What does בָּשַׂר (bāšar) mean in the Bible?
בָּשַׂר (bāšar): To announce glad news; brings joyful tidings of salvation, victory, or divine deliverance throughout OT.
Hebrew · H1319
בָּשַׂר
Properly, to be fresh , i.e. full ( rosy , figuratively cheerful ); to announce (glad news)
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
בָּשַׂר H1319
Pronunciation bāšar
What does בָּשַׂר (bāšar) mean in the Bible?
בָּשַׂר (bāšar): To announce glad news; brings joyful tidings of salvation, victory, or divine deliverance throughout OT.
Full entry for בָּשַׂר (H1319) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H1319?
The BSB source-word alignment has 24 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include herald of good news (2), Proclaim (2), to proclaim the news (2), [do so] (1), a bearer of good news (1).
Where does בָּשַׂר (bāšar) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at 1 Samuel 4:17. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Samuel (7), Isaiah (7), Psalms (3), 1 Chronicles (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It herald of good news 2× Isaiah 40:9
Proclaim 2× 1 Chronicles 16:23, Psalms 96:2
to proclaim the news 2× 1 Samuel 31:9, 1 Chronicles 10:9
[do so] 1× 2 Samuel 18:20
a bearer of good news 1× 2 Samuel 4:10
a herald of good news 1× Isaiah 41:27
and proclaiming 1× Isaiah 60:6
brings good news 1× 2 Samuel 18:26
brought 1× Jeremiah 20:15
hear the good news 1× 2 Samuel 18:31
I proclaim 1× Psalms 40:9
news 1× 1 Kings 1:42
of one who brings good news 1× Nahum 1:15
of those who bring good news 1× Isaiah 52:7
of women proclaim [it] 1× Psalms 68:11
proclaim [it] 1× 2 Samuel 1:20
the good news 1× 2 Samuel 18:19
The messenger 1× 1 Samuel 4:17
to preach good news 1× Isaiah 61:1
who bring 1× Isaiah 52:7
You may do 1× 2 Samuel 18:20
Show sample aligned rows
1 Samuel 4:17 הַֽמְבַשֵּׂ֜ר to The messenger Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular 1 Samuel 31:9 לְבַשֵּׂ֛ר to to proclaim the news Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct 2 Samuel 1:20 תְּבַשְּׂר֖וּ to proclaim [it] Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural 2 Samuel 4:10 כִמְבַשֵּׂר֙ to a bearer of good news Preposition-k | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular 2 Samuel 18:19 וַאֲבַשְּׂרָ֖ה to the good news Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular 2 Samuel 18:20 וּבִשַּׂרְתָּ֖ to You may do Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular 2 Samuel 18:20 תְבַשֵּׂ֔ר to [do so] Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 2 Samuel 18:26 מְבַשֵּֽׂר׃ to brings good news Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular 2 Samuel 18:31 יִתְבַּשֵּׂר֙ to hear the good news Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 1 Kings 1:42 תְּבַשֵּֽׂר׃ to news Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row 1 Samuel 4:17
Aligned rows 24
Books represented 8
1 Samuel 2 2 Samuel 7 1 Kings 1 1 Chronicles 2 Psalms 3 Isaiah 7 Jeremiah 1 Nahum 1
Source forms
בַּשְּׂר֥וּ 2x baś·śə·rū 1 Chronicles 16:23, Psalms 96:2
לְבַשֵּׂ֛ר 2x lə·ḇaś·śêr 1 Samuel 31:9, 1 Chronicles 10:9
מְבַשֵּׂ֥ר 2x mə·ḇaś·śêr Isaiah 41:27, Isaiah 52:7
בִּשַּׂ֤ר 1x biś·śar Jeremiah 20:15
בִּשַּׂ֤רְתִּי 1x biś·śar·tî Psalms 40:9
הַֽמְבַשֵּׂ֜ר 1x ham·ḇaś·śêr 1 Samuel 4:17
הַֽ֝מְבַשְּׂר֗וֹת 1x ham·ḇaś·śə·rō·wṯ Psalms 68:11
וַאֲבַשְּׂרָ֖ה 1x wa·’ă·ḇaś·śə·rāh 2 Samuel 18:19
Parsing patterns
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular 5x 2 Samuel 18:26, Isaiah 41:27, Isaiah 52:7, Nahum 1:15
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct 3x 1 Samuel 31:9, 1 Chronicles 10:9, Isaiah 61:1
Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural 2x 1 Chronicles 16:23, Psalms 96:2
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 2x 2 Samuel 18:20, 1 Kings 1:42
Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine singular construct 2x Isaiah 40:9
Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine plural 1x Psalms 68:11
Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular 1x 1 Samuel 4:17
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular 1x 2 Samuel 18:19
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. To announce glad news; brings joyful tidings of salvation, victory, or divine deliverance throughout OT.
Strong's H1319
Lexical occurrences 24 verses Word forms 2 forms 16 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Isaiah 52:7-10 Source Gloss
properly, to be fresh , i.e. full ( rosy , figuratively cheerful ); to announce (glad news)
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
To announce glad news; brings joyful tidings of salvation, victory, or divine deliverance throughout OT.
properly, to be fresh, i.e. full (rosy, figuratively cheerful); to announce (glad news) BDB: bear tidings Usage: messenger, preach, publish, shew forth, (bear, bring, carry, preach, good, tell good) tidings.
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 groups 2 Aligned forms 16
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 15×
Participle active 2Sam 18:26 · Isa 40:9 · Isa 41:27 · Isa 52:7 · Nah 2:1 7×
Imperfect 1Kgs 1:42 · 2Sam 18:20 · Isa 60:6 3×
Sequential imperfect 1Chr 16:23 · Ps 96:2 2×
Perfect Jer 20:15 · Ps 40:10 2×
Jussive 2Sam 1:20 1×
Hithpael reflexive or reciprocal — the subject acts on itself or mutually with others 1×
Imperfect 2Sam 18:31 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
announcing good news of peace, salvation, and God's reign to Zion
proclaiming good news to the poor, freedom to captives, and comfort to the afflicted
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 24 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
בָּשַׂר is a primitive root - no further derivation.
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.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain