Lexical Summary
basar: Flesh
Original Word:בָּשָׂר
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:basar
Pronunciation:bah-SAR
Phonetic Spelling:(baw-sawr')
KJV: body, (fat, lean) flesh(-ed), kin, (man-)kind, + nakedness, self, skin
NASB:flesh, body, meat, mankind, bodies, man, men
Word Origin:[fromH1319 (בָּשַׂר - brings good news)]
1. flesh (from its freshness)
2. by extension, body, person
3. (by euphemism) the external genitles of a man
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
body, fat, lean fleshed, kin, mankind, nakedness, self, skin
Frombasar; flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphem.) The pudenda of a man -- body, (fat, lean) flesh(-ed), kin, (man-)kind, + nakedness, self, skin.
see HEBREWbasar
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
basarDefinitionflesh
NASB Translationanyone* (1), bodies (2), body (39), fatter* (1), flesh (176), gaunt* (3), lustful* (1), man (1), mankind (3), mankind* (1), meat (34), men (1), person (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
266 (compare Arabic
skin, Syriac
, Assyrian
bišru,
blood-relation, Dl
Assyrian Stud. i. 143, compare Pr. 170, Sabean
flesh of bulls) —
Genesis 2:21 126t.; construct
Genesis 17:11 40t.; suffix etc.
Psalm 16:9 96t.; plural
Proverbs 14:30; —
of the body:of animalsGenesis 41:2-19Exodus 21:28;Exodus 22:30;Numbers 12:12 (E)Numbers 11:4-33 (JE)Genesis 9:4 + (P 30 t.)Deuteronomy 12:15 + (D 9 t.)Judges 6:19-211 Samuel 2:13,15;1 Kings 17:6;1 Kings 19:21;Job 31:31;Job 41:15;Psalm 50:13;Proverbs 23:20;Isaiah 22:13;Isaiah 44:16,19;Isaiah 65:4;Isaiah 66:17;Jeremiah 7:21;Jeremiah 11:15;Ezekiel 4:14 6t.Daniel 10:3;Hosea 8:13;Micah 3:3;Haggai 2:12;Zechariah 11:9,16.
of menGenesis 40:19 (E)Genesis 2:21;Exodus 4:7 (J)Leviticus 12:3;Leviticus 13:2 16t.Leviticus 26:29 (P)Deuteronomy 28:53,55;Deuteronomy 32:42;Judges 8:7;1 Samuel 17:44;1 Kings 4:34;1 Kings 5:10;1 Kings 5:14;1 Kings 6:30;1 Kings 9:36;Job 2:5;Job 4:15;Job 6:12;Job 7:5;Job 10:11;Job 13:14;Job 19:20,22;Job 21:6;Job 33:21,25;Psalm 27:2;Psalm 38:4;Psalm 38:8;Psalm 79:2;Psalm 102:6;Psalm 109:24;Proverbs 4:22;Proverbs 5:11;Isaiah 9:19;Isaiah 17:4;Isaiah 49:26;Jeremiah 19:9;Lamentations 3:4;Ezekiel 32:5;Ezekiel 37:6,8;Ezekiel 39:17,18;Daniel 1:15;Zechariah 14:12. The flesh of the body is contrasted with stoneEzekiel 11:19;Ezekiel 36:26.
flesh forthe body itself (especially in P):upon the body of man it shall not be pouredExodus 30:32 (P);linen drawers shall he put on his bodyLeviticus 6:3;Leviticus 16:4 (P);1 Kings 2;:27;and he shall bath his bodyLeviticus 14:9;Leviticus 15:13,16;Leviticus 16:24,26,28;Leviticus 17:16;Leviticus 22:6;Numbers 19:7,8 (P);ye shall not put any cutting for any one in your bodyLeviticus 19:28 compareLeviticus 21:5 (P);and they shall pass a razor over all their bodyNumbers 8:7 (P). Ecclesiastes uses only in this senseEcclesiastes 2:3;Ecclesiastes 4:5;Ecclesiastes 5:5;Ecclesiastes 11:10;Ecclesiastes 12:12; elsewhere this usage only in poetry; the body antithetical toJob 14:22;Isaiah 10:18;Psalm 63:2;Psalm 16:9;Psalm 84:3;Proverbs 14:30 (only here emphatic plural =entire body Bö§ 695,Leiblichkeit De);apart from my body, in disembodied stateJob 19:26;my body trembleth for fear of theePsalm 119:120.
make organ of Generation (euphemism):Genesis 17:11,14,23,24,25 (P);Exodus 28:42 (P), butGenesis 17:14;Leviticus 15:2-19 (P)Ezekiel 16:26;Ezekiel 23:20;Ezekiel 44:7,9.
