What does בְּהֵמָה (bĕhēmāh) mean in the Bible?
H929 broadly names animals, especially larger land animals or livestock, and can function collectively. It appears in creation, agriculture, offerings, travel, judgment, wisdom, and care.
Hebrew · H929
בְּהֵמָה
Properly, a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collective)
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בְּהֵמָהH929
Pronunciationbĕhēmāh
What does בְּהֵמָה (bĕhēmāh) mean in the Bible?
H929 broadly names animals, especially larger land animals or livestock, and can function collectively. It appears in creation, agriculture, offerings, travel, judgment, wisdom, and care.
Reader summary
Full entry for בְּהֵמָה (H929) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H929?
The BSB source-word alignment has 190 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include and beast (21), beast (15), animal (14), livestock (10), animals (9).
Where does בְּהֵמָה (bĕhēmāh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 1:24. Its strongest book concentrations include Leviticus (31), Genesis (21), Deuteronomy (18), Exodus (18).
What This Word Actually Means
H929 broadly names animals, especially larger land animals or livestock, and can function collectively. It appears in creation, agriculture, offerings, travel, judgment, wisdom, and care. In Gen. 1. 24, God commands the earth to bring forth livestock and wild animals according to their kinds, locating them within the Creator's good order. In Prov. 12. 10, a righteous person knows or cares for the life of an animal, while even wicked compassion proves cruel.
In Hab. 2. 17, violence against Lebanon and destruction of animals return upon an empire guilty of bloodshed against people, land, and cities. H929 opens teaching on creaturely goodness, responsible husbandry, ecological consequence, and shared vulnerability. It does not erase the distinct dignity of humans made in God's image, romanticize wild nature, or permit cruelty because animals serve food, labor, or sacrifice.
How the Bible Uses It
H929 covers domestic livestock, wild land animals, individual mounts, collective herds, sacrificial animals, and comparison with human mortality. Its breadth requires attention to modifiers and the creation, economic, legal, poetic, or judgment setting.
- Gen.1.24
And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, land crawlers, and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so.
The earth brings forth livestock, crawling creatures, and wild animals according to their kinds at God's command.
- Prov.12.10
A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are only cruelty.
Righteous character includes attentive care for an animal's life, while the wicked can disguise cruelty as compassion.
- Hab.2.17
For your violence against Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction of animals will terrify you, because of your bloodshed against men and your violence against the land, the city, and all their dwellers.
An empire's violence against forests and animals returns upon it alongside bloodshed against people, land, and cities.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itand beast21×Exodus 8:17, Exodus 8:18, Exodus 9:9, Exodus 9:10
beast15×Genesis 6:7, Exodus 9:25, Exodus 12:12, Exodus 13:15
animal14×Genesis 7:2, Genesis 8:20, Leviticus 1:2, Leviticus 7:21
livestock10×Genesis 1:24, Genesis 3:14, Genesis 7:14, Genesis 7:21
animals9×Genesis 7:8, Leviticus 20:25, Leviticus 27:11, Leviticus 27:27
and livestock6×Deuteronomy 13:15, Joshua 8:2, Joshua 11:14, Ezra 1:4
or beast6×Exodus 9:19, Exodus 11:7, Numbers 18:15, Jeremiah 32:43
the beasts6×Leviticus 11:2, Psalms 8:7, Psalms 49:12, Psalms 49:20
the livestock6×Genesis 1:25, Genesis 2:20, Genesis 9:10, Numbers 3:45
an animal5×Exodus 22:19, Leviticus 18:23, Leviticus 24:18, Leviticus 24:21
of your livestock5×Deuteronomy 5:14, Deuteronomy 28:4, Deuteronomy 28:11, Deuteronomy 28:51
. . .4×Genesis 7:8, Genesis 47:18, Deuteronomy 14:6, 2 Chronicles 32:28
and the beasts4×1 Samuel 17:44, Jeremiah 7:33, Jeremiah 19:7, Jeremiah 34:20
the animals4×Job 12:7, Ecclesiastes 3:19, Jeremiah 12:4, Zechariah 14:15
the cattle4×Exodus 11:5, Joshua 8:27, Psalms 50:10, Joel 1:18
