What does בָּעַר (bāʿar) mean in the Bible?
H1197 can describe kindling or consuming with fire, removal, grazing consumption, or becoming brutish in a distinct stem. 2, the bush burns with fire but is not consumed as God calls Moses.
Hebrew · H1197
בָּעַר
To kindle , i.e. consume (by fire or by eating); to be (-come) brutish
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בָּעַרH1197
Pronunciationbāʿar
What does בָּעַר (bāʿar) mean in the Bible?
H1197 can describe kindling or consuming with fire, removal, grazing consumption, or becoming brutish in a distinct stem. 2, the bush burns with fire but is not consumed as God calls Moses.
Reader summary
Full entry for בָּעַר (H1197) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H1197?
The BSB source-word alignment has 94 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include So you must purge (7), blazed forth (3), burned (3), burning (3), and burn (2).
Where does בָּעַר (bāʿar) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 3:2. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (17), Deuteronomy (16), Jeremiah (11), Psalms (8).
What This Word Actually Means
H1197 can describe kindling or consuming with fire, removal, grazing consumption, or becoming brutish in a distinct stem. In Exod. 3. 2, the bush burns with fire but is not consumed as God calls Moses. In Lev. 6. 12, the priest adds wood each morning so the altar fire remains burning. In Jer. 4. 4, God's wrath threatens to burn because of Judah's evil deeds.
H1197 opens teaching on holy presence that does not consume, worship sustained by daily service, anger pictured as fire, and judgment against entrenched evil. It does not make every disaster an act of divine wrath, authorize rage, or turn spiritual passion into permission to exhaust people.
How the Bible Uses It
H1197 spans literal fire, consuming judgment, maintained lamps and altar flame, grazing or removing what belongs to another, burning anger, and brutish lack of understanding. Grammar and object determine the sense.
- Exod.3.2
There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from within a bush. Moses saw the bush ablaze with fire, but it was not consumed.
The bush is ablaze yet not consumed as the angel of the Lord appears and Moses is summoned.
- Lev.6.12
The fire on the altar shall be kept burning; it must not be extinguished. Every morning the priest is to add wood to the fire, arrange the burnt offering on it, and burn the fat portions of the peace offerings on it.
The priest adds wood every morning and arranges the offerings so the altar fire remains burning.
- Jer.4.4
Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and remove the foreskins of your hearts, O men of Judah and people of Jerusalem. Otherwise, My wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it, because of your evil deeds.”
Judah is warned that unrepented evil can bring wrath pictured as a fire no one extinguishes.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItSo you must purge7×Deuteronomy 13:5, Deuteronomy 17:7, Deuteronomy 19:19, Deuteronomy 21:21
blazed forth3×2 Samuel 22:9, 2 Samuel 22:13, Psalms 18:8
burned3×Esther 1:12, Psalms 39:3, Isaiah 6:13
burning3×Jeremiah 20:9, Jeremiah 36:22, Malachi 4:1
and burn2×Jeremiah 4:4, Jeremiah 21:12
blazed2×Numbers 11:1, Psalms 106:18
burning up2×Exodus 3:3, Judges 15:5
for fuel2×Isaiah 40:16, Ezekiel 39:10
is senseless2×Jeremiah 10:14, Jeremiah 51:17
light2×Exodus 35:3, Jeremiah 7:18
of fire2×Isaiah 4:4, Ezekiel 1:13
to burn2×2 Chronicles 4:20, Nehemiah 10:34
was blazing2×Deuteronomy 5:23, Deuteronomy 9:15
You must purge2×Deuteronomy 17:12, Deuteronomy 22:22
a blazing1×Isaiah 34:9
ablaze1×Exodus 3:2
and burned1×Jeremiah 44:6
and consume1×1 Kings 21:21
and it will burn1×Jeremiah 7:20
and purge1×Judges 20:13
and remove you1×2 Samuel 4:11
and sacrificed1×2 Chronicles 28:3
as fuel1×Isaiah 44:15
blazes1×Hosea 7:6
blazing1×Deuteronomy 4:11
brutal1×Ezekiel 21:31
burn1×Psalms 79:5
burns1×Isaiah 9:18
consumed1×Isaiah 5:5
