю","храни","хранят","хранящие"]·ES["(guardarán)","Guarda","guarda","guardaron","guardarán","guardaré","guarde","guardé","los-que-guardan","observen","para-guardar","para-los-que-guardan","y-guardaré","y-la-guardaré","¡Guarda"]·SW["(yachunguze)","Kulinda","hifadhi","kwa-wanaoshika","linda","moyo-wako","na-nitaishika","nami-nitashika","nimeshika","nimeyashika","nitashika","shika","walilinda","wanaoshika","wayatunze","wazishike"]·TR["(gözetsin)","koru","korumak-için","korusun","korusunlar","koruyanlara-","tutacağım","tutanlar","tuttular","tuttum","ve-tutacağım-onu","ve-tutayım"]·urd["-محافظوں-کے-لیے","اور-مانوں","اور-مانوں-گا","اور-مانوں-گا-اسے","جو-نگہبانی-کرتے-ہیں","حفاظت-کرنے-کو","مانوں-گا","مانے-میں-نے","محفوظ-رکھ","محفوظ-رکھیں","محفوظ-رکھے","میں-نے-مانا","نگاہ-رکھیں","نگرانی-کر","نگہبانی-کر","نگہبانی-کرتے-ہیں","وہ-رکھیں"]
Deut 33:9, Ps 25:10, Ps 34:13, Ps 78:7, Ps 105:45, Ps 119:2, Ps 119:22, Ps 119:33, Ps 119:34, Ps 119:56, Ps 119:69, Ps 119:100 (+12 more)
▼ 4 more senses below
Senses
2. guard, protect, preserve (a person) — To guard, protect, or preserve a person from harm or danger — 20 occurrences, often with God as subject safeguarding the faithful. In Deuteronomy 32:10 God 'guarded' Israel 'as the apple of his eye,' and Psalm 32:7 declares God will 'preserve me from trouble.' The multilingual evidence splits interestingly: Spanish guarda and French garder treat protection and commandment-keeping as the same verb, while Korean shifts to 보호하다 ('to protect') and Swahili -linda ('to guard a person'), marking a clear semantic boundary between covenantal observance and personal protection. Psalm 12:7 and 40:11 anchor this sense theologically. 20×
AR["أَحْرُسُهَا","احْرُسْ","احْفَظْنِي","اِحْفَظْ","تَحْرُسُنَا","تَحْفَظانِ","تَحْفَظُ","تَحْفَظُنِي","تَصُونُكَ","حَارِسُهَا","حَفِظَهُ","وَ-تَصُونُكَ","وَ-حَفِظْتُكَ","وَأَحْفَظْتُكَ","يَحفَظانِهِ","يَحْرُسُ","يَحْفَظانِ-","يَحْفَظانِني","يَحْفَظَانِي"]·ben["আমাকে-রক্ষা-করুক","এবং-আমি-তোমাকে-রক্ষা-করব","এবং-রক্ষা-করব-তোমাকে","ও-পাহারা-দেবে-তোমাকে","তাকে-রক্ষা-করবে।","তুমি-সংরক্ষণ-করবে-আমাদের","পাহারা-দাও","পাহারা-দেবে-তোমাকে","রক্ষা-কর-আমাকে","রক্ষা-কর-আমাকে;","রক্ষা-কর-আমাকে।","রক্ষা-করবে","রক্ষা-করলেন-তাকে","রক্ষা-করি-এটাকে","রক্ষা-করুক-আমাকে","রক্ষা-করে","রক্ষা-করো"]·DE["behütete","bewahren","bewahrte","er-bewachte-ihn","und-bewahren","und-bewahrte"]·EN["You-preserve-me","and-I-have-kept-you","and-I-will-preserve-you","and-day","and-she-will-watch-over-you","guards","he-guarded-him","its-keeper","keep-watch","may-preserve","may-protect-me","preserve","preserve-me","that-they-may-preserve-him","will-watch-over-you","you-will-guard-us"]·FR["et-garder","garder","il-garda-lui"]·heb["אצורנה","ו-אצורך","ו-אצרך","ו-תנצורך","ייצרו־","ייצרנהו","ינצורו","ינצרוהו","יצרו-אותי","יצרוני","נוצרה","נצרה","נצרו","תנצורך","תנצרני","תצור","תצור-אותי","תצרנו","תשמור"]·HI["और-पहरा-देगी-तुझे","और-मैंने-तुझे-सुरक्षित-किया","और-सुरक्षित-करूँगा-तुझे","जो-उसे-सुरक्षित-रखें","तू-बचाएगा-उसे","तू-बचाएगा-मुझे","पहरा-देंगे","पहरा-देगी-तुझे","बचा","बचा-मुझे","रक्षा-कर","रक्षा-करती-है","रक्षा-करती-हैं","रक्षा-करते-हैं-","रक्षा-करूंगा-उसकी","रक्षा-करें-मेरी","रक्षा-की