Strong's Lexicon
bachar: To choose, select, elect
Original Word:בָּחר
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:bachar
Pronunciation:bä-khar'
Phonetic Spelling:(baw-khar')
Definition:To choose, select, elect
Meaning:to try, select
Word Origin:A primitive root
Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: -1586 (ἐκλέγομαι, eklegomai): To choose, select
-138 (αἱρέομαι, haireomai): To take, choose
Usage:The Hebrew verb "bachar" primarily means "to choose" or "to select." It conveys the act of making a choice or decision, often with a sense of preference or favor. In the biblical context, it frequently refers to God's sovereign choice, whether in selecting individuals, groups, or places for a specific purpose or blessing. It also describes human choices, particularly in the context of choosing to follow God's commandments or ways.
Cultural and Historical Background:In ancient Israelite culture, the concept of choice was significant, both in divine and human contexts. God's choices, such as the election of Israel as His people or the selection of David as king, were foundational to Israel's identity and understanding of their covenant relationship with God. Human choices, especially in terms of obedience to God's law, were seen as expressions of faithfulness and devotion. The act of choosing was not merely a personal preference but often carried covenantal and communal implications.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto choose
NASB Translationchoice (6), choicest (2), choose (40), chooses (22), choosing (1), chose (21), chosen (67), desired (2), men (1), preferred (1), require (1), select (1), selected (1), selected from the choice (1), selects (1), tested (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
(compare Aramaic , Syriac
"" , Assyrian
bêru (√ ):3 Dl
Pr 76) —
PerfectDeuteronomy 7:6 66t.;Isaiah 41:24 60t.;Job 29:25 (Baer);ImperativeExodus 17:9 5t.;Infinitive absolute1 Samuel 2:28;Isaiah 7:15,16;Infinitive construct suffixEzekiel 20:5;Participle1 Samuel 20:30;Zechariah 3:2;passiveExodus 14:7 18t.; —
with
divine choice, of AbrahamNehemiah 9:7; IsraelDeuteronomy 7:7;Isaiah 44:1;Ezekiel 20:5; to become his peopleDeuteronomy 7:6;Deuteronomy 14:2; JeshurunIsaiah 44:2; the seed of the patriarchsDeuteronomy 4:37;Deuteronomy 10:15; LevitesDeuteronomy 18:5;Deuteronomy 21:5;1 Chronicles 15:2; 2Chronicles 29:11; AaronPsalm 105:26; Judah1 Chronicles 28:4 not EphraimPsalm 78:67; Levi and JudahJeremiah 33:24; the kingDeuteronomy 17:15, especially David1 Samuel 10:24;1 Samuel 16:8,9,10;2 Samuel 6:21;1 Kings 8:16 (= 2 Chronicles 6:6)1 Chronicles 28:4,5;1 Chronicles 29:1; 2Chronicles 6:5;Psalm 78:70; othersNumbers 16:5;Numbers 17:20 (P)Haggai 2:23; place of sacrificeDeuteronomy 12:18;Deuteronomy 14:25;Deuteronomy 16:7,15;Deuteronomy 17:8; 2Chronicles 7:12; the city1 Kings 8:16,44 (= 2 Chronicles 6:5,34)1 Kings 11:32; Jerusalem 2Chronicles 6:6;Isaiah 14:1;Zechariah 1:17;Zechariah 2:16;Zechariah 3:2; ZionPsalm 132:13; delusionsIsaiah 66:4.
man's choice, of waysProverbs 3:31;Isaiah 66:3; good thingsIsaiah 7:15,16; lifeDeuteronomy 30:19; godsJudges 10:14;Isaiah 41:24; God's pleasureIsaiah 56:4;Isaiah 65:12;Isaiah 66:4.
with (alone, for ):
divine choice, IsraelIsaiah 41:8 ,Isaiah 43:10; the people1 Kings 3:8;Psalm 33:12; menNumbers 16:7 (P)Psalm 65:5; king2 Samuel 16:18;1 Kings 11:34; place of sacrificeDeuteronomy 12:14,26;Deuteronomy 15:20;Deuteronomy 17:10;Deuteronomy 31:11 (D)Joshua 9:27 (P), especiallyDeuteronomy 12:5,21;Deuteronomy 14:24,Deuteronomy 12:11;Deuteronomy 14:23;Deuteronomy 16:2,6,11;Nehemiah 1:9; the city1 Kings 8:48 (= 2 Chronicles 6:38),1 Kings 11:36;1 Kings 14:21 (= 2 Chronicles 12:13); Jerusalem1 Kings 11:13;2 Kings 21:7 (= 2 Chronicles 33:7)2 Kings 23:27; fastIsaiah 58:5,6; wayPsalm 25:12.
