Lexical Summary
otsar: Treasure, storehouse, treasury
Original Word:אוֹצָר
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:owtsar
Pronunciation:oh-tsar
Phonetic Spelling:(o-tsaw')
KJV: armory, cellar, garner, store(-house), treasure(-house) (-y)
NASB:treasures, treasuries, storehouses, treasury, storehouse, stores, treasure
Word Origin:[fromH686 (אָצַר - laid up in store)]
1. a depository
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
armory, cellar, garner, storehouse, treasure-house
From'atsar; a depository -- armory, cellar, garner, store(-house), treasure(-house) (-y).
see HEBREW'atsar
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
atsarDefinitiontreasure, store, a treasury, storehouse
NASB Translationarmory (1), cellars (1), gains (1), storehouse (3), storehouses (13), storeroom (1), stores (3), treasure (3), treasures (26), treasuries (19), treasury (7), treasury* (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Proverbs 15:16 (so Aramaic, also
) —
Proverbs 15:16 +; construct
Joshua 6:19 +; suffix
Deuteronomy 28:12 2t.; plural
Joel 1:17 +;
Proverbs 21:6 +; construct
Micah 6:10 +;
Job 38:22 +; plural suffix
Deuteronomy 32:34;
Isaiah 39:4;
Deuteronomy 32:34;
Jeremiah 17:3;
Isaiah 30:6;
Proverbs 8:21, etc. —
treasure(s), Generally plural (gold, silver, costly utensils, etc.)Joshua 6:19,24;Isaiah 2:7;Isaiah 30:6;Isaiah 45:3 ( , i.e. concealed, hoarded)Hosea 13:15;Jeremiah 15:13;Jeremiah 17:3;Jeremiah 20:5;Jeremiah 48:7;Jeremiah 49:4;Jeremiah 51:13;1 Kings 14:26 (twice in verse);2 Kings 24:13 (twice in verse), perhaps alsoIsaiah 39:2,4 =2 Kings 20:13,15; wealthProverbs 15:16;Proverbs 21:6,20; gathered for temple-building (singular)1 Chronicles 29:8,Ezra 2:69 =Nehemiah 7:70, alsoNehemiah 7:69 (compare1 Chronicles 26:27).
store, supply of food, drink, etc., 2 Chronicles 11:11;1 Chronicles 27:27,28; figurativeMicah 6:10;Proverbs 10:2;Isaiah 33:6.
treasure-houseNehemiah 10:39 compareDaniel 1:2;
storehouse, magazineMalachi 3:10; & withouttreasure-house orchamber, treasury1 Kings 7:51;1 Kings 15:18 (twice in verse);2 Kings 12:19;2 Kings 14:14;2 Kings 16:8;2 Kings 18:15;Jeremiah 38:11;Jeremiah 50:37 (?)1 Chronicles 9:26;1 Chronicles 26:20 (twice in verse);1 Chronicles 26:22,24,26;1 Chronicles 28:12 (twice in verse); 2Chronicles 5:1; 16:2 (?) 2 Chronicles 32:27 compareEzekiel 28:4;storehouseJoel 1:17;Proverbs 8:21;1 Chronicles 27:25 (twice in verse);Nehemiah 13:12,13;
magazine of weapons, figurative of Yahweh'sarmouryJeremiah 50:25;
storehouses of God for rain, snow, hail, wind, seaDeuteronomy 28:12;Job 38:22 (twice in verse);Jeremiah 10:13;Jeremiah 51:16;Psalm 135:7;Psalm 33:7.
see .
Topical Lexicon
Scope and Conceptאוֹצָר (ʾōtsār) spans every sphere of Old Testament life—from the cosmic “storehouses” of snow and wind to the secured vaults of kings and the temple, and finally to the inner life of the righteous. The word gathers its 79 occurrences around four main spheres: divine provision, royal and civic wealth, temple and cultic deposits, and moral-prophetic imagery. Each usage underlines that all treasure is ultimately God’s possession and entrusted stewardship.
Divine Treasuries and Cosmic Provision
Creation itself is pictured as a vast treasury under Yahweh’s lock and key.
