Hebrew · H977, G138 · unreviewed

בָּחַר

Properly, to try , i.e. (by implication) select · to choose

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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant

בָּחַר H977 properly, to try , i.e. (by implication) select
Pronunciation bāḥar
Selection emerges from testing or scrutiny; implies deliberate evaluation before choosing, especially God's covenant choice.
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αἱρέομαι G138 to choose
Pronunciation hairéomai
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What does בָּחַר (bachar) mean in the Bible?

בָּחַר · αἱρέομαι is a Hebrew word meaning "to choose, select deliberately".

Full entry for בָּחַר (H977, G138) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to choose, select deliberately
Grammatical Forms

How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.

Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 124×
Perfect 1Chr 15:2 · 1Chr 28:4 · 1Chr 28:10 · 1Chr 29:1 · 1Kgs 14:21 · 1Sam 10:24 · 1Sam 16:8 · 1Sam 16:9 · 1Sam 16:10 · 2Chr 12:13 · 2Chr 29:11 · 2Sam 6:21 · 2Sam 16:18 · Deut 7:6 · Deut 14:2 · Deut 18:5 60×
Imperfect 2Sam 15:15 · Deut 12:5 · Deut 12:11 · Deut 12:14 · Deut 12:18 · Deut 12:21 · Deut 12:26 · Deut 14:23 · Deut 14:24 · Deut 14:25 · Deut 15:20 · Deut 16:2 · Deut 16:6 · Deut 16:7 · Deut 16:11 · Deut 16:15 39×
Participle passive 1Chr 19:10 · 1Kgs 12:21 · 1Sam 24:3 · 1Sam 26:2 · 2Chr 11:1 · 2Chr 13:3 · 2Chr 13:17 · 2Chr 25:5 · 2Sam 6:1 · 2Sam 10:9 · Exod 14:7 · Judg 20:15 · Judg 20:16 · Judg 20:34 · Song 5:15 16×
Sequential imperfect 1Chr 21:10 · 2Sam 24:12 · Exod 17:9 · 1Kgs 18:25 · Josh 24:15
Cohortative 2Sam 17:1 · Job 9:14
Participle active 1Sam 20:30
Jussive Prov 3:31
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action
Participle active Prov 8:10 · Prov 8:19 · Prov 10:20 · Prov 16:16 · Prov 21:3 · Prov 22:1
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject
Imperfect Eccl 9:4
Qal passive
Participle passive Jer 49:19
Hebrew Verb Forms

How this verb appears across 132 occurrences in the Hebrew OT (OSHB Leningrad Codex).

Aspect / Form
Perfect 60 Imperfect 41 Participle passive 17 Participle 7 Imperative 5 Cohortative 2
Stem
Qal 124 Niphal 6 Pual 1 Qal passive 1
Mood
Indicative 60 Indicative/jussive 36 Imperative 5 Indicative/cohortative 4 Jussive 1
OT Occurrences
Gen 6:2 Qal · Perfect · Indicative Exod 14:7 Qal · Participle passive Exod 17:9 Qal · Imperative · Imperative Num 16:5 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Num 16:7 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Num 17:20 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/cohortative Deut 7:6 Qal · Perfect · Indicative Deut 12:5 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 12:11 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 12:14 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 12:18 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 12:21 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 12:26 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 14:2 Qal · Perfect · Indicative Deut 14:23 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 14:24 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 14:25 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 15:20 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 16:2 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 16:6 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 16:7 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 16:11 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 16:15 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 16:16 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 17:8 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 17:10 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 17:15 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 18:5 Qal · Perfect · Indicative Deut 18:6 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 21:5 Qal · Perfect · Indicative Deut 23:17 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 26:2 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Deut 31:11 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Josh 9:27 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Josh 24:15 Qal · Imperative · Imperative Josh 24:22 Qal · Perfect · Indicative Judg 5:8 Qal · Imperfect · Indicative/jussive Judg 10:14 Qal · Perfect · Indicative Judg 20:15 Qal · Participle passive Judg 20:16 Qal · Participle passive +92 more occurrences

Aspect in Hebrew reflects grammatical form, not tense. "Perfect" (Perfective) typically denotes completed action; "Imperfect" (Imperfective) denotes incomplete or ongoing action. Stem modifies the action type (Qal=simple, Niphal=passive, Piel=intensive, etc.).

Morphology: OSHB WLC (Open Scriptures, CC BY 4.0) · STEPBible TEHMC (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0)

Sources