What does בָּחַן (yiḇḥănû) mean in the Bible?
בָּחַן (yiḇḥănû): Testing that reveals true quality through refinement; metaphorically, trial that exposes character or faith.
Hebrew · H974
בָּחַן
To test (especially metals); generally and figuratively, to investigate
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בָּחַן H974
Pronunciation yiḇḥănû
What does בָּחַן (yiḇḥănû) mean in the Bible?
בָּחַן (yiḇḥănû): Testing that reveals true quality through refinement; metaphorically, trial that exposes character or faith.
Full entry for בָּחַן (H974) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H974?
The BSB source-word alignment has 29 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include test (3), Test me (3), and test them (2), tests (2), who examines (2).
Where does בָּחַן (yiḇḥănû) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 42:15. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (9), Jeremiah (6), Job (5), Genesis (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 test 3× 1 Chronicles 29:17, Job 12:11, Malachi 3:15
Test me 3× Psalms 26:2, Psalms 139:23, Malachi 3:10
and test them 2× Jeremiah 9:7, Zechariah 13:9
tests 2× Job 34:3, Psalms 11:5
who examines 2× Jeremiah 11:20, Jeremiah 20:12
- 1× Zechariah 13:9
[and] test him 1× Job 7:18
and test 1× Jeremiah 12:3
and tried Me 1× Psalms 95:9
and try 1× Jeremiah 6:27
examine 1× Psalms 11:4
have tested us 1× Psalms 66:10
I examine 1× Jeremiah 17:10
I tested 1× Psalms 81:7
is the tester 1× Proverbs 17:3
may be tested 1× Genesis 42:16
testing will come 1× Ezekiel 21:13
were tried 1× Job 34:36
when He has tested me 1× Job 23:10
who searches 1× Psalms 7:9
You have tried 1× Psalms 17:3
you will be tested 1× Genesis 42:15
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 42:15 תִּבָּחֵ֑נוּ to you will be tested Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural Genesis 42:16 וְיִבָּֽחֲנוּ֙ to may be tested Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural 1 Chronicles 29:17 בֹּחֵ֣ן to test Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Job 7:18 תִּבְחָנֶֽנּוּ׃ to [and] test him Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singular Job 12:11 תִּבְחָ֑ן to test Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular Job 23:10 בְּ֝חָנַ֗נִי to when He has tested me Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular Job 34:3 תִּבְחָ֑ן to tests Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular Job 34:36 יִבָּחֵ֣ן to were tried Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Psalms 7:9 וּבֹחֵ֣ן to who searches Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Psalms 11:4 יִ֝בְחֲנ֗וּ to examine Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 42:15
Aligned rows 29
Books represented 9
Genesis 2 1 Chronicles 1 Job 5 Psalms 9 Proverbs 1 Jeremiah 6 Ezekiel 1 Zechariah 2 Malachi 2
Source forms
בֹּחֵ֣ן 3x bō·ḥên 1 Chronicles 29:17, Jeremiah 17:10, Jeremiah 20:12
תִּבְחָ֑ן 2x tiḇ·ḥān Job 12:11, Job 34:3
אֶבְחָֽנְךָ֨ 1x ’eḇ·ḥā·nə·ḵā Psalms 81:7
בֹ֔חַן 1x ḇō·ḥan Ezekiel 21:13
בֹּחֵ֥ן 1x bō·ḥên Jeremiah 11:20
בָּחֲנ֛וּ 1x bā·ḥă·nū Malachi 3:15
בְּ֝חָנ֗וּנִי 1x bə·ḥā·nū·nî Psalms 95:9
בְּחָנֵ֣נִי 1x bə·ḥā·nê·nî Psalms 26:2
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 4x 1 Chronicles 29:17, Jeremiah 11:20, Jeremiah 17:10, Jeremiah 20:12
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural 2x Jeremiah 9:7, Zechariah 13:9
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular 2x Jeremiah 6:27, Jeremiah 12:3
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 2x Psalms 7:9, Proverbs 17:3
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | first person common singular 2x Psalms 26:2, Psalms 139:23
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular 2x Job 12:11, Job 34:3
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural 1x Genesis 42:16
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural | first person common singular 1x Malachi 3:10
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Testing that reveals true quality through refinement; metaphorically, trial that exposes character or faith.
Strong's H974
Lexical occurrences 29 verses Word forms 3 forms 13 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Psalms 11:4–7 Source Gloss
to test (especially metals); generally and figuratively, to investigate
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Testing that reveals true quality through refinement; metaphorically, trial that exposes character or faith.
to test (especially metals); generally and figuratively, to investigate BDB: examine Usage: examine, prove, tempt, try (trial).
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 3 Aligned forms 13
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 10×
Participle active 1Chr 29:17 · Jer 11:20 · Jer 17:10 · Jer 20:12 4×
Imperfect Job 12:11 · Job 34:3 · Ps 11:4 · Ps 11:5 4×
Perfect Mal 3:15 · Ps 17:3 2×
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject 1×
Perfect Ezek 21:18 1×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 2×
Imperfect Gen 42:15 · Job 34:36 2×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
To test, examine, or prove; specifically used of testing metals for purity
Showing 1 selected witness from 29 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
בָּחַן is a primitive root - no further derivation.
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