Lexical Definition

‎יָקַר‎ yâqar (yaw-kar') be precious ^H:V
a primitive root

be (make) precious, be prized, be set by, withdraw.

• properly, apparently, to be heavy, i.e. (figuratively) valuable
• causatively, to make rare (figuratively, to inhibit)

1) to esteem, be prized, be valuable, be precious, be costly, be appraised
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be precious, be highly valued, be esteemed, be costly
1a2) to be appraised
1b) (Hiphil) to make something precious

See Greek: δοκιμάζω · εἰσάγω · ἔντιμος · τιμάω

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[‎יָקַר‎] verb be precious, prized, appraised (Late Hebrew id., Pi`el, Hiph`il; Aramaic ‎יְקַר‎, , be heavy, precious; Pa`el honour; ‎יַקִּיר‎, weighty, precious, honoured; compare Assyrian a‡âru, be precious, costly, and derivatives, Dl^{HWB 240}; Arabic be heavy, II. honour; dignity; Sabean noun ‎יקר‎ honour DHM^{ZMG 1883, 402}) —

Qal Perfect 3 feminine singular ‎יָָֽקְרָה‎ 1Sam 16:21 2 masculine singular ‎יָקַרְתָּ‎ Isa 43:4 1 singular ‎יָקַרְתִּי‎ Zech 11:13 3 plural ‎יָ˜קְרוּ‎ Ps 139:17 Imperfect ‎וַיִּיקַר‎ 1Sam 18:30 ‎וְיֵקַר‎ Ps 49:9* ‎וְיֵיקַר‎ Ps 72:14 jussive ‎תִּיקַר(נָֿאׅ‎ 2Kgs 1:13; 2Kgs 1:14 —

1. be precious:
a. = highly valued, esteemed, David's name, ‎וַיִּיקַר‎ ‎שְׁמוֺ מְאֹד‎ 1Sam 18:30 of Israel, ‎יָקַרְתָּ בְעֵינַי‎ Isa 43:4 (+ ‎נִכְבַּדְתָּ‎, ‎אֲהַבְתִּיךָ‎); of God's thoughts ‎וְלִי מַהיָָּֽֿקִרוּ‎ ‎רֵעֶיךָ‎ Ps 139:17 (Ew Hi Hup render hard, difficult: compare ‎יַקִּירָה‎ Dan 2:11).
b. especially of life (‎נֶפֶשׁ‎), in phrase ‎יָָֽקִרָה נַפְשִׁי בְּעֵינֶיךָ‎ 1Sam 26:21, i.e. thou hast spared it; so (jussive) 2Kgs 1:13; 2Kgs 1:14 similarly ‎יֵיקַר דָּמָם בְּעֵינָיו‎ Ps 72:14 (|| ‎מִתּוֺךְ וּמֵחָמָס יִגְאַל נַפְשָׁס‎).
c. be costly, ‎וְיֵקַר פִּדְיוֺן נַפְשָׁם‎ Ps 49:9*.

2. be appraised, valued, ‎אֶדֶר הַיְקָר אֲשֶׁר יָקַרְתִּי מֵעֲלֵיהֶם‎ Zech 11:13 the magnificence of the price at which I was appraised (and dismissed) from them! Hiph`il Imperfect 1 singular ‎אוֺקִיר אֱנוֺשׁ מִפָּ֑ז‎ Isa 13:12 I will make men more rare (literally precious) than fine gold. Imperative ‎הֹקַר‎ Prov 25:17 make rare (i.e. withhold) thy foot from the house of thy friend.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References