Lexical Summary
Zikri: Zikri
Original Word:זִכְרִי
Part of Speech:Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration:Zikriy
Pronunciation:ZIK-ree
Phonetic Spelling:(zik-ree')
KJV: Zichri
NASB:Zichri
Word Origin:[fromH2142 (זָכַר - remember)]
1. memorable
2. Zicri, the name of twelve Israelites
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Zichri
Fromzakar; memorable; Zicri, the name of twelve Israelites -- Zichri.
see HEBREWzakar
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
zakarDefinitionthe name of several Isr.
NASB TranslationZichri (12).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
, , etc., except as below: —
1 Chronicles 27:16.
2Chronicles 17:16.
:
Exodus 6:21 (P).
1 Chronicles 26:25.
1 Chronicles 9:15 ""Nehemiah 11:17 where read (for , q. v. ); compare alsobelow
Nehemiah 12:17 (L ).
:
1 Chronicles 8:19.
1 Chronicles 8:23.
1 Chronicles 8:27.
Nehemiah 11:9.
2Chronicles 23:1 ( ,L ).
2Chronicles 28:7 ( ,L ).
Topical Lexicon
Zichri
Occurrences and Distribution of the Name
The name Zichri appears twelve times in the Old Testament, attached to at least ten individuals who span the books of Exodus, Chronicles, and Nehemiah. The bearers of the name are found in the tribes of Levi, Benjamin, Reuben, Ephraim, and among the post-exilic priesthood, highlighting the wide acceptance of the name across Israel’s history.
Key references:Exodus 6:21;1 Chronicles 8:19, 8:23, 8:27;1 Chronicles 9:15;1 Chronicles 26:25;1 Chronicles 27:16;2 Chronicles 17:16;2 Chronicles 23:1;2 Chronicles 28:7;Nehemiah 11:9;Nehemiah 12:17.
Genealogical Witness to Covenant Continuity
1. The earliest Zichri is named among the sons of Izhar, grandson of Levi (Exodus 6:21). His inclusion in the Levitical lineage situates the name within the priestly heritage established at Sinai.
2. Three Benjamite clans contain men named Zichri (1 Chronicles 8:19, 8:23, 8:27). After the exile, the royal tribe of Judah dominates the narrative, yet these notices safeguard Benjamin’s place in redemptive history.
3. Post-exilic genealogical lists mark a Zichri in the line of Asaph (1 Chronicles 9:15), and another presiding over a priestly course of Abijah (Nehemiah 12:17). These late references demonstrate that the covenant line was preserved and verified after the return from Babylon, ensuring the legitimacy of temple service.
Levitical and Priestly Service
Several Zichris are linked to temple ministry:
•1 Chronicles 9:15 places a Zichri in the musical guild of Asaph, an office vital to orderly worship (cf.1 Chronicles 25).
•1 Chronicles 26:25 traces a treasury-keeper back to a Zichri in the line of Moses through Eliezer. This stewardship function safeguarded holy offerings and underscored accountability in God’s house.
•Nehemiah 12:17 lists a Zichri as head of the Abijah division when priestly courses were reorganized after the exile, mirroring Davidic precedent (1 Chronicles 24) and signifying restored worship.
Military Leadership and Courage
Four passages associate the name with martial strength:
•1 Chronicles 27:16 records “Eliezer son of Zichri” as tribal commander over Reuben in David’s standing army.
•2 Chronicles 17:16 commends “Amasiah son of Zichri, who volunteered himself for the service of the LORD, and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valor.” His voluntary zeal models wholehearted devotion under King Jehoshaphat’s reforms.
•2 Chronicles 23:1 lists “Elishaphat son of Zichri” among the captains who covenanted with Jehoiada to depose Athaliah and restore the Davidic heir, a decisive moment for messianic continuity.
•2 Chronicles 28:7 names “Zichri, a mighty warrior of Ephraim,” who executed judgment on faithless Judah during Ahaz’s reign. Though harsh, the episode displays God’s use of northern tribes to discipline the southern kingdom.
Instrumental Figures in Covenant Renewal
Nehemiah 11:9 describes “Joel son of Zichri” as chief officer in Jerusalem’s repopulation plan. His administrative role advanced Nehemiah’s vision of a fortified, worship-centered city. In every era—Mosaic, monarchic, reformational, and post-exilic—a Zichri stands connected to movements that preserve or restore covenant order.
Moral and Theological Insights
1. Faithfulness over prominence: None of the Zichris dominate the narrative, yet each appears at strategic junctures where fidelity undergirds larger redemptive purposes.
2. Multiplicity of callings: Whether treasurer, musician, military leader, or civic official, the name is attached to varied vocations, illustrating that all spheres of service are sacred when offered to the Lord.
3. Memory and responsibility: The root idea of “remembrance” (implicit in the name) harmonizes with the roles these men play—guarding treasures, upholding genealogies, and enforcing covenant loyalty remind successive generations of God’s past acts and present claims.
Christological and Ecclesial Application
Genealogical precision, sacrificial stewardship, courageous defense of rightful kingship, and post-exilic restoration all converge in the ministry of Jesus Christ, who fulfills the Law, embodies the true Temple, and guarantees the eternal Davidic throne. In the church, the diverse callings echoed by the various Zichris find unity in service to the risen Lord, who “is not unjust to forget your work and the love you have shown for His name” (Hebrews 6:10).
Summary
Zichri designates several otherwise unheralded individuals whose collective testimony reinforces the continuity, diversity, and resilience of covenant life in Israel. From Sinai to the Second Temple era, the scattered references to Zichri quietly affirm that God remembers His people and advances His purposes through faithful servants in every generation.
Forms and Transliterations
וְזִכְרִ֖י וְזִכְרִ֥י וְזִכְרִֽי׃ וזכרי וזכרי׃ זִכְרִ֑י זִכְרִ֔י זִכְרִ֖י זִכְרִ֣י ׀ זכרי vezichRi wə·ziḵ·rî wəziḵrî zichRi ziḵ·rî ziḵrî
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