consumes1×Psalms 83:14
destroyed1×Numbers 24:22
give senseless1×Isaiah 19:11
grazes his livestock1×Exodus 22:5
had burned1×Numbers 11:3
have become senseless1×Jeremiah 10:21
have devoured1×Isaiah 3:14
have kindled it1×Ezekiel 20:48
He banished1×1 Kings 22:46
He has burned1×Lamentations 2:3
heated1×Hosea 7:4
I have removed1×Deuteronomy 26:13
I will burn up1×1 Kings 14:10
I will consume1×1 Kings 16:3
I will reduce1×Nahum 2:13
ignites1×Psalms 2:12
is to add1×Leviticus 6:12
It burned1×Job 1:16
it consumed them1×Isaiah 42:25
it will burn1×Isaiah 10:17
keep burning1×Psalms 89:46
kindle fires1×Ezekiel 39:9
like a blazing1×Isaiah 62:1
like burnt1×Judges 15:14
O senseless1×Psalms 94:8
one burns up1×1 Kings 14:10
or removed1×Deuteronomy 26:14
removed1×2 Kings 23:24
senseless1×Jeremiah 10:8
set you ablaze1×Isaiah 43:2
sets it ablaze1×Isaiah 30:33
shall purge1×Deuteronomy 21:9
so that they graze1×Exodus 22:5
the one who started1×Exodus 22:6
Then he lit1×Judges 15:5
they light1×2 Chronicles 13:11
vvv1×Ezekiel 39:9
will burn1×Isaiah 1:31
with burning1×Isaiah 30:27
you are to burn up1×Ezekiel 5:2
You are to purge1×Deuteronomy 19:13
you have lit1×Isaiah 50:11
you have removed1×2 Chronicles 19:3
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 3:2בֹּעֵ֣רtoablazeVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularExodus 3:3יִבְעַ֥רtoburning upVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularExodus 22:5יַבְעֶר־tograzes his livestockVerb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singularExodus 22:5וּבִעֵ֖רtoso that they grazeConjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularExodus 22:6הַמַּבְעִ֖רtothe one who startedArticle | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singularExodus 35:3תְבַעֲר֣וּtolightVerb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralLeviticus 6:12וּבִעֵ֨רtois to addConjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularNumbers 11:1וַתִּבְעַר־toblazedConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularNumbers 11:3בָעֲרָ֥הtohad burnedVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularNumbers 24:22לְבָ֣עֵֽרtodestroyedPreposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowExodus 3:2
Aligned rows94
Books represented20
Exodus6Leviticus1Numbers3Deuteronomy16Judges42 Samuel31 Kings52 Kings12 Chronicles4Nehemiah1Esther1Job1Psalms8Isaiah17Jeremiah11Lamentations1Ezekiel7Hosea2Nahum1Malachi1
Source forms
וּבִֽעַרְתָּ֥9xū·ḇi·‘ar·tāDeuteronomy 13:5, Deuteronomy 17:7, Deuteronomy 17:12, Deuteronomy 19:19
בֹּעֵ֣ר4xbō·‘êrExodus 3:2, Deuteronomy 5:23, Deuteronomy 9:15, Isaiah 30:27
וַתִּבְעַר־3xwat·tiḇ·‘ar-Numbers 11:1, Psalms 106:18, Isaiah 42:25
בִּעֵ֖ר2xbi·‘êr1 Kings 22:46, 2 Kings 23:24
בָּעֲר֥וּ2xbā·‘ă·rū2 Samuel 22:9, Psalms 18:8
וּבָעֲרָה֙2xū·ḇā·‘ă·rāhJeremiah 4:4, Jeremiah 21:12
לְבָעֵ֔ר2xlə·ḇā·‘êrIsaiah 5:5, Isaiah 44:15
נִבְעַ֤ר2xniḇ·‘arJeremiah 10:14, Jeremiah 51:17
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular10xDeuteronomy 13:5, Deuteronomy 17:7, Deuteronomy 17:12, Deuteronomy 19:13
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular7xExodus 3:2, Deuteronomy 4:11, Deuteronomy 5:23, Deuteronomy 9:15
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct6xNumbers 24:22, 2 Chronicles 13:11, Nehemiah 10:34, Isaiah 5:5
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular5xNumbers 11:1, Job 1:16, Psalms 106:18, Isaiah 42:25
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular5xPsalms 39:3, Psalms 79:5, Psalms 83:14, Psalms 89:46
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular4xIsaiah 10:17, Jeremiah 4:4, Jeremiah 7:20, Jeremiah 21:12
Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular4xIsaiah 30:33, Isaiah 34:9, Jeremiah 20:9, Hosea 7:4
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural4xJudges 15:14, 2 Samuel 22:9, 2 Samuel 22:13, Psalms 18:8
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not call a wildfire, house fire, illness, or personal tragedy divine punishment without clear scriptural warrant.