flesh for kindred, blood-relations:bone of my bone and flesh of my fleshGenesis 2:23 (J);and they shall become one fleshGenesis 2:24 (J);Genesis 29:14 (J)Judges 9:2;2 Samuel 5:1;2 Samuel 19:13;2 Samuel 19:14;1 Chronicles 11:1; with suffix in same senseGenesis 37:27 (J)Nehemiah 5:5;Isaiah 58:7, for whichnear of kin, man or womanLeviticus 18:6;Leviticus 25:49 (both H;Leviticus 25:49 "" , compare RSk149).
man over against God as frail orerringGenesis 6:3 (J)Psalm 56:5;Psalm 78:39; eyes of fleshJob 10:4; arm of flesh 2Chronicles 32:8;Jeremiah 17:5; horses are flesh not spiritIsaiah 31:3
all living beingsGenesis 6:17,19;Genesis 7:21;Genesis 9:11,15,16,17;Leviticus 17:14;Numbers 18:15 (P)Job 34:15;Psalm 136:25.
animalsGenesis 7:15,16;Genesis 8:17 (P).
mankindGenesis 6:12,18;Numbers 16:22;Numbers 27:16 (P)Deuteronomy 5:28;Psalm 65:3;Psalm 145:21;Isaiah 40:5,6;Isaiah 49:26;Isaiah 66:16,23,24;Jeremiah 12:12;Jeremiah 25:31;Jeremiah 32:27;Jeremiah 45:5;Ezekiel 21:4;Ezekiel 21:9;Ezekiel 21:10;Joel 3:1;Zechariah 2:17; compareJob 12:10.
Topical Lexicon
Root Meaning and Range of Senseבָּשָׂר (bāśār) denotes the soft tissue of humans and animals. From that literal sense the word broadens to embrace food, blood-kinship, the whole of humanity, creaturely frailty, and the realm that stands in contrast to the Spirit. Roughly 270 occurrences spread across every major corpus of the Hebrew Scriptures testify to its theological weight.
Material Flesh as Food
When בָּשָׂר is prepared for eating it is usually paired with verbals of slaughter or cooking (Genesis 18:7;Exodus 12:8-9). The dietary permission ofGenesis 9:3 marks a turning point: “Everything that lives and moves will be food for you; just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you all things.” Regulations then qualify that permission: no flesh with lifeblood (Genesis 9:4), no suet from sacrifices (Leviticus 3:17), and no sacred meat eaten in uncleanness (Leviticus 7:20-21). Priestly texts distinguish holy flesh (Haggai 2:12) from common, reinforcing that eating is never merely biological but covenantal.
Flesh in Sacrifice and Worship
In the sacrificial system the flesh of peace offerings was shared in fellowship meals (Leviticus 7:15-16); sin offerings’ flesh could be eaten only by priests and only within the sanctuary precincts (Leviticus 6:26). Such prescriptions foreshadow the communion table where participation in Christ’s body provides fellowship with God and with one another (compare1 Corinthians 10:16-18).
Flesh as Kinship and Corporate Humanity
“Bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (Genesis 2:23) establishes בָּשָׂר as the idiom for familial solidarity. It undergirds appeals for loyalty: “We are your bone and flesh” (2 Samuel 5:1). The prophets expand the term to signify the totality of humanity: “The glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together” (Isaiah 40:5).
Flesh as Mortality and Weakness
Job laments, “My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust” (Job 7:5), using בָּשָׂר to portray human frailty. Psalms links failing flesh with the need for divine strength: “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart” (Psalm 73:26). The phrase “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41) in the Greek New Testament rests on this same Hebrew backdrop.
Flesh in Sexuality and Marriage
“Two become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24) frames marital intimacy as covenantal union. Laws about incest (Leviticus 18:6) prohibit uncovering the “nakedness of close flesh” (bāśār), defending the sanctity of the created order. The prophets draw on this imagery to indict covenant infidelity (Ezekiel 16:26).
“All Flesh” in Universal Scope
Genesis 6–9 saturates the Flood narrative with “all flesh,” signifying the total created order under judgment and then covenant mercy (Genesis 9:15-17).Joel 2:28 looks forward: “I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh,” a promise fulfilled at Pentecost (Acts 2:17) and emblematic of salvation’s worldwide reach.
Prophetic Contrasts: Flesh versus Spirit
Jeremiah 17:5 warns, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength,” setting bāśār over against reliance upon Yahweh. Ezekiel reverses the polarity in the new-covenant promise: “I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26), not celebrating weakness but promising a responsive, Spirit-wrought interior.