•Job 38:22–23: “Have you entered the storehouses of snow or seen the storehouses of hail…?”
•Psalm 33:7: “He gathers the waters of the sea into a heap; He puts the depths into storehouses.”
•Jeremiah 10:13; 51:16: He “brings the wind from His storehouses.”
•Deuteronomy 28:12 (blessing): “The LORD will open the heavens, His abundant storehouse, to send rain on your land in season.”
Israel is thus taught that rain, weather, and natural resources are not random but dispensed from God’s treasury in covenant faithfulness (cf.Leviticus 26:3–4;Deuteronomy 28:24 for the withheld counterpart).
Royal and State Treasuries
Kings guarded אוֹצָר both as signs of sovereignty and targets for invasion.
• Solomon placed the gold and silver dedicated by David “in the treasuries of the house of the LORD” (1 Kings 7:51).
• Asa emptied “the treasuries of the house of the LORD and of the royal palace” to buy protection (1 Kings 15:18).
• Hezekiah’s lapse: he showed Babylon “his whole treasure house” (2 Kings 20:13;Isaiah 39:2).
• Sennacherib boasted of plundering “all the treasures of the kings” (Isaiah 10:13).
• Nebuchadnezzar carted off temple and palace treasure to Babylon (2 Kings 24:13;2 Chronicles 36:18).
These texts remind that earthly treasuries, however fortified, remain vulnerable apart from divine security.
Temple and Sacred Treasuries
The sanctuary contained both continuous operating funds and special dedicatory wealth.
•1 Chronicles 26:20–28 details Levites “over the treasuries of the house of God.”
•Ezra 2:69;Nehemiah 7:70–72 record freewill offerings to refill the treasury for the rebuilt temple.
•Nehemiah 10:38–39 and 12:44 describe storerooms for tithes, grain, new wine, and oil.
•Malachi 3:10: “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house.”
The temple storehouse thus functioned as the covenant community’s supply line for worship, charity, and priestly service.
Agricultural and Civic Storehouses
Kings such as Uzziah and Hezekiah built rural granaries to stabilize the economy.
•2 Chronicles 26:10 records Uzziah’s “many cisterns…for he loved the soil.”
•2 Chronicles 32:27–28: Hezekiah “made storehouses for the harvest of grain, new wine, and oil.”
Joseph’s vast depots during the Egyptian famine prefigure this civic purpose (Genesis 41:56).
Metaphorical and Prophetic Usage
Prophets and sages employ אוֹצָר to expose hearts and future hope.
•Isaiah 45:3: “I will give you the treasures of darkness…so that you may know that I am the LORD.”
•Jeremiah 20:5 threatens Jerusalem’s looting: “I will hand over all the wealth of this city…all its treasures.”
•Haggai 2:7 anticipates the eschatological “treasures of all the nations.”
•Proverbs 15:6; 21:20 contrast the righteous whose “house…has great treasure” with the fool who squanders.
Thus outward wealth mirrors inward character, and prophetic voices redirect the reader to lasting riches.
Ethical and Theological Implications
1. Stewardship: God entrusts resources to individuals (Proverbs 3:9–10), rulers (Proverbs 8:15–21), and congregations (Malachi 3:10). Accountability follows ownership.
2. Dependence: Farmers looked to God’s “good treasure” (Deuteronomy 28:12). Disobedience emptied both barns and clouds (Deuteronomy 28:24).
3. Security: Fortresses fail where righteousness fails (2 Kings 20:17). The safest treasury is found in fearing the LORD (Isaiah 33:6).
Christological and Eschatological Echoes
While אוֹצָר itself is Hebrew, its theology flows into the New Testament. Messiah promises “treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20) and Paul proclaims Christ “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). The prophetic “treasures of nations” culminate inRevelation 21:24–26 as the glory of kings flows into the New Jerusalem’s gates, sanctifying all wealth to God.
Practical Application for Ministry
• Teach giving that sustains the modern “storehouse” (local church) and global mission.
• Model transparency and integrity in handling funds, mindful of Asa and Hezekiah’s missteps.
• Encourage believers to view talents, time, and spiritual gifts as entrusted treasure.
• Cultivate faith that God’s cosmic storehouses still open for provision in drought—physical or spiritual.
Representative References
Genesis 43:23;Exodus 1:11 (supply-cities);Deuteronomy 28:12; 28:17; 28:24;Joshua 6:19, 24;2 Samuel 8:11–12;1 Kings 7:51; 14:26; 15:18;2 Kings 12:18; 18:15; 20:13; 24:13;1 Chronicles 26:20; 27:25;2 Chronicles 5:1; 32:27–29;Ezra 2:69;Nehemiah 10:38;Esther 3:9;Job 38:22;Psalm 33:7;Proverbs 8:21; 15:6; 21:20;Ecclesiastes 2:8;Isaiah 10:13; 30:6; 39:2; 45:3;Jeremiah 20:5; 50:37;Ezekiel 27:22;Daniel 11:43;Joel 1:17;Haggai 2:7;Malachi 3:10.
Forms and Transliterations
א֠וֹצָרוֹת א֣וֹצָר֔וֹ א֭וֹצָרוֹת אֹֽצְרוֹת֙ אֹֽצָר֔וֹת אֹצְר֖וֹת אֹצְר֣וֹת אֹצְר֤וֹת אֹצְר֥וֹת אֹצְרוֹת֙ אֽוֹצְרֹתָ֔ם אֽוֹצְרוֹת֙ אֽוֹצָרֹ֑ת אוֹצְר֜וֹת אוֹצְר֣וֹת אוֹצְרֹתֶ֖יהָ אוֹצְרוֹת֙ אוֹצְרוֹתֶ֖יךָ אוֹצַ֖ר אוֹצַ֥ר אוֹצָ֤ר ׀ אוֹצָר֨וֹ אוֹצָרֽוֹ׃ אוצר אוצרו אוצרו׃ אוצרות אוצרותיך אוצרת אוצרתיה אוצרתם אצרות בְּאֹ֣צְרֹתֶ֔יהָ בְּאֹֽצְרֹתָ֑יו בְּאֹצְר֖וֹת בְּאֹצְר֥וֹת בְּאֹצְרֹתָֽי׃ בְּאֹצָר֣וֹת בְּאֽוֹצְרֹתָ֑יו בְּאוֹצְר֣וֹת בְּאוֹצְרֹתָֽי׃ בְּאוֹצְרוֹתֶֽיךָ׃ באוצרות באוצרותיך׃ באוצרתי׃ באוצרתיו באצרות באצרתי׃ באצרתיה באצרתיו הָֽאֹצָר֡וֹת הָאֹצְר֖וֹת הָאֹצָרֽוֹת׃ הָאוֹצָ֔ר הָאוֹצָ֗ר הָאוֹצָֽר׃ האוצר האוצר׃ האצרות האצרות׃ וְאֹֽצְרוֹת֙ וְאֹֽצָר֣וֹת וְאֹצְר֖וֹת וְאֹצְר֥וֹת וְאֹצְרֹ֖תֵיהֶ֣ם וְאֽוֹצְר֖וֹת וְאוֹצְרוֹתֶ֛יךָ וְלָאֹצָרֽוֹת׃ וּבְא֣וֹצְרוֹתַ֔יִךְ וּבְאֹֽצְר֖וֹת וּבְאֹֽצְרוֹת֙ וּבְאֹצְר֖וֹת וּלְאֹֽצְר֖וֹת וּלְאֹצְר֖וֹת ואוצרות ואוצרותיך ואצרות ואצרתיהם ובאוצרותיך ובאצרות ולאצרות ולאצרות׃ לְאֹֽצְרוֹת֙ לְאֹצְר֣וֹת לְאֹצְרֹתָ֑יו לְאוֹצַ֣ר לָא֨וֹצָר֥וֹת לָאוֹצָ֗ר