man's choice, place to dwell inDeuteronomy 23:7; gardensIsaiah 1:29; king1 Samuel 12:13; wivesGenesis 6:2 (J); what to do2 Samuel 15:15.
with accusative & ,choose some one or something for:
divine choice, of Levi1 Samuel 2:28; JacobPsalm 135:4;Psalm 135:5; inheritancePsalm 47:5.
human choice personsExodus 17:9;Joshua 24:15,22 (E)1 Samuel 8:18;1 Samuel 13:12;2 Samuel 24:12 (=1 Chronicles 21:20); thingsGenesis 13:11 (J)1 Samuel 17:40;1 Kings 18:23,25;Job 34:4.
with accusative and ,choose, select from2 Samuel 10:9 (=1 Chronicles 19:10).
accusative
divine choice, temple 2 Chronicles 7:16; JudahPsalm 78:68; servantIsaiah 41:9;Isaiah 49:7.
man's choice, personsExodus 18:28 (E)Judges 5:8;Joshua 8:3 (J)2 Samuel 17:1; thingsJob 7:15;Job 9:14;Job 15:5;Job 29:25;Job 34:33;Psalm 119:30;Psalm 119:173;Proverbs 1:29;Isaiah 40:20.
with ,for this thou hast chosen rather than afflictionJob 36:21; with accusative and pregnantlyall that thou choosest (to lay)upon me2 Samuel 19:39.
with of accusative1 Samuel 20:30 (many MSS. have ; but We Dr readcompanion). The participlechosen, of a rulerPsalm 89:20, warriorJeremiah 49:19 (=Jeremiah 50:44); as cedarsSongs 5:15; collectivechosen chariotsExodus 14:7 (E);chosen men, warriorsJudges 20:15,16,34;1 Samuel 24:3; 2Chronicles 13:3,17, for which alone1 Kings 12:21 2Chronicles 11:1; 25:5;1 Samuel 26:2;Psalm 78:31;2 Samuel 10:9 (""1 Chronicles 19:10 , doubtless the true reading, as2 Samuel 6:1).
test, try (Aramaic = )Isaiah 48:10I have tested thee in the furnace of affliction Ges Hi Ew De Che Dr, butchosen Rab Calv AV.Niph`alJeremiah 8:3;ParticipleProverbs 8:10 5t.; —to be chosen.
absolutechosen, choiceProverbs 8:10,19;Proverbs 10:20.
construct ,death will be chosen rather than lifeJeremiah 8:3;choicer thanProverbs 16:16;Proverbs 22:1;choicer (more acceptable)to Yahweh than peace-offeringProverbs 21:3.
chosen, selectedEcclesiastes 9:4 ( Qr).
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
acceptable, appoint, choose choice, excellent, join, be rather, require
A primitive root; properly, to try, i.e. (by implication) select -- acceptable, appoint, choose (choice), excellent, join, be rather, require.
Forms and Transliterations
