What does עֹשֶׁר (osher) mean in the Bible?
עֹשֶׁר (osher): Wealth viewed as accumulated possessions; often carries theological ambivalence regarding trust and spiritual faithfulness in OT
Hebrew · H6239
עֹשֶׁר
Wealth
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עֹשֶׁרH6239
Pronunciationosher
What does עֹשֶׁר (osher) mean in the Bible?
עֹשֶׁר (osher): Wealth viewed as accumulated possessions; often carries theological ambivalence regarding trust and spiritual faithfulness in OT
Full entry for עֹשֶׁר (H6239) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H6239?
The BSB source-word alignment has 37 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include riches (12), wealth (4), in his riches (2), in riches (2), of his wealth (2).
Where does עֹשֶׁר (osher) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 31:16. Its strongest book concentrations include Proverbs (9), 2 Chronicles (6), Ecclesiastes (6), 1 Kings (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itriches12×1 Samuel 17:25, 1 Kings 3:13, 1 Chronicles 29:28, 2 Chronicles 1:11
wealth4×1 Kings 3:11, Esther 5:11, Ecclesiastes 5:13, Ecclesiastes 5:14
in his riches2×Proverbs 11:28, Jeremiah 9:23
in riches2×1 Kings 10:23, 2 Chronicles 9:22
of his wealth2×Psalms 52:7, Daniel 11:2
of riches2×2 Chronicles 17:5, 2 Chronicles 18:1
the wealth2×Genesis 31:16, Ecclesiastes 9:11
[are] riches1×Proverbs 3:16
[are] wealth1×Proverbs 22:4
a fortune1×Jeremiah 17:11
and riches1×Psalms 112:3
are riches1×Proverbs 8:18
Both riches1×1 Chronicles 29:12
is their wealth1×Proverbs 14:24
nor riches1×Proverbs 30:8
only wealth1×Proverbs 11:16
who will be1×Daniel 11:2
with his wealth1×Ecclesiastes 4:8
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 31:16הָעֹ֗שֶׁרtothe wealthArticle | Noun - masculine singular1 Samuel 17:25עֹ֣שֶׁרtorichesNoun - masculine singular1 Kings 3:11עֹ֔שֶׁרtowealthNoun - masculine singular1 Kings 3:13עֹ֖שֶׁרtorichesNoun - masculine singular1 Kings 10:23לְעֹ֖שֶׁרtoin richesPreposition-l | Noun - masculine singular1 Chronicles 29:12וְהָעֹ֤שֶׁרtoBoth richesConjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular1 Chronicles 29:28עֹ֣שֶׁרtorichesNoun - masculine singular2 Chronicles 1:11עֹ֣שֶׁרtorichesNoun - masculine singular2 Chronicles 1:12וְעֹ֨שֶׁרtorichesConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular2 Chronicles 9:22לְעֹ֖שֶׁרtoin richesPreposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 31:16
Aligned rows37
Books represented11
Genesis11 Samuel11 Kings31 Chronicles22 Chronicles6Esther2Psalms3Proverbs9Ecclesiastes6Jeremiah2Daniel2
Source forms
עֹ֣שֶׁר4x‘ō·šer1 Samuel 17:25, 1 Chronicles 29:28, 2 Chronicles 1:11, Proverbs 3:16
עֹ֖שֶׁר3x‘ō·šer1 Kings 3:13, Proverbs 22:4, Jeremiah 17:11
עֹֽשֶׁר־3x‘ō·šer-2 Chronicles 17:5, Proverbs 8:18, Daniel 11:2
לְעֹ֖שֶׁר2xlə·‘ō·šer1 Kings 10:23, 2 Chronicles 9:22
עֹ֔שֶׁר2x‘ō·šer1 Kings 3:11, Ecclesiastes 9:11
עֹ֥שֶׁר2x‘ō·šer2 Chronicles 18:1, 2 Chronicles 32:27
עָשְׁר֑וֹ2x‘ā·šə·rōwPsalms 52:7, Proverbs 13:8
בְעָשְׁר֔וֹ1xḇə·‘ā·šə·rōwDaniel 11:2
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular19x1 Samuel 17:25, 1 Kings 3:11, 1 Kings 3:13, 1 Chronicles 29:28
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular3x2 Chronicles 1:12, Psalms 112:3, Proverbs 30:8
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular3xEsther 5:11, Psalms 52:7, Proverbs 13:8
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular3xProverbs 11:28, Jeremiah 9:23, Daniel 11:2
Article | Noun - masculine singular2xGenesis 31:16, Ecclesiastes 5:14
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural2xPsalms 49:6, Proverbs 14:24
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular2x1 Kings 10:23, 2 Chronicles 9:22
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular1x1 Chronicles 29:12
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Wealth viewed as accumulated possessions; often carries theological ambivalence regarding trust and spiritual faithfulness in OT
Source Gloss
wealth
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Wealth viewed as accumulated possessions; often carries theological ambivalence regarding trust and spiritual faithfulness in OT
wealth BDB: riches Usage: × far (richer), riches.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
wealth or material abundance
material wealth or abundance
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 37 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
עֹשֶׁר is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
The proverb contrasts material wealth with the greater value of honor.Proverbs 11:16
The term represents the false security people often place in possessions.Proverbs 11:4
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.