"He Remembers" - Etymology
In Klein's "Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language" we learn the origin of זכר (zacar): "According to some scholars the orig. meaning of this base wold have been 'to prick, pierce', whence 'to fix in one's mind' — 'to remember.'"

"Remember" An Internal and External Process
Although "remembering" for Americans' is often a simple cognitive process, it is sometimes linked with action. Such as looking at your watch and thinking, "I just remembered I have to pick up my kids from practice!"

For the Hebrew "to remember" included vocalizing that remembrance and also taking action. This is clearly demonstrated in the commandment to "Remember (zacar) the Sabbath day to keep it holy." in Exodus 20.8. Physical "reminders" such as having tassels on their garments moved the Hebrew to mindful of his relationship with God and His commandments (Numbers 15:40).

The vocalization of "remembering" can be found in Jonah's rememberance which leads him to prayer (Jon. 2:7 ff).  Harris notes in the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, "If the possibility of meanings such as "recite" or "invoke" is accepted, the "remembering" of God's wonderful works could be a public recitation of those deeds (I Chr. 16:12; cf. v.8: "make know his deeds:; see also Ps 105:5; RSV "remember")..." 


In God's Remembrance He Takes Action 
The greatest remembrance is God's remembrance of us.  When God's "remembers" us, He takes action. For instance, when God remembers His covenant with His people and Church, He delivers His people. In bondage to the Egyptians, the Hebrews groan unto the LORD, "So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob." God then takes action to deliver His people.

In Christ, God "remembers" His Church and delivers us from what Martin Luther coined the "unholy trinity" -- sin, death and the devil.

Inversely, for God to not remember often means that He grants us forgiveness. Psalm 79:8-9 reads,
       "Oh, do not remember former iniquities against us! Let Your tender mercies come speedily to    
        meet us, For we have been brought very low.  9 Help us, O God of our salvation, For the glory 
        of Your name; And deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins, For Your name's sake!"  

Hebrew Mnemonic for "He Remembered" 
To recall "zacar" is " he remembered" find a "sound-alike" word for "zacar." For myself, it sounds like "the car."  Associate your "sound-alike" to the definition of " he remembered."  I vividly picture myself  remembering where I parked "the car."

Biblical Hebrew Vocabulary Helps
To learn Hebrew vocabulary and grammar quickly and easily, visit us on the web at Biblical Hebrew Made Easy! To see more works by author Blair Kasfeldt, visit his website, Boost Your Memory!

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What's Your Name?
After asking a student from Korea who is studying here in America what his name is, he not only told me his name, but also told me what his name meant.

It reminded me of a fact lost in America — names carry meaning or "weight."  This is particularly true in the Old Testament Scriptures.   
"Name" in Hebrew
In Hebrew, name is שׁם (pronounced shame). While the etymology of this word is uncertain, some have sought to connect this word to the Hebrew word shema as a shortened form. But more likely is from an Arabic root meaning "'to mark or brand,' hence an external mark to distinguish one thing or person from another." (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, s.v. shem)

A person's given name was not merely an identifying mark or call sign (similar to how Americans understand a name), but a name gave meaning (with hoped expectation to fulfill the meaning) to the thing or person to which the name is ascribed.

The Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament notes:
"Thus [shame] constitutes a reality that guarantees the bearer an existence  however hard to define, that endures beyond death. A related theme is defense against the ultimate annihilation of the [shame]."
We rejoice that our names are not forgotten by God. Jesus speaks to His disciples after granting them power to cast out demons and says, "Nevertheless do not rejoice in this...but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10.20 cf. Rev.17.8)

Tetragrammaton — YHWH
The "shame Yhwh" (name of YHWH) identifies the LORD God and His being. Where His name is placed, there God is present.  

Harris notes in his commentary:

"...it functions almost like an appearance of Yahweh (Ex.23.20; Isa 30.27). Cf. the tabernacling of the Name at various spots almost like a Christophany (Ex 20.24; Deut 12.5; II Sam 7.13).  The name of God also signifies the whole self-disclosure of God in his holiness and truth (Ps.22.22)...it is our Lord's preparation for the full disclosure of the Trinity as well as the Incarnation of his Son to come." (Ibid.)

Baptized into God's Name
Christians are baptized in the name of God: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God places His name upon us in baptism.

In Revelation, we see the whole body of believers symbolized in the 144,000. St. John writes, "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads." (Rev. 14.1).


Biblical Hebrew Vocabulary Helps
To learn Hebrew vocabulary and grammar quickly and easily, visit us on the web at Biblical Hebrew Made Easy! To see more works by author Blair Kasfeldt, visit his website, Boost Your Memory!

Buy Your Hebrew Vocabulary Guide Today and Master over 700 Hebrew Words Quickly and Easily!