the animal3×Leviticus 20:15, Leviticus 20:16, Leviticus 27:11
and animals2×Numbers 31:11, Ezekiel 36:11
and beasts2×Jeremiah 15:3, Jeremiah 16:4
and our livestock2×Nehemiah 9:37, Nehemiah 10:36
beasts2×Ecclesiastes 3:19, Jeremiah 27:5
cattle2×Psalms 148:10, Ezekiel 32:13
of livestock2×Leviticus 19:19, 2 Chronicles 32:28
of the livestock2×Leviticus 27:26, Numbers 3:41
or animal2×Leviticus 7:26, Ezekiel 44:31
or livestock2×Exodus 20:10, Deuteronomy 7:14
a brute beast1×Psalms 73:22
against the beasts1×Isaiah 30:6
among beasts1×Proverbs 30:30
among the beasts1×Micah 5:8
among the livestock1×Exodus 12:29
and animal1×Genesis 6:20
and beasts of1×Deuteronomy 28:26
and cattle1×Isaiah 46:1
and for your livestock1×Leviticus 25:7
and the livestock1×Numbers 3:41
and to the beasts1×Isaiah 18:6
and your animals1×2 Kings 3:17
animals [become ours]1×Genesis 34:23
any livestock1×1 Kings 18:5
are but beasts1×Ecclesiastes 3:18
are the animals1×Deuteronomy 14:4
as cattle1×Job 18:3
by any animal1×Leviticus 20:25
cattle as well1×Jonah 4:11
for another1×Leviticus 27:10
for our livestock1×Joshua 21:2
for the animal1×Nehemiah 2:14
for the animals1×Psalms 147:9
for the livestock1×Psalms 104:14
for their herds1×Numbers 35:3
for your livestock1×Deuteronomy 11:15
her cattle1×Ezekiel 32:13
his [other] animals1×Genesis 36:6
including the animals1×Judges 20:48
let their herds1×Psalms 107:38
Like cattle1×Isaiah 63:14
more than the beasts1×Job 35:11
O beasts1×Joel 2:22
of an animal1×Leviticus 7:25
of animals1×Habakkuk 2:17
of beast1×Jeremiah 31:27
of his animal1×Proverbs 12:10
of the animal1×Ecclesiastes 3:21
of their livestock1×Numbers 3:45
of wild beasts1×Deuteronomy 32:24
one animal1×Leviticus 27:10
other animal1×Exodus 22:10
our animals1×Numbers 32:26
over the livestock1×Genesis 1:26
regarding animals1×Leviticus 11:46
the wild animals1×Isaiah 18:6
their herds1×Numbers 31:9
was the one1×Nehemiah 2:12
with an animal1×Leviticus 20:15
your livestock1×Leviticus 26:22
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 1:24בְּהֵמָ֥הtolivestockNoun - feminine singularGenesis 1:25הַבְּהֵמָה֙tothe livestockArticle | Noun - feminine singularGenesis 1:26וּבַבְּהֵמָה֙toover the livestockConjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularGenesis 2:20הַבְּהֵמָה֙tothe livestockArticle | Noun - feminine singularGenesis 3:14הַבְּהֵמָ֔הtolivestockArticle | Noun - feminine singularGenesis 6:7בְּהֵמָ֔הtobeastNoun - feminine singularGenesis 6:20הַבְּהֵמָה֙toand animalArticle | Noun - feminine singularGenesis 7:2הַבְּהֵמָ֣הtoanimalArticle | Noun - feminine singularGenesis 7:2הַבְּהֵמָ֡הtoanimalArticle | Noun - feminine singularGenesis 7:8הַבְּהֵמָה֙to. . .Article | Noun - feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 1:24
Aligned rows190
Books represented27
Genesis21Exodus18Leviticus31Numbers15Deuteronomy18Joshua4Judges11 Samuel11 Kings22 Kings22 Chronicles2Ezra2Nehemiah5Job3Psalms11Proverbs2Ecclesiastes4Isaiah5Jeremiah18Ezekiel12Joel3Jonah3Micah1Habakkuk1Zephaniah1Haggai1Zechariah3
Source forms
בְּהֵמָ֑ה9xbə·hê·māhExodus 9:25, Exodus 11:7, Exodus 12:12, Exodus 13:15
בְּהֵמָ֖ה8xbə·hê·māhExodus 22:10, Exodus 22:19, Leviticus 24:18, Deuteronomy 4:17
הַבְּהֵמָה֙8xhab·bə·hê·māhGenesis 1:25, Genesis 2:20, Genesis 6:20, Genesis 7:8
הַבְּהֵמָ֔ה8xhab·bə·hê·māhGenesis 3:14, Genesis 8:1, Leviticus 11:39, Nehemiah 2:12
הַבְּהֵמָ֖ה7xhab·bə·hê·māhGenesis 47:18, Leviticus 11:2, Leviticus 20:15, Leviticus 27:11
בְּהֵמָֽה׃5xbə·hê·māhExodus 11:5, Exodus 12:29, Psalms 135:8, Jeremiah 31:27
הַבְּהֵמָ֗ה5xhab·bə·hê·māhExodus 9:9, Exodus 9:22, Leviticus 1:2, Joshua 8:27
הַבְּהֵמָ֑ה5xhab·bə·hê·māhLeviticus 20:16, Numbers 31:30, Numbers 31:47, Jeremiah 21:6
Parsing patterns
Article | Noun - feminine singular43xGenesis 1:25, Genesis 2:20, Genesis 3:14, Genesis 6:20
Noun - feminine singular41xGenesis 1:24, Genesis 6:7, Genesis 7:23, Exodus 9:25
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular17xLeviticus 27:28, 2 Chronicles 32:28, Nehemiah 2:12, Psalms 36:6
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular12xGenesis 1:26, Genesis 7:21, Genesis 8:17, Exodus 8:17
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct7xDeuteronomy 28:26, 1 Samuel 17:44, Isaiah 18:6, Jeremiah 7:33