Messianic Foreshadowings and Christological Fulfillment
Psalm 16:9 anticipates resurrection: “My flesh also dwells secure,” a text Peter applies to Jesus (Acts 2:31). The sufferings of the Servant whose visage is “marred more than any man” (Isaiah 52:14) prepare readers for the Incarnation, when “the Word became flesh” (John 1:14). The realities prefigured in Israel’s holy flesh reach their climactic meaning in the body of the Messiah offered once for all (Hebrews 10:5-10).
Theological and Pastoral Applications
• Human dignity and weakness: Our flesh links us to Adam’s dust and to God’s image, urging humility and hope.
• Holiness of the body: Dietary laws and sexual ethics remind believers that the body matters to God.
• Corporate solidarity: “All flesh” language drives mission and worship beyond ethnic or social partitions.
• New-covenant assurance: Hearts of flesh empowered by the Spirit enable obedience unattainable by flesh alone.
Thus בָּשָׂר threads through Scripture from Creation to New Creation, uniting themes of life, kinship, sacrifice, and redemption until “all flesh shall come to worship before Me,” declares the LORD (Isaiah 66:23).
Forms and Transliterations
בְ֭שָׂרִים בְּ֝שָׂרְךָ֗ בְּ֝שָׂרִ֗י בְּ֭שָׂרוֹ בְּשַׂ֣ר בְּשַׂ֤ר בְּשַׂ֥ר בְּשַׂרְכֶ֔ם בְּשַׂר־ בְּשָׂ֣רְךָ֔ בְּשָׂ֫רִ֥י בְּשָׂר֑וֹ בְּשָׂר֔וֹ בְּשָׂר֖וֹ בְּשָׂר֗וֹ בְּשָׂר֛וֹ בְּשָׂר֞וֹ בְּשָׂר֣וֹ בְּשָׂר֤וֹ בְּשָׂר֥וֹ בְּשָׂרְךָ֖ בְּשָׂרְךָ֛ בְּשָׂרִ֑י בְּשָׂרִ֣י בְּשָׂרִ֥י בְּשָׂרִֽי׃ בְּשָׂרֵ֔נוּ בְּשָׂרֶ֔ךָ בְּשָׂרָ֔ם בְּשָׂרָ֖ם בְּשָׂרָ֛ם בְּשָׂרָהּ֙ בְּשָׂרָם֙ בְּשָׂרֽוֹ׃ בְּשָׂרוֹ֒ בְּשָׂרוֹ֙ בְשָׂר֣וֹ בְשָׂרִ֑י בְשָׂרִ֣י בְשָׂרִי֙ בְשָׂרֵ֖נוּ בְשָׂרֽוֹ׃ בִּ֭בְשָׂרִי בִּבְשַׂ֣ר בִּבְשַׂרְכֶ֔ם בִּבְשַׂרְכֶ֖ם בִּבְשָׂרִֽי׃ בִּבְשָׂרָ֑הּ בִּבְשָׂרָ֖הּ בַּבָּשָׂ֖ר בָּ֭שָׂר בָּשָֽׂר׃ בָּשָׂ֑ר בָּשָׂ֔ר בָּשָׂ֕ר בָּשָׂ֖ר בָּשָׂ֗ר בָּשָׂ֛ר בָּשָׂ֞ר בָּשָׂ֡ר בָּשָׂ֣ר בָּשָׂ֣ר ׀ בָּשָׂ֥ר בָּשָׂר֒ בָּשָׂר֙ בָשָֽׂר׃ בָשָׂ֑ר בָשָׂ֔ר בָשָׂ֖ר בָשָׂ֗ר בָשָׂ֣ר בָשָׂר֙ בבשר בבשרה בבשרי בבשרי׃ בבשרכם בשר בשר־ בשר׃ בשרה בשרו בשרו׃ בשרי בשרי׃ בשרים בשרך בשרכם בשרם בשרנו הַ֠בָּשָׂר הַבָּשָֽׂר׃ הַבָּשָׂ֑ר הַבָּשָׂ֔ר הַבָּשָׂ֖ר הַבָּשָׂ֗ר