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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בָּגַדH898
Pronunciationbagad
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 Itof the faithless4×Proverbs 11:3, Proverbs 13:2, Proverbs 13:15, Proverbs 22:12
. . .3×Isaiah 48:8, Jeremiah 5:11, Jeremiah 12:1
the faithless3×Psalms 119:158, Proverbs 23:28, Habakkuk 1:13
break faith2×Malachi 2:15, Malachi 2:16
have betrayed2×Jeremiah 12:6, Lamentations 1:2
The treacherous2×Isaiah 24:16
[but] those who engage in treachery1×Psalms 25:3
and the faithless1×Proverbs 21:18
and the unfaithful1×Proverbs 2:22
and were faithless1×Psalms 78:57
are as faithless1×Job 6:15
betray1×Isaiah 24:16
betrayed1×Isaiah 33:1
betraying1×Isaiah 33:1
betrays him1×Habakkuk 2:5
but the faithless1×Proverbs 11:6
deceitfully1×Judges 9:23
do we break faith1×Malachi 2:10
has broken faith1×Malachi 2:11
have been utterly unfaithful1×Jeremiah 5:11
have broken faith1×Malachi 2:14
how deceitful you are1×Isaiah 48:8
I would have betrayed1×Psalms 73:15
in a faithless man1×Proverbs 25:19
may betray1×Jeremiah 3:20
O traitor1×Isaiah 33:1
of faithless people1×Jeremiah 9:2
since he has broken faith1×Exodus 21:8
still betrays1×Isaiah 21:2
than unfaithful1×Jeremiah 3:11
The traitor1×Isaiah 21:2
They have been unfaithful1×Hosea 5:7
they were unfaithful1×Hosea 6:7
traitors1×Psalms 59:5
treachery1×Isaiah 24:16
unfaithful1×Jeremiah 3:8
you have betrayed1×Jeremiah 3:20
You have broken faith1×1 Samuel 14:33
you will be betrayed1×Isaiah 33:1
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 21:8בְּבִגְדוֹ־tosince he has broken faithPreposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singularJudges 9:23וַיִּבְגְּד֥וּtodeceitfullyConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural1 Samuel 14:33בְּגַדְתֶּ֔םtoYou have broken faithVerb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine pluralJob 6:15בָּגְד֣וּtoare as faithlessVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralPsalms 25:3הַבּוֹגְדִ֥יםto[but] those who engage in treacheryArticle | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralPsalms 59:5בֹּ֖גְדֵיtotraitorsVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructPsalms 73:15בָגָֽדְתִּי׃toI would have betrayedVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularPsalms 78:57וַֽ֭יִּבְגְּדוּtoand were faithlessConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralPsalms 119:158בֹ֭גְדִיםtothe faithlessVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralProverbs 2:22וּ֝בוֹגְדִ֗יםtoand the unfaithfulConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowExodus 21:8
Aligned rows49
Books represented12
Exodus1Judges11 Samuel1Job1Psalms5Proverbs9Isaiah12Jeremiah9Lamentations1Hosea2Habakkuk2Malachi5
Source forms
בֹּגְדִ֣ים3xbō·ḡə·ḏîmProverbs 13:2, Proverbs 13:15, Isaiah 24:16
בָּ֣גְדוּ2xbā·ḡə·ḏūJeremiah 12:6, Lamentations 1:2
בָּגָ֔דוּ2xbā·ḡā·ḏūIsaiah 24:16, Hosea 5:7
וּ֝בוֹגְדִ֗ים2xū·ḇō·wḡ·ḏîmProverbs 2:22, Proverbs 23:28
בְּבִגְדוֹ־1xbə·ḇiḡ·ḏōw-Exodus 21:8
בֹגֵֽד׃1xḇō·ḡêḏProverbs 22:12
בָּגְדָ֥ה1xbā·ḡə·ḏāhJeremiah 3:20
בָּגְדָ֣ה1xbā·ḡə·ḏāhMalachi 2:11
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural9xPsalms 119:158, Proverbs 11:3, Proverbs 11:6, Proverbs 13:2
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural9xJob 6:15, Isaiah 24:16, Isaiah 33:1, Jeremiah 5:11
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular5xProverbs 21:18, Proverbs 22:12, Proverbs 25:19, Isaiah 21:2
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural2xJudges 9:23, Psalms 78:57
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural2xProverbs 2:22, Proverbs 23:28
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute2xIsaiah 48:8, Jeremiah 5:11
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct2xPsalms 59:5, Jeremiah 12:1
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural2x1 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'sH898
Lexical occurrences49 versesWord forms1 form39 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkHosea 6:7-11Source Gloss
to cover (with a garment); figuratively, to act covertly ; by implication, to pillage
Extended definitionSource: 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 groups1Aligned forms39
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense39×
Participle activeHab 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 119:15817×
PerfectHos 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 73:1515×
ImperfectIsa 33:1 · Isa 48:8 · Mal 2:10 · Mal 2:164×
Infinitive absoluteIsa 48:8 · Jer 5:112×
JussiveMal 2:151×
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.