הַכָּרָה
respect, i.e. partiality
Definition
The Hebrew noun הַכָּרָה (hakkârâh) refers to a form of recognition or regard that is given in a partial or biased manner. It specifically denotes showing favoritism or respect of persons, often in a judicial or social context where impartial judgment is expected. The word appears only in Isaiah 3:9, where it describes the people's brazen display of their sin, not hiding it but openly showing partiality—likely in their corrupt legal and social dealings. This singular usage ties the concept directly to acts of injustice and moral failure, contrasting God's standard of righteous, unbiased judgment.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Isaiah 3:9. The context is a prophetic indictment against Judah and Jerusalem for their pride and societal corruption. The phrase 'the shew of their countenance doth witness against them' (KJV) uses הַכָּרָה to indicate that their facial expression or outward display reveals their inner partiality and sin. It highlights a public, unashamed manifestation of corrupt favoritism within the community.
Etymology
Derived from the root נָכַר (nākar, H5234), meaning 'to recognize, acknowledge, or regard.' This root often implies discerning or taking note. The noun form הַכָּרָה carries a nuanced sense of a specific kind of recognition—one that is partial or biased. Cognates and related forms include הִכִּיר (hikkîr, 'to recognize') and נֵכָר (nēkār, 'foreign, strange'), showing a semantic range from simple acknowledgment to distinguishing something as different or showing special regard.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it exposes a core sin: partiality or respect of persons, which violates God's character of perfect justice (Deuteronomy 10:17). It enriches the reading of Isaiah 3 by showing that societal collapse is linked to the loss of impartial righteousness in human relationships. Understanding this Hebrew term underscores the biblical theme that God judges not by outward appearance but with complete fairness, a standard He requires of His people.
In ancient Israelite society, especially within city gates where legal cases were heard, impartial judgment was a sacred communal ideal (Leviticus 19:15). Showing הַכָּרָה—partial recognition or favor based on status, wealth, or kinship—was a direct breach of covenant law and social trust. Isaiah's use condemns a culture where such corrupt favoritism had become blatant and publicly flaunted, signaling deep moral decay.
פָּנִים (pānîm, H6440) — Often translated 'face' or 'presence,' can imply partiality in the phrase 'to lift the face,' but is broader. מִשְׁפָּט (mišpāṭ, H4941) — 'Judgment' or 'justice,' the righteous standard that הַכָּרָה violates.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →