Lexical Summary
baar: senseless, stupid
Original Word:בַּעַר
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:ba`ar
Pronunciation:bah-ahr
Phonetic Spelling:(bah'-ar)
KJV: brutish (person), foolish
NASB:senseless, stupid
Word Origin:[fromH1197 (בָּעַר - To burn)]
1. (properly) foot (as consumed)
2. (by extension) of cattle brutishness
3. (concretely) stupid
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
brutish person, foolish
Fromba'ar; properly, foot (as consumed); i.e. (by exten.) Of cattle brutishness; (concretely) stupid -- brutish (person), foolish.
see HEBREWba'ar
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
baarDefinitionbrutishness
NASB Translationsenseless (3), stupid (2).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
(only in poetry) — absolute
Psalm 49:11 3t.,
Proverbs 12:1; — combination,
brutish manPsalm 92:7 ("" ); elsewhere alone in same sense (concrete)
Psalm 49:11 (""
id.), & as predicate = adjective,
Psalm 73:22;
Proverbs 12:1;
Proverbs 30:2.
Topical Lexicon
OverviewThe Hebrew noun בַּעַר describes a moral and spiritual dullness that refuses the fear of the LORD. It is not a comment on intellectual capacity but on a willful resistance to revealed wisdom. In every occurrence the term exposes the emptiness of life divorced from covenant understanding and invites the reader to embrace the knowledge of God as the only antidote to folly.
Occurrences in Scripture
Psalm 49:10;Psalm 73:22;Psalm 92:6;Proverbs 30:2.
Exegesis of Key Passages
Psalm 49:10
“For he sees that wise men die; the foolish and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others.”
בַּעַר appears beside “fool,” underscoring that death levels every earthly distinction. To trust in riches rather than redemption (Psalm 49:7–9) is branded brutish. The psalmist confronts social pretensions and affirms that true understanding is eschatological, grounded in God’s power to redeem from Sheol (49:15).
Psalm 73:22
“I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before You.”
Asaph confesses that envy of the prosperous wicked (73:3) thrust him into moral stupefaction. בַּעַר here contrasts sharply with “whom have I in heaven but You?” (73:25). The movement from brutishness to worship illustrates repentance: intellectual clarity returns when the heart re-enters the sanctuary and perceives the end of the ungodly (73:17).
Psalm 92:6
“A senseless man does not know, and a fool does not understand.”
Set within a Sabbath psalm, the term identifies those blind to God’s works of creation and providence (92:4–5). By using בַּעַר the poet explains why the wicked sprout like grass (92:7) without discerning their impending destruction. Sabbath praise, therefore, is a weekly antidote to brutishness, re-aligning human perception with divine revelation.
Proverbs 30:2
“Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man.”
Agur’s self-deprecation is paradoxical: calling himself בַּעַר paves the way for a confession of God’s transcendent wisdom (30:4). The admission models humility essential for receiving Scripture (30:5). Here the term functions positively, for recognizing one’s brutishness is the first step toward wisdom.
The Foolishness of Rejecting Divine Wisdom
Across these texts בַּעַר marks an ethical deficiency: rejection of God’s self-disclosure. The word clusters with “fool” and “ignorant,” showing that moral and spiritual categories, not IQ, define wisdom literature. Scripture never portrays brutishness as a neutral state; it is culpable blindness that suppresses truth (compareRomans 1:21–22).
Contrast between Brutishness and Godly Wisdom
1. Rootedness: Brute thinking is earth-bound; wisdom is rooted in “the fear of the LORD” (Proverbs 9:10).
2. Destiny: The brutish perish without hope; the wise anticipate resurrection (Psalm 49:15).
3. Worship: Brute hearts ignore God’s works; the wise give thanks (Psalm 92:1–5).
4. Humility: Self-diagnosed brutishness becomes a doorway to grace, as inProverbs 30.
Christological and Redemptive Implications
Jesus Christ embodies perfect wisdom (Colossians 2:3). The Gospels repeatedly expose the בַּעַר-like ignorance of religious leaders who, though versed in Scripture, miss its fulfillment in Him (John 5:39–40). At Calvary, the crowd’s mockery echoes brutish disdain, yet the cross simultaneously provides the cure, converting foolish hearts through the Spirit (1 Corinthians 1:18–25).
Practical Ministry Applications
• Preaching: Expose the vanity of self-reliance and direct hearers to the risen Redeemer who rescues from death’s finality (Psalm 49).
• Counseling: Address envy and doubt by leading believers into God’s presence where true perspective is regained (Psalm 73).
• Worship Planning: Use corporate praise, especially on the Lord’s Day, to rehearse God’s mighty works, combating spiritual dullness (Psalm 92).
• Discipleship: Encourage confession of inadequacy as a pathway to grasping divine revelation (Proverbs 30).
Historical and Cultural Background
Within the Ancient Near East, wisdom literature often praised shrewdness, but Israel’s Scriptures tied wisdom to covenant faithfulness. By labeling the irreligious as בַּעַר, the biblical authors subverted cultural norms, insisting that skill in life without reference to Yahweh is ultimately beast-like.
Theological Significance
בַּעַר reveals the doctrine of total inability apart from grace. Humanity either reflects God’s image through reverent knowledge or descends into brutish self-orientation. The term thus supports biblical anthropology and underscores the necessity of regeneration (Ezekiel 36:26).
Summary
בַּעַר warns that rejecting God’s wisdom dehumanizes. Whether seen in the wealthy materialist, the envious believer, the willfully blind evildoer, or the candid seeker, the condition is remedied only by reverent submission to the LORD and His Messiah. Scripture invites every reader to move from brutishness to blessedness by embracing divine instruction.
Forms and Transliterations
בַ֣עַר בַ֭עַר בַּ֭עַר בער וָבַ֣עַר ובער ba‘ar ḇa‘ar ba·‘ar ḇa·‘ar Baar Vaar vaVaar wā·ḇa·‘ar wāḇa‘ar
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