-उसने","रखवाला-उसका","सुरक्षित-करें-मुझे"]·ID["Aku-menjaganya","Engkau-akan-menjaga-kami","akan-memeliharamu","akan-menjaga","dan-Aku-memelihara-engkau","dan-Aku-menjaga-engkau","jagalah","lindungilah","maka-dia-akan-memeliharamu","menjaga","menjaga-dia","menjaganya"]·IT["custodi'","custodire","e-custodire","egli-custodi-lui"]·jav["Lan-Ingsun-badhé-njagi-panjenengan","Lan-badhé-njagi-panjenengan","Panjenengan-njagi-kula","kawula-njagi","lan-bakal-ngreksa-panjenengan","mugi-njagi","mugi-njagi-kula","ngreksa-panjenengan","ngreksà-kita","njagi","njagi-kula","njagi-piyambakipun","rumeksa-piyambakipun","rumeksanana"]·KO["그를-지키셨다","그리고-그녀-가-너-를-보호할-것이다","그리고-너를-지키고","그리고-지키리라-너를","너-를-보호할-것이다","보호하리이다-나-를","보호하시고","보호하시리이다","지켜소서","지켜주시리이까","지키기-를","지키느니라-","지키는도다","지키리라","지키소서","지키소서-나-를","지키시느니라","지킨다","지킬-것이다"]·PT["a-guardarei","a-guardo","e-te-guardarei","e-te-protegerá","guarda","guarda-me","guardam","guardam-","guardar-me-ás","guardarão","guardou-o","me-guardem","os-protegerás","preserva-me","que-o-guardem","te-protegerá","vigia"]·RU["да-охранят-меня","да-охраняют-меня","и-сохраню-тебя","и-убережёт-тебя.","охраняю-его","охраняют","пусть-сохраняют.","сбережешь-нас","сохрани","сохрани-меня","сохранишь-меня","сохраняй","сохранят-его","убережёт-тебя.","хранил-его","хранит","хранят-"]·ES["guarda","guardan","guardan-a-","guárdame","la-guardaré","la-guardo","lo-guardarán","lo-guardó","me-guardarán","me-guardarás","me-guarden","nos-preservarás","preservarán","presérvame","te-preservará","vigila","y-te-guardaré","y-te-preservará"]·SW["hulinda","humlinda","inalinda","linda","na-alimlinda","na-i-ta-ku-hifadhi","na-nitakulinda","ninalilinda","ulinde","unilinde","utakuhifadhi","utamhifadhi","utanihifadhi","vimlinde","vinilinde","ya-shike"]·TR["bekle","gözetecek-seni","koru","koru-beni","korudu-onu","korur","korur-","korursun-beni","korusun","korusun-beni","korusunlar-beni","korusunlar-onu","koruyorum-onu","muhafaza-edeceksin-onu","muhafaza-ederim-onu","ve-gözetecek-seni","ve-koruyacagim-seni"]·urd["اور-حفاظت-کرے-گی-تیری","اور-میں-تجھے-حفاظت-کرتا-ہوں","اور-میں-تجھے-محفوظ-کروں-گا","بچا-مجھے","بچایا-اُسے-اُس-نے","تُو-میری-حفاظت-کرے-گا","تُو-ہمیں-بچائے-گا","حفاظت-کرتی-ہے","حفاظت-کرے-گی-تجھے","حِفاظَت-کَر","حِفاظَت-کَرے-اُسے","مجھے-محفوظ-رکھیں","محفوظ-رکھتی-ہیں","محفوظ-رکھتے-ہیں-","میری-حفاظت-کریں","نگرانی-کر","نگرانی-کریں-گے","پہرہ-دوں-گا-اُسے","پہرےدار-ہوں-اُس-کا"]
3. watchman, keeper — Substantivized participle: a watchman, sentinel, keeper, or guardian — 11 occurrences where the verb becomes an agent noun. The notsrim of 2 Kings 17:9 and 18:8 are military watchtower sentinels, while Job 7:20 provocatively addresses God as 'O Watcher of men.' Jeremiah 31:6 envisions the notsrim on Mount Ephraim calling people to Zion. Spanish el que guarda and German der Wächter both render this substantivized form. The Exodus 34:7 usage ('keeping steadfast love for thousands') bridges toward sense 1 but retains the participial guardian imagery. 11×