הַבָּשָׂ֣ר הַבָּשָׂ֤ר הַבָּשָׂ֥ר הַבָּשָׂר֙ הַבָּשָׂר֮ הבשר הבשר׃ וְהַ֨בָּשָׂ֔ר וְהַבָּשָׂ֖ר וְהַבָּשָׂ֞ר וּ֝בְשָׂרִ֗י וּ֝מִבְּשָׂרִ֗י וּ֭בִבְשָׂרִי וּ֭בָשָׂר וּֽבְשָׂרְךָ֖ וּבְשַׂ֗ר וּבְשַׂ֤ר וּבְשַׂ֥ר וּבְשַׂרְכֶ֖ם וּבְשַׂר־ וּבְשָׂר֖וֹ וּבְשָׂרִ֑י וּבְשָׂרִ֖י וּבְשָׂרָ֖ם וּבִ֨בְשָׂרָ֔ם וּבָשָׂ֕ר וּבָשָׂ֖ר וּבָשָׂ֣ר וּבָשָׂ֥ר וּבָשָׂ֨ר וּבָשָׂר֙ וּכְבָשָׂ֖ר וּמִבְּשָׂרְךָ֖ ובבשרי ובבשרם ובשר ובשר־ ובשרו ובשרי ובשרך ובשרכם ובשרם והבשר וכבשר ומבשרי ומבשרך כִּבְשַׂ֛ר כִּבְשַׂ֤ר כִּבְשָׂרֽוֹ׃ כבשר כבשרו׃ לְבָשָׂ֑ר לְבָשָׂ֥ר לִבְשָׂרִֽי׃ לבשר לבשרי׃ מִ֝בְּשָׂר֗וֹ מִבְּשַׂ֣ר מִבְּשַׂ֤ר מִבְּשַׂ֧ר מִבְּשַׂרְכֶ֔ם מִבְּשַׂר־ מִבְּשָׂר֔וֹ מִבְּשָׂרִ֑י מִבְּשָׂרֶ֑ךָ מִבְּשָׂרָ֔ם מִבְּשָׂרָם֙ מבשר מבשר־ מבשרו מבשרי מבשרך מבשרכם מבשרם bā·śār ḇā·śār bab·bā·śār babbaSar babbāśār baSar bāśār ḇāśār Basor bə·śā·rāh bə·śā·rām bə·śā·re·ḵā bə·śā·rə·ḵā bə·śā·rê·nū ḇə·śā·rê·nū bə·śā·rî ḇə·śā·rî ḇə·śā·rîm bə·śā·rōw ḇə·śā·rōw bə·śar bə·śar- bə·śar·ḵem beSar bəśar bəśar- besaRah bəśārāh besaRam bəśārām besarChem besareCha bəśāreḵā bəśārəḵā besaRenu bəśārênū ḇəśārênū besaRi bəśārî ḇəśārî ḇəśārîm bəśarḵem besaRo bəśārōw ḇəśārōw biḇ·śā·rāh biḇ·śā·rî biḇ·śar biḇ·śar·ḵem biḇśar biḇśārāh biḇśārî biḇśarḵem bivSar bivsaRah bivsarChem Bivsari hab·bā·śār habbaSar habbāśār Habbasor kiḇ·śā·rōw kiḇ·śar kiḇśar kiḇśārōw kivSar kivsaRo lə·ḇā·śār ləḇāśār levaSar liḇ·śā·rî liḇśārî livsaRi mib·bə·śā·rām mib·bə·śā·re·ḵā mib·bə·śā·rî mib·bə·śā·rōw mib·bə·śar mib·bə·śar- mib·bə·śar·ḵem mibbeSar mibbəśar mibbəśar- mibbesaRam mibbəśārām mibbesarChem mibbesaRecha mibbəśāreḵā mibbesaRi mibbəśārî mibbəśarḵem mibbesaRo mibbəśārōw ū·ḇā·śār ū·ḇə·śā·rām ū·ḇə·śā·rə·ḵā ū·ḇə·śā·rî ū·ḇə·śā·rōw ū·ḇə·śar ū·ḇə·śar- ū·ḇə·śar·ḵem ū·ḇiḇ·śā·rām ū·ḇiḇ·śā·rî ū·ḵə·ḇā·śār ū·mib·bə·śā·rə·ḵā ū·mib·bə·śā·rî ūḇāśār ūḇəśar ūḇəśar- ūḇəśārām ūḇəśārəḵā ūḇəśārî ūḇəśarḵem ūḇəśārōw ūḇiḇśārām ūḇiḇśārî uchevaSar ūḵəḇāśār umibbesareCha ūmibbəśārəḵā umibbesaRi ūmibbəśārî uvaSar Uvasor uveSar uvesaRam uvesarChem uvesareCha uvesaRi uvesaRo uVivsaRam Uvivsari vaSar vehabbaSar vesaRenu vesaRi Vesarim vesaRo wə·hab·bā·śār wəhabbāśār
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