What does בָּחַר · דֶּרֶךְ mean in the Bible?
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Hebrew · H977, H1870
בָּחַר / דֶּרֶךְ
Properly, to try , i.e. (by implication) select · a road (as trodden ); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant
בָּחַרH977properly, to try , i.e. (by implication) select
Pronunciationbāḥar
Selection emerges from testing or scrutiny; implies deliberate evaluation before choosing, especially God's covenant choice.
Open lexicon entry →דֶּרֶךְH1870a road (as trodden ); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
Pronunciationderek
Path literally walked becomes metaphor for life's moral and spiritual trajectory; covenant-defining directional term
Open lexicon entry →What does בָּחַר / דֶּרֶךְ (bāḥar / derek) mean in the Bible?
בָּחַר · דֶּרֶךְ is a Hebrew phrase meaning "to choose one’s own ways.".
Full entry for בָּחַר / דֶּרֶךְ (H977, H1870) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How many biblical occurrences are listed for H977, H1870?
H977, H1870 is connected to 882 lexical occurrence verses in the lexicon data.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew phrase. to choose one’s own ways.
Source Gloss
to choose one’s own ways.
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 groups4Aligned forms132
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense124×
Perfect1Chr 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 18:560×
Imperfect2Sam 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 16:1539×
Participle passive1Chr 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 5:1516×
Sequential imperfect1Chr 21:10 · 2Sam 24:12 · Exod 17:9 · 1Kgs 18:25 · Josh 24:155×
Cohortative2Sam 17:1 · Job 9:142×
Participle active1Sam 20:301×
JussiveProv 3:311×
Niphalpassive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action6×
Participle activeProv 8:10 · Prov 8:19 · Prov 10:20 · Prov 16:16 · Prov 21:3 · Prov 22:16×
Pualintensive passive — intensive action received by the subject1×
ImperfectEccl 9:41×
Qal passive1×
Participle passiveJer 49:191×
Word Origins
בָּחַר / דֶּרֶךְ is a primitive root - no further derivation.