- Do not demand relentless ministry intensity or excuse angry intimidation as keeping spiritual fire alive.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that every H1197 occurrence refers to literal combustion or God's wrath.
- Do not claim that intense feelings, loud worship, or institutional growth prove the presence of holy fire.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Fire consumes and reduces to nothing; brutishness represents moral consumption—loss of wisdom through appetite.
Strong'sH1197
Lexical occurrences94 versesWord forms5 forms52 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkExodus 3:1-6Source Gloss
to kindle , i.e. consume (by fire or by eating); to be (-come) brutish
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Fire consumes and reduces to nothing; brutishness represents moral consumption—loss of wisdom through appetite.
to kindle, i.e. consume (by fire or by eating); to be (-come) brutish BDB: be brutish Usage: be brutish, bring (put, take) away, burn, (cause to) eat (up), feed, heat, kindle, set (on fire), waste.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups5Aligned forms52
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense30×
Participle activeDeut 4:11 · Deut 5:23 · Deut 9:15 · Exod 3:2 · Ezek 1:13 · Ezek 21:36 · Hos 7:4 · Hos 7:6 · Isa 30:27 · Isa 30:33 · Isa 34:9 · Jer 20:9 · Mal 3:19 · Ps 94:814×
ImperfectIsa 43:2 · Ps 39:4 · Ps 79:5 · Ps 83:15 · Ps 89:47 · Exod 3:3 · Isa 62:1 · Ps 2:12 · Jer 10:89×
Perfect2Sam 22:9 · 2Sam 22:13 · Judg 15:14 · Ps 18:9 · Esth 1:12 · Isa 9:17 · Num 11:37×
Pielintensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action14×
Perfect1Kgs 22:47 · 2Kgs 23:24 · Deut 26:13 · Deut 26:14 · Isa 3:14 · Isa 50:11 · 2Chr 19:37×
Imperfect1Kgs 14:10 · Deut 21:9 · Exod 35:3 · Ezek 39:104×
Infinitive absoluteIsa 4:41×
Infinitive constructIsa 40:161×
Participle activeJer 7:181×
Niphalpassive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action4×
PerfectJer 10:14 · Jer 51:17 · Jer 10:213×
Participle activeIsa 19:111×
Hiphilcausative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action3×
ImperfectExod 22:4 · Ezek 5:22×
Participle active1Kgs 16:31×
Pualintensive passive — intensive action received by the subject1×
Participle passiveJer 36:221×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Fire consuming or kindling without being consumed, divine manifestation
Becoming stupid or lacking understanding, moral or intellectual dullness
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 94 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
בָּעַר is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
H1197 shows that fire can reveal, sustain, consume, or warn. At the bush, God's holy presence burns without using up the object that bears the sign. Moses is summoned by grace and commission, not invited to imitate uncontrolled intensity. At the altar, a continuing flame depends on prescribed offerings and a priest adding wood each morning. Holy continuity includes ordinary maintenance.
Jeremiah uses the consuming capacity of fire to warn a people whose evil has become settled; the image conveys judgment's seriousness but does not authorize modern teachers to diagnose every fire or tragedy. Other uses describe property consumed by grazing or people made brutish by lack of understanding. Faithful application attends to grammar, practices sustainable service, repents of destructive habits, and refuses to confuse emotional heat with God's presence.
Divine holiness exposes evil while also calling and sustaining servants who remain creatures with limits.
Anchor passage
Exod.3.2
Doctrinal connections
- H1197: God's presence in the burning bush displays holiness and summons Moses without consuming the bush.
- H1197: altar fire is maintained through regular priestly work under God's instructions.
- H1197: fire imagery communicates the real destructiveness of sin and the seriousness of divine judgment.
- H1197: kindled anger requires moral interpretation and must not be assumed righteous because it is intense.
- H1197: consuming another person's field can create responsibility for material harm and restitution.
- H1197: biblical zeal remains governed by truth, love, justice, and creaturely limits.
H1197 is a Hebrew verb whose stem and complements produce several senses, including burn, consume, graze, remove, and be brutish. Similar English fire language can conceal these grammatical distinctions.
From Old to New Testament
The New Testament uses fire for God's presence, tested work, purification, and final judgment, while Pentecost's fire imagery accompanies Spirit-given witness rather than uncontrolled human aggression. Pentecost's fire imagery must still be distinguished from destructive burning by its own narrative context.