Noun - feminine plural6xDeuteronomy 32:24, Job 12:7, Psalms 50:10, Psalms 73:22
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular6xLeviticus 19:19, Deuteronomy 5:14, Deuteronomy 28:4, Deuteronomy 28:11
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular6xGenesis 9:10, Leviticus 11:3, Leviticus 20:25, Leviticus 27:27
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not use human dominion to excuse neglect, entertainment cruelty, needless suffering, or destructive extraction without accountability.
- Do not compare an ethnic, disabled, poor, incarcerated, or opposing group to beasts in order to deny their human dignity.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that H929 refers to one species or only to wild animals; it often names livestock or animals collectively.
- Do not claim that biblical permission to use animals removes duties of care, proportion, and gratitude before their Creator.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Designates non-rational livestock or animals, emphasizing muteness and instinctual nature contrasting with human rational speech and moral agency.
Source Gloss
properly, a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collective)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Designates non-rational livestock or animals, emphasizing muteness and instinctual nature contrasting with human rational speech and moral agency.
properly, a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collective) BDB: beast Usage: beast, cattle.
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
Large quadrupeds created by God on the sixth day of creation
Animal carcass and ritual impurity laws governing contact with dead animals
Animal subject to human care, contrasting righteous and wicked treatment
Creatures dependent on God's provision and care in the natural world
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 190 lexical occurrence verses.
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.
For the Preacher and Teacher
H929 places animals inside God's world rather than at the edge of theology. Genesis presents diverse land creatures as summoned through God's creative word. Proverbs makes treatment of an animal a window into human righteousness, recognizing that supposed mercy can conceal cruelty. Habakkuk joins destroyed animals and forests to violence against people and cities, showing that imperial extraction harms an interconnected land.
Other texts include animals in drought, deliverance, rest, ownership, and judgment. Humans bear a distinct calling under God, but dominion is not permission for neglect. Faithful stewardship provides food, water, shelter, rest, and humane treatment, and it weighs the ecological effects of economic and military action. Scripture can also use beasts figuratively or compare mortal humans with animals; those contexts should not become insults toward groups of people.
The Creator's care enlarges human responsibility rather than erasing human dignity.
Anchor passage
Prov.12.10
Doctrinal connections
- H929: land animals arise within God's commanded creation and belong to the world He orders and evaluates.
- H929: righteous character becomes visible in practical knowledge of and care for dependent animal life.
- H929: human rule over creatures is accountable stewardship rather than autonomous domination.
- H929: drought, war, and environmental destruction make animals suffer alongside human communities.
- H929: prophetic judgment can expose violence against land and animals as part of a wider economy of bloodshed.
- H929: humans share creaturely mortality with animals while retaining the distinct image-bearing vocation given in Genesis.
H929 is a Hebrew noun that can be singular, collective, or plural in sense. Modifiers distinguish livestock, beasts of the field, individual animals, or a broad contrast between humans and animals.
From Old to New Testament
Jesus speaks of the Father's care for creatures and permits urgent animal rescue on the Sabbath, while creation groans and awaits renewal in Paul. These texts deepen accountable care without making animals and humans interchangeable.