What does בָּגַד (bagad) mean in the Bible?
בָּגַד (bagad): Hidden destructiveness: covering conceals treacherous intent, from garment-concealment to covenant betrayal and plunder.
Hebrew · H898
בָּגַד
To cover (with a garment); figuratively, to act covertly ; by implication, to pillage
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בָּגַד H898
Pronunciation bagad
What does בָּגַד (bagad) mean in the Bible?
בָּגַד (bagad): Hidden destructiveness: covering conceals treacherous intent, from garment-concealment to covenant betrayal and plunder.
Full entry for בָּגַד (H898) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H898?
The BSB source-word alignment has 49 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include of the faithless (4), . . . (3), the faithless (3), break faith (2), have betrayed (2).
Where does בָּגַד (bagad) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 21:8. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (12), Jeremiah (9), Proverbs (9), Malachi (5).
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 of the faithless 4× Proverbs 11:3, Proverbs 13:2, Proverbs 13:15, Proverbs 22:12
. . . 3× Isaiah 48:8, Jeremiah 5:11, Jeremiah 12:1
the faithless 3× Psalms 119:158, Proverbs 23:28, Habakkuk 1:13
break faith 2× Malachi 2:15, Malachi 2:16
have betrayed 2× Jeremiah 12:6, Lamentations 1:2
The treacherous 2× Isaiah 24:16
[but] those who engage in treachery 1× Psalms 25:3
and the faithless 1× Proverbs 21:18
and the unfaithful 1× Proverbs 2:22
and were faithless 1× Psalms 78:57
are as faithless 1× Job 6:15
betray 1× Isaiah 24:16
betrayed 1× Isaiah 33:1
betraying 1× Isaiah 33:1
betrays him 1× Habakkuk 2:5
but the faithless 1× Proverbs 11:6
deceitfully 1× Judges 9:23
do we break faith 1× Malachi 2:10
has broken faith 1× Malachi 2:11
have been utterly unfaithful 1× Jeremiah 5:11
have broken faith 1× Malachi 2:14
how deceitful you are 1× Isaiah 48:8
I would have betrayed 1× Psalms 73:15
in a faithless man 1× Proverbs 25:19
may betray 1× Jeremiah 3:20
O traitor 1× Isaiah 33:1
of faithless people 1× Jeremiah 9:2
since he has broken faith 1× Exodus 21:8
still betrays 1× Isaiah 21:2
than unfaithful 1× Jeremiah 3:11
The traitor 1× Isaiah 21:2
They have been unfaithful 1× Hosea 5:7
they were unfaithful 1× Hosea 6:7
traitors 1× Psalms 59:5
treachery 1× Isaiah 24:16
unfaithful 1× Jeremiah 3:8
you have betrayed 1× Jeremiah 3:20
You have broken faith 1× 1 Samuel 14:33
you will be betrayed 1× Isaiah 33:1
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 21:8 בְּבִגְדוֹ־ to since he has broken faith Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular Judges 9:23 וַיִּבְגְּד֥וּ to deceitfully Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural 1 Samuel 14:33 בְּגַדְתֶּ֔ם to You have broken faith Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural Job 6:15 בָּגְד֣וּ to are as faithless Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Psalms 25:3 הַבּוֹגְדִ֥ים to [but] those who engage in treachery Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Psalms 59:5 בֹּ֖גְדֵי to traitors Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct Psalms 73:15 בָגָֽדְתִּי׃ to I would have betrayed Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Psalms 78:57 וַֽ֭יִּבְגְּדוּ to and were faithless Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Psalms 119:158 בֹ֭גְדִים to the faithless Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Proverbs 2:22 וּ֝בוֹגְדִ֗ים to and the unfaithful Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Exodus 21:8
Aligned rows 49
Books represented 12
Exodus 1 Judges 1 1 Samuel 1 Job 1 Psalms 5 Proverbs 9 Isaiah 12 Jeremiah 9 Lamentations 1 Hosea 2 Habakkuk 2 Malachi 5
Source forms
בֹּגְדִ֣ים 3x bō·ḡə·ḏîm Proverbs 13:2, Proverbs 13:15, Isaiah 24:16
בָּ֣גְדוּ 2x bā·ḡə·ḏū Jeremiah 12:6, Lamentations 1:2
בָּגָ֔דוּ 2x bā·ḡā·ḏū Isaiah 24:16, Hosea 5:7
וּ֝בוֹגְדִ֗ים 2x ū·ḇō·wḡ·ḏîm Proverbs 2:22, Proverbs 23:28
בְּבִגְדוֹ־ 1x bə·ḇiḡ·ḏōw- Exodus 21:8
בֹגֵֽד׃ 1x ḇō·ḡêḏ Proverbs 22:12
בָּגְדָ֥ה 1x bā·ḡə·ḏāh Jeremiah 3:20
בָּגְדָ֣ה 1x bā·ḡə·ḏāh Malachi 2:11
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural 9x Psalms 119:158, Proverbs 11:3, Proverbs 11:6, Proverbs 13:2
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural 9x Job 6:15, Isaiah 24:16, Isaiah 33:1, Jeremiah 5:11
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 5x Proverbs 21:18, Proverbs 22:12, Proverbs 25:19, Isaiah 21:2
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural 2x Judges 9:23, Psalms 78:57
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural 2x Proverbs 2:22, Proverbs 23:28
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute 2x Isaiah 48:8, Jeremiah 5:11
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct 2x Psalms 59:5, Jeremiah 12:1
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural 2x 1 Samuel 14:33, Jeremiah 3:20
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Hidden destructiveness: covering conceals treacherous intent, from garment-concealment to covenant betrayal and plunder.
Strong's H898
Lexical occurrences 49 verses Word forms 1 form 39 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Hosea 6:7-11 Source Gloss
to cover (with a garment); figuratively, to act covertly ; by implication, to pillage
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Hidden destructiveness: covering conceals treacherous intent, from garment-concealment to covenant betrayal and plunder.
to cover (with a garment); figuratively, to act covertly; by implication, to pillage BDB: act Usage: deal deceitfully (treacherously, unfaithfully), offend, transgress(-or), (depart), treacherous (dealer, -ly, man), unfaithful(-ly, man), × very.
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 1 Aligned forms 39
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 39×
Participle active Hab 1:13 · Hab 2:5 · Isa 21:2 · Isa 24:16 · Jer 3:8 · Jer 9:1 · Jer 12:1 · Prov 11:3 · Prov 11:6 · Prov 13:2 · Prov 13:15 · Prov 21:18 · Prov 22:12 · Prov 25:19 · Ps 59:6 · Ps 119:158 17×
Perfect Hos 5:7 · Hos 6:7 · Isa 24:16 · Isa 33:1 · Jer 5:11 · Jer 12:6 · Job 6:15 · Lam 1:2 · 1Sam 14:33 · Jer 3:20 · Mal 2:11 · Mal 2:14 · Ps 73:15 15×
Imperfect Isa 33:1 · Isa 48:8 · Mal 2:10 · Mal 2:16 4×
Infinitive absolute Isa 48:8 · Jer 5:11 2×
Jussive Mal 2:15 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
to deal treacherously
those who act deceitfully or betray trust
those who act deceitfully or betray trust
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 49 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
בָּגַד is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
The term describes the faithless character of the wicked. Hosea 6:7-11
The term describes the unfaithful character of the wicked. Proverbs 11:3
Highlights relational betrayal. Proverbs 11:6
Canonical Themes
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