The Hebrew verb atsar (אָצַר) means to store up, lay up, or treasure something in a treasury. It describes the deliberate gathering and safekeeping of resources — grain, wealth, weapons, or wisdom. The noun form otsar (treasury/storehouse) derives from this root.
Atsar carries both practical and spiritual dimensions. Practically, it describes the storing of grain for famine (as Joseph did in Egypt) or the treasuries of kings. Spiritually, it shapes the biblical concept of laying up treasure — but the prophets warn that earthly hoarding often reflects a failure of trust in God. Jesus's teaching about not storing up treasures on earth but in heaven directly engages this Hebrew concept: where we atsar reveals what we truly value.