לָאוֹצָרֽוֹת׃ לאוצר לאוצרות לאוצרות׃ לאצרות לאצרתיו מֵאֹֽצְר֛וֹת מֵאֹצְרֹתָֽיו׃ מֵאֽוֹצְרוֹתָֽיו׃ מֵאוֹצָ֥ר מאוצר מאוצרותיו׃ מאצרות מאצרתיו׃ ’ō·ṣā·rō·wṯ ’ō·ṣə·rō·wṯ ’ō·w·ṣā·rō·wṯ ’ō·w·ṣā·rōṯ ’ō·w·ṣā·rōw ’ō·w·ṣar ’ō·w·ṣār ’ō·wṣ·rō·ṯām ’ō·wṣ·rō·ṯe·hā ’ō·wṣ·rō·w·ṯe·ḵā ’ō·wṣ·rō·wṯ ’ōṣārōwṯ ’ōṣərōwṯ ’ōwṣar ’ōwṣār ’ōwṣārōṯ ’ōwṣārōw ’ōwṣārōwṯ ’ōwṣrōṯām ’ōwṣrōṯehā ’ōwṣrōwṯ ’ōwṣrōwṯeḵā bə’ōṣārōwṯ bə’ōṣərōṯāw bə’ōṣərōṯāy bə’ōṣərōṯehā bə’ōṣərōwṯ bə’ōwṣrōṯāw bə’ōwṣrōṯāy bə’ōwṣrōwṯ bə’ōwṣrōwṯeḵā bə·’ō·ṣā·rō·wṯ bə·’ō·ṣə·rō·ṯāw bə·’ō·ṣə·rō·ṯāy bə·’ō·ṣə·rō·ṯe·hā bə·’ō·ṣə·rō·wṯ bə·’ō·wṣ·rō·ṯāw bə·’ō·wṣ·rō·ṯāy bə·’ō·wṣ·rō·w·ṯe·ḵā bə·’ō·wṣ·rō·wṯ beotzaRot beotzeRot beotzeroTai beotzeroTav beOtzeroTeiha beotzRot beotzroTai beotzroTav beotzroTeicha hā’ōṣārōwṯ hā’ōṣərōwṯ hā’ōwṣār hā·’ō·ṣā·rō·wṯ hā·’ō·ṣə·rō·wṯ hā·’ō·w·ṣār haoTzar haotzaRot haotzeRot lā’ōwṣār lā’ōwṣārōwṯ lā·’ō·w·ṣā·rō·wṯ lā·’ō·w·ṣār laoTzar laotzaRot lə’ōṣərōṯāw lə’ōṣərōwṯ lə’ōwṣar lə·’ō·ṣə·rō·ṯāw lə·’ō·ṣə·rō·wṯ lə·’ō·w·ṣar leoTzar leotzeRot leotzeroTav mê’ōṣərōṯāw mê’ōṣərōwṯ mê’ōwṣār mê’ōwṣrōwṯāw mê·’ō·ṣə·rō·ṯāw mê·’ō·ṣə·rō·wṯ mê·’ō·w·ṣār mê·’ō·wṣ·rō·w·ṯāw meoTzar meotzeRot meotzeroTav meotzroTav oTzar otzaRo otzarot otzeRot otzrOt otzroTam otzroTeicha otzroTeiha ū·ḇə·’ō·ṣə·rō·wṯ ū·ḇə·’ō·wṣ·rō·w·ṯa·yiḵ ū·lə·’ō·ṣə·rō·wṯ ūḇə’ōṣərōwṯ ūḇə’ōwṣrōwṯayiḵ ūlə’ōṣərōwṯ uleotzeRot uveotzerOt uveotzroTayich velaotzaRot veotzaRot veotzeRot veotzeRoteiHem veotzRot veotzroTeicha wə’ōṣārōwṯ wə’ōṣərōṯêhem wə’ōṣərōwṯ wə’ōwṣrōwṯ wə’ōwṣrōwṯeḵā wə·’ō·ṣā·rō·wṯ wə·’ō·ṣə·rō·ṯê·hem wə·’ō·ṣə·rō·wṯ wə·’ō·wṣ·rō·w·ṯe·ḵā wə·’ō·wṣ·rō·wṯ wə·lā·’ō·ṣā·rō·wṯ wəlā’ōṣārōwṯ
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