What does בְּאֵר (bĕʾēr) mean in the Bible?
בְּאֵר (bĕʾēr): A well as life-sustaining water source; carries covenantal weight in patriarchal narratives and divine provision contexts
Hebrew · H875
בְּאֵר
A pit ; especially a well
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.
בְּאֵר H875
Pronunciation bĕʾēr
What does בְּאֵר (bĕʾēr) mean in the Bible?
בְּאֵר (bĕʾēr): A well as life-sustaining water source; carries covenantal weight in patriarchal narratives and divine provision contexts
Full entry for בְּאֵר (H875) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H875?
The BSB source-word alignment has 37 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include a well (8), the well (7), of the well (6), well (4), . . . (2).
Where does בְּאֵר (bĕʾēr) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 14:10. Its strongest book concentrations include Genesis (23), Numbers (5), 2 Samuel (3), Proverbs (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 a well 8× Genesis 21:19, Genesis 21:25, Genesis 26:19, Genesis 26:25
the well 7× Genesis 16:14, Genesis 24:11, Genesis 24:20, Genesis 26:20
of the well 6× Genesis 29:2, Genesis 29:3, Genesis 29:8, Genesis 29:10
well 4× Genesis 21:30, Genesis 26:21, Genesis 29:2, Proverbs 23:27
. . . 2× Genesis 14:10, Genesis 26:22
from any well 2× Numbers 20:17, Numbers 21:22
the wells 2× Genesis 26:15, Genesis 26:18
O well 1× Numbers 21:17
out of the well 1× 2 Samuel 17:21
pits 1× Genesis 14:10
the Pit 1× Psalms 69:15
to the Pit 1× Psalms 55:23
your own well 1× Proverbs 5:15
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 14:10 בֶּֽאֱרֹ֤ת to pits Noun - feminine plural construct Genesis 14:10 בֶּאֱרֹת֙ to . . . Noun - feminine plural construct Genesis 16:14 לַבְּאֵ֔ר to the well Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular Genesis 21:19 בְּאֵ֣ר to a well Noun - feminine singular construct Genesis 21:25 בְּאֵ֣ר to a well Noun - feminine singular construct Genesis 21:30 הַבְּאֵ֥ר to well Article | Noun - feminine singular Genesis 24:11 בְּאֵ֣ר to the well Noun - feminine singular construct Genesis 24:20 הַבְּאֵ֖ר to the well Article | Noun - feminine singular Genesis 26:15 הַבְּאֵרֹ֗ת to the wells Article | Noun - feminine plural Genesis 26:18 בְּאֵרֹ֣ת to the wells Noun - feminine plural construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 14:10
Aligned rows 37
Books represented 7
Genesis 23 Exodus 1 Numbers 5 2 Samuel 3 Psalms 2 Proverbs 2 Song Of Solomon 1
Source forms
בְּאֵ֣ר 6x bə·’êr Genesis 21:19, Genesis 21:25, Genesis 24:11, Genesis 26:21
הַבְּאֵ֖ר 3x hab·bə·’êr Genesis 24:20, Genesis 26:32, Genesis 29:3
הַבְּאֵ֔ר 3x hab·bə·’êr Genesis 29:3, Genesis 29:10, 2 Samuel 17:19
בְאֵ֑ר 2x ḇə·’êr Numbers 20:17, Numbers 21:22
בְּאֵ֖ר 2x bə·’êr Genesis 26:19, Song Of Solomon 4:15
הַבְּאֵֽר׃ 2x hab·bə·’êr Genesis 29:2, Exodus 2:15
בְאֵ֣ר 1x ḇə·’êr Genesis 29:2
בְאֵ֖ר 1x ḇə·’êr Numbers 21:17
Parsing patterns
Article | Noun - feminine singular 13x Genesis 21:30, Genesis 24:20, Genesis 26:20, Genesis 26:32
Noun - feminine singular 10x Genesis 26:21, Genesis 26:22, Genesis 26:25, Genesis 29:2
Noun - feminine singular construct 5x Genesis 21:19, Genesis 21:25, Genesis 24:11, Genesis 26:19
Noun - feminine plural construct 3x Genesis 14:10, Genesis 26:18
Article | Noun - feminine plural 1x Genesis 26:15
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular 1x Proverbs 23:27
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular 1x Proverbs 5:15
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct 1x Psalms 55:23
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. A well as life-sustaining water source; carries covenantal weight in patriarchal narratives and divine provision contexts
Source Gloss
a pit ; especially a well
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
A well as life-sustaining water source; carries covenantal weight in patriarchal narratives and divine provision contexts
a pit; especially a well BDB: well Usage: pit, well.
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.
Biblical Witnesses
A water source disputed between parties, literal infrastructure
A communal water source where shepherds gather livestock to drink
Metaphorical danger or trap set by an immoral woman
Metaphorical figure for a wife and marital intimacy in wisdom context
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 37 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
בְּאֵר 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.
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