AR["النَّوَاطِيرِ","حافِظُ","صائِنُ","مَنْ-يَحْفَظُ","ناطِرٌ","وَ-حافِظُ","يا-راقِبَ","يَحْفَظُ"]·ben["এবং-যিনি-রক্ষা-করেন","পাহারাদার","প্রহরী","প্রহরীদের","যে-পাহারা-দেয়","যে-রক্ষা-করে","রক্ষা-করেন","রক্ষাকারী"]·DE["behütete","bewahrte","keeping","und-bewahrte","watchmen"]·EN["O-Watcher-of","and-he-who-watches","guards","he-who-guards","keeping","one-who-keeps","one-who-tends","preserves","watchman","watchmen"]·FR["et-garder","gardant","garder","watchmen"]·heb["ו-נוצר","נוצר","נוצרים"]·HI["और-रखनेवाला","चौकीदार","पहरेदारों-के","पालन-करने-वाला","रक्षा-करता-है","रखनेवाला","रखवाली-करने-वाला","सुरक्षित-रखता-है","हे-रखवाले"]·ID["Siapa-menjaga","Yang-menjaga","dan-yang-menjaga","hai-Penjaga","memelihara","menyimpan","penjaga"]·IT["custodi'","custodire","e-custodire","keeping","sentinelle"]·jav["Ingkang-njagi","dipun-jagi","ingkang-njagi","juru-jaga","lan-kang-njagi","njagi","penjagi","tiyang-kang-njagi"]·KO["그리고-지키시는-분이","보존하는-자이니라","지키는-자","지키는-자-는","지키는-자가","지키는-자는","지키시나니","지키시는-자여","파수꾼들의"]·PT["Guardador-de","Quem-guarda","e-guardador-de","guarda","guardando","guardião-de","o-guarda.","vigias"]·RU["Страж","и-хранящий","сохраняющий","стерегущий","сторож","стражей","хранит","хранящий"]·ES["El-que-guarda","el-guarda","el-que-cuida","guarda","oh-vigilante-de","que-guarda","vigilantes","vigilântes","y-el-que-guarda"]·SW["anahifadhi","anayeshika","anayetunza","anayeulinda","anayilinda","mlinzi","mlinzi-wa","mlinzi-wa-","na-anayehifadhi","wa-walinzi"]·TR["bakan","bekçi","bekçilerin","gözetleyici","koruyan","muhafaza-eder","ve-koruyan"]·urd["اور-محفوظ-رکھنے-والا","اے-نگہبان","حفاظت-کرتا-ہے","رکھنے-والا","ماننے-والا","محفوظ-رکھنے-والا","نگہبان","نگہبانی-کرتا-ہے","پہرے-داروں","چوکیدار نے"]
4. hidden, secret, guarded away — Passive participle: that which is hidden, concealed, guarded away, or kept secret — 5 occurrences forming a distinct adjectival sense. Proverbs 7:10 describes a woman with a 'guarded/crafty heart' (netsurath lev); Isaiah 48:6 reveals 'hidden things you have not known'; Isaiah 49:6 speaks of 'preserved ones of Israel.' The passive morphology shifts the semantics from active watching to the result of being watched over and thus sequestered. Spanish preservados and cosas guardadas confirm the stative, resultative quality. This sense connects to the Aramaic/Syriac tradition where netar can mean 'to reserve, keep back.' 5×
AR["(وَ-مَحْفُوظِي)","[وَ-مَحْفُوظِي]","وَ-بِ-الْمَخْبَأِ","وَ-مَحْفُوظَةُ","وَ-مَخْفِيَّاتٍ"]·ben["(এবং-রক্ষিত)","-এবং-প্রহরাকৃত-স্থানে","[এবং-রক্ষিত]","এবং-গোপন-বিষয়গুলো","এবং-সতর্ক"]·DE["bewahren","und-bewahren","und-bewahrte"]·EN["[ketiv:and-preserved-ones-of]","and-crafty-of","and-hidden-things","and-in-secret-places","and-preserved-ones-of"]·FR["et-garder","garder"]·heb["ו-ב-נצורים","ו-נצורות","ו-נצורי","ו-נצורת","ו-נצירי"]·HI["(और-संरक्षित)","[और-संरक्षित]","और-गुप्त-स्थानों-में","और-छिपी-हुई"]·ID["[Q1]","dan-di-tempat-tempat-tersembunyi","dan-hal-hal-tersembunyi","dan-licik","dan-yang-terpelihara"]·IT["custodire","e-custodire"]·jav["[lan-ingkang-kasingidaken]","lan-ing-papan-sesingidan","lan-ingkang-kasingidaken","lan-licik","lan-prekawis-kasimpen"]·KO["그리고-간교한","그리고-감추인-것들을","그리고-보존된-자들을","그리고-보존된-자들을-","그리고-은밀한-곳에서"]·PT["(e-preservados-de)","[Qere]","e-coisas-guardadas","e-em-escondedouros","e-guarda-de"]·RU["(и-сохранённых)","[(сохранённых)]","и-в-hа-тайниках","и-с-сокрытым","и-сокрытое"]·ES["(y-preservados-de)","[Qere]","y-cosas-guardadas","y-en-los-escondites","y-guardada-de"]·SW["na-mambo-yaliyofichwa","na-mwenye-hila-ya","na-sehemu-za-siri","na-waliokolewa","waliokolewa"]·TR["(ve-korunanlarini)","[ve-korunanlari]","ve-gizli","ve-gizli-yerlerde","ve-sakli-seyler"]·urd["[اور-محفوظوں-کو]","اور-محفوظوں-کو","اور-پوشیدہ-جگہوں-میں","اور-چالاک","اور-چھپی-ہوئی"]
5. besiege, blockade — To besiege or blockade a city — 4 occurrences constituting a distinct military sense. In Isaiah 1:8 Jerusalem is 'like a besieged city'; Jeremiah 4:16 warns that 'besiegers come from a distant land'; Ezekiel 6:12 distinguishes the besieged from those far away. Spanish sitiada/sitiadores ('besieged/besiegers') and the broader semantic logic make clear this is not mere metaphorical guarding but actual military encirclement. The connection to the root meaning is transparent: besieging is hostile watching, surrounding a city to prevent escape — the same vigilant gaze turned from protective to adversarial. 4×
AR["الْحُرَّاسُ","حَارِسُونَ","مَحصُورَةٍ","وَ-الـ-مَحْصورُ"]·ben["অবরুদ্ধ","আর-ঘেরাও-লোক","প্রহরীরা"]·DE["[והנצור]","bewahren"]·EN["and-the-besieged","besieged","besiegers","watchmen"]·FR["et-garder","garder"]·heb["ו-ה-נצור","נוצרים","נצורה"]·HI["और-घिरा-हुआ","घिरा-हुआ","पहरेदार"]·ID["Penjaga-penjaga","dan-yang-terkepung","penjaga-penjaga","yang-terkepung"]·IT["[והנצור]","custodire"]·jav["ingkang-dipunkepung","lan-ingkang-dipunkepung","pengepung","tiyang-jagi"]·KO["그리고-에워싸인-자는","에워싸인","파수꾼들이","포위하는-자들이"]·PT["e-o-preservado","sitiada","sitiadores","vigias"]·RU["и-осаждённый","осаждённый","стражи"]·ES["Sitiadores","guardas","sitiada","y-el-sitiado"]·SW["na-aliyelindwa","uliozingirwa","walinzi","wazingiraji"]·TR["bekleyenler-o","kuşatanlar","kuşatılmış","ve-korunan"]·urd["محاصروں","نگہبان","و-محفوظ","گھرا-ہوا"]
Related Senses
H8104 1. Qal: keep, observe (law/covenant) (399×)G3101 1. disciple, learner (263×)H5647 1. worship, serve (God/deity) (203×)H5826 1. Qal: to help, aid (53×)H8334 1. to minister, serve (52×)H8334 2. minister, servant, attendant (46×)G5083 1. observe or obey commands (41×)H8104 2. Niphal: beware, take heed (34×)G1247 1. to serve or minister to (32×)H3256 1. discipline, chastise (Piel active) (27×)H5833 1. help, aid, assistance (26×)H8104 3. Qal: watch, look out (26×)G5083 2. guard or protect someone (23×)H5647 2. serve, minister to (a person) (21×)H5826 2. Qal participle: helper (21×)G5219 1. obey, be obedient to (20×)G1398 1. serve, render service to (19×)H5828 1. help, assistance (19×)H5411 1. Nethinim, temple servants (18×)G3936 1. present, offer, yield (17×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. [נָצַר] vb. watch, guard, keep (NH id., observe; Assyrian naṣâru, watch over, protect; Old Aramaic נצר protect Lzb 325 Cook 83; Palm. in n.pr. Vog 150, 4 Cook 124; Aramaic נְטַר, ܢܛܰܪ (cf. Wetzst in De Job (2) on 27:18); Arabic نَظَرَ look at, consider, examine (نَاطُورٌ, overseer is Aramaic loan-word Frä 138); Sab. להנצרהמו to aid them Hal Rev. Sém. iv (1896), 71; Ethiopic ነጸረ spectare,…