אֶֽבֲחַ֣ר אֶבְחֲרָ֖ה אֶבְחֲרָ֣ה אֶבְחַ֣ר אֶבְחַר־ אֶבְחָרֵ֔הוּ אֶבְחָרֵהוּ֒ אבחר אבחר־ אבחרה אבחרהו בְּחַרְתִּ֑יךָ בְּחַרְתִּ֖יךָ בְּחַרְתֶּ֖ם בְּחַרְתֶּ֥ם בְּחַרְתֶּֽם׃ בְּחַר־ בַּחֲר֨וּ בָּ֧חַר בָּֽחֲרוּ֙ בָּֽחַר־ בָּח֖וּר בָּחֳרִ֣י בָּחַ֔רְתִּי בָּחַ֔רְתָּ בָּחַ֖ר בָּחַ֗רְתִּי בָּחַ֙רְתִּי֙ בָּחַ֙רְתָּ֙ בָּחַ֛ר בָּחַ֞ר בָּחַ֣ר בָּחַ֣רְתִּי בָּחַ֣רְתָּ בָּחַ֣ר ׀ בָּחַ֤רְתִּי בָּחַ֥רְתִּי בָּחַ֥רְתָּ בָּחַ֧ר בָּחַ֨ר בָּחָ֑רְתִּי בָּחָ֑רְתָּ בָּחָֽרְתִּי׃ בָּחָֽרוּ׃ בָחַ֔רְתִּי בָחַ֣ר בָחַ֣רְתִּֽי בָחַ֣רְתִּי בָחַ֥ר בָחַ֨רְתִּי בָחָ֑רְתִּי בָחָֽרְתִּי׃ בָחָֽר׃ בָחָֽרוּ׃ בֹחֵ֤ר בחור בחר בחר־ בחר׃ בחרו בחרו׃ בחרי בחרת בחרתי בחרתי׃ בחרתיך בחרתם בחרתם׃ הַבֹּחֵ֖ר הבחר וְ֝תִבְחַ֗ר וְיִבְחֲר֣וּ וְנִבְחַ֥ר וַ֭יִּבְחַר וַיִּבְחַ֗ר וַיִּבְחַ֞ר וַיִּבְחַ֡ר וַיִּבְחַ֣ר וַיִּבְחַ֥ר וַיִּבְחַ֨ר וַיִּבְחַר֙ וַיִּבְחַר־ וַיִּבְחָרֶֽךָּ׃ וַתִּבְחַ֣ר וָאֶבְחַ֣ר וָאֶבְחַר֙ וּבָֽחֲר֖וּ וּבָֽחַרְתָּ֙ וּבָח֥וֹר וּבָחַ֜רְתִּי וּבָחַ֥ר וּבָחֹ֣ר ואבחר ובחור ובחר ובחרו ובחרת ובחרתי ויבחר ויבחר־ ויבחרו ויבחרך׃ ונבחר ותבחר יְחֻבַּ֔ר יִבְחַ֛ר יִבְחַ֜ר יִבְחַ֣ר יִבְחַ֤ר יִבְחַ֥ר יִבְחַ֨ר יִבְחַר֙ יִבְחַר֩ יִבְחַר֮ יִבְחַר־ יִבְחָ֑ר יִבְחָ֔ר יִבְחָֽר׃ יבחר יבחר־ יבחר׃ יחבר נִ֭בְחָר נִבְחֲרָה־ נִבְחָ֖ר נִבְחָ֣ר נִבְחָ֥ר נִבְחָֽר׃ נבחר נבחר׃ נבחרה־ תִּ֝בְחַ֗ר תִּֽבְחַ֣ר תִּבְחַ֥ר תִבְחַ֣ר תבחר ’e·ḇă·ḥar ’eḇ·ḥă·rāh ’eḇ·ḥā·rê·hū ’eḇ·ḥar ’eḇ·ḥar- ’eḇăḥar ’eḇḥar ’eḇḥar- ’eḇḥărāh ’eḇḥārêhū bā·ḥā·rə·tā bā·ḥā·rə·tî ḇā·ḥā·rə·tî ba·ḥă·rū bā·ḥă·rū bā·ḥā·rū ḇā·ḥā·rū bā·ḥar ḇā·ḥar ḇā·ḥār bā·ḥar- bā·ḥar·tā bā·ḥar·tî ḇā·ḥar·tî bā·ḥo·rî bā·ḥūr baChar baChareta baChareti baCharta baCharti baCharu baChur bāḥar ḇāḥar ḇāḥār bāḥar- bāḥārətā bāḥārətî ḇāḥārətî bāḥartā bāḥartî ḇāḥartî baḥărū bāḥărū bāḥārū ḇāḥārū bāḥorî bāḥūr bə·ḥar- bə·ḥar·tem bə·ḥar·tî·ḵā bechar becharTem becharTicha bəḥar- bəḥartem bəḥartîḵā ḇō·ḥêr bochoRi ḇōḥêr evaChar evchar evchaRah evchaRehu hab·bō·ḥêr habboCher habbōḥêr niḇ·ḥă·rāh- niḇ·ḥār niḇḥār niḇḥărāh- nivChar nivcharah Nivchor tiḇ·ḥar ṯiḇ·ḥar tiḇḥar ṯiḇḥar tivChar ū·ḇā·ḥă·rū ū·ḇā·ḥar ū·ḇā·ḥar·tā ū·ḇā·ḥar·tî ū·ḇā·ḥō·wr ū·ḇā·ḥōr ūḇāḥar ūḇāḥartā ūḇāḥartî ūḇāḥărū ūḇāḥōr ūḇāḥōwr uvaChar uvacharTa uvaCharti uvachaRu uvaChor vaChar vaChareti vaCharti vaCharu vaevChar vaiyivchar vaiyivchaReka vattivChar venivChar vetivChar veyivchaRu voCher wā’eḇḥar wā·’eḇ·ḥar wat·tiḇ·ḥar wattiḇḥar way·yiḇ·ḥā·re·kā way·yiḇ·ḥar way·yiḇ·ḥar- wayyiḇḥar wayyiḇḥar- wayyiḇḥārekā wə·niḇ·ḥar wə·ṯiḇ·ḥar wə·yiḇ·ḥă·rū wəniḇḥar wəṯiḇḥar wəyiḇḥărū yə·ḥub·bar yechubBar yəḥubbar yiḇ·ḥar yiḇ·ḥār yiḇ·ḥar- yiḇḥar yiḇḥār yiḇḥar- yivchar
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