בְּהֵמָה (H929) — Hebrew Lexicon

בְּהֵמָה

𐤁𐤄𐤌𐤄

bᵉhêmâh

H929 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A non-human land animal, primarily referring to domesticated large animals (such as cattle, oxen, sheep, goats, and sometimes horses or donkeys), but also used more broadly for beasts or animals in general, particularly terrestrial quadrupeds. The term is frequently collective, encompassing herds or groups of animals, and stands in contrast with wild animals or smaller creatures. In some contexts, behemâh may refer specifically to livestock or cattle raised for agricultural, transportation, or sacrificial purposes, but the term can also be used generically for 'beast' or 'animal' as distinct from humans.

Semantic Range

beast, domesticated animal, cattle, herd animal, animal (in general), quadruped, any large land animal, collective designation for livestock

Root / Etymology

בְּהֵמָה (behemâh) is often linked to an uncertain or unrecorded Hebrew root, with some suggesting a connection to a root meaning 'to be mute'—describing animals that do not speak. This root itself is not attested, making the etymology speculative. The form exhibits typical noun-formation patterns for animals but its precise derivation is unclear. Thus, 'etymology uncertain.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

בְּהֵמָה occurs throughout all periods of Biblical Hebrew. In the Pentateuch and historical books, it most often denotes domesticated herd or work animals, especially those kept by Israelites or neighboring groups for economic and ritual purposes, standing in contrast to חַיָּה (chayyah, 'wild animal'). In cultic and sacrificial contexts, it refers particularly to animals permissible as offerings, as distinct from non-kosher species or wild animals. In poetic and wisdom literature, behemâh includes a wider array of terrestrial animals and sometimes overlaps the meaning of chayyah, denoting any non-human animal. Notably, the plural בְּהֵמוֹת (behemoth) in Job 40 refers to a specific extraordinary animal, though in common usage, the singular behemâh functions as a collective noun. English translations like 'beast' or 'cattle' often do not capture the full range of possible referents, especially its broader or sometimes generic use for nonhuman terrestrial creatures.

Translation Consistency

primary "animal" 46 occurrences

"Animal" is a clear, natural, and neutral English word that covers the full semantic range of בְּהֵמָה — domesticated large land animals (cattle, sheep, goats, etc.), herds, and beasts more generally. It works well for singular and collective uses, and can be naturally qualified (e.g., "livestock," "domesticated animal," "wild animal") where the context requires more specificity. It is more modern and broadly applicable than "beast" or the more specific "cattle"/"livestock."

Alternatives (4 occurrences):

"livestock" (2x) "beast" (2x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from an unused root (probably meaning to be mute); properly, a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collective); beast, cattle.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

בהמ (bᵉhêmâh) — non-human animal, beast (especially four-footed domesticated animal), cattle

Root בהמ non-human animal, beast (especially four-footed domesticated animal), cattle

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H930	בְּהֵמוֹת	mighty beast

Word Forms

43 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H929-15`	הַ/בְּהֵמָ֣ה	habehemah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the beast	the beast	the animal	43
`H929-03`	בְּהֵמָ֣ה	behemah	`HNcfsa`	beast	land beast	animal	38
`H929-28`	וּ/בְהֵמָ֔ה	uvehemah	`HC/Ncfsa`	and beast	and land-beast	and animal	17
`H929-27`	וּ/בַ/בְּהֵמָ֑ה	uvabehemah	`HC/Rd/Ncfsa`	and on beast	and in the beast	and in the animal	12
`H929-26`	וּ/לְ/בֶהֱמַ֥ת	ulevehemat	`HC/R/Ncfsc`	and for beasts	and for beast-of	and for animal-of	7
`H929-01`	בַּ/בְּהֵמָ֑ה	babehemah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	among beasts	in the beast	in the animal	6
`H929-37`	וְ/הַ/בְּהֵמָ֜ה	vehabehemah	`HC/Td/Ncfsa`	and the livestock	and the beast	and the animal	5
`H929-02`	בַּהֲמ֣וֹת	bahamot	`HNcfpc`	beasts	beasts of	beasts of	4
`H929-04`	בֶּהֱמַ֥ת	behemat	`HNcfsc`	beasts	beast of	animal of	4
`H929-11`	בְּהֵמוֹת֙	behemot	`HNcfpa`	of beasts	herd animals	herd animals	4
`H929-14`	בִּ/בְהֵמָ֣ה	bivehemah	`HR/Ncfsa`	among livestock	in a beast	in an animal	4
`H929-06`	בְּהֶמְתָּ֔/ם	behemetam	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	their livestock	their beast	their livestock	3
`H929-39`	בְהֵמָ֗ה	vehemah	`HNcfsa`	a beast	beast	and animal	3
`H929-40`	בְהֶמְתֶּ֑/ךָ	vehemetekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	of your livestock	your livestock animal	your livestock animal	3
`H929-42`	וְ/לַ/בְּהֵמָ֖ה	velabehemah	`HC/Rd/Ncfsa`	and for the livestock	and to the beast	and to the animal	3
`H929-05`	בְּהֶמְתָּ֖/הּ	behemetah	`HNcfsc/Sp3fs`	its-beasts	her beast	her animal	2
`H929-07`	בְּהֶמְתֶּ֗/ךָ	behemetekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	of your livestock	your beast	your beast	2
`H929-10`	בְּהֶמְתּ֗/וֹ	behemeto	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his beasts	his livestock animal	his livestock animal	2
`H929-17`	כַּ/בְּהֵמ֣וֹת	kabehemot	`HRd/Ncfpa`	like the beasts	like beasts	like beasts	2
`H929-19`	לַ/בְּהֵמָ֖ה	labehemah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	for the beast	to the beast	for the beast	2
`H929-41`	בְהֵמוֹת֙	vehemot	`HNcfpa`	beasts	domesticated beasts	and animals	2
`H929-08`	בְּהֶמְתְּ/כֶ֔ם	behemetekhem	`HNcfsc/Sp2mp`	your livestock	your livestock	your livestock	1
`H929-09`	בְּהֶמְתֵּ֑/נוּ	behemetenu	`HNcfsc/Sp1cp`	our animals	our herd-animal	our animals	1
`H929-12`	בְּ/בַהֲמ֣וֹת	bevahamot	`HR/Ncfpc`	among beasts	among beasts of	among the beasts of	1
`H929-13`	בְּ/בֶהֱמַ֖ת	bevehemat	`HR/Ncfsc`	of-livestock-of	beast of	beast of	1
`H929-16`	כַּ/בְּהֵמָה֙	kabehemah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	like cattle	like a beast	like cattle	1
`H929-18`	כַ/בְּהֵמָ֑ה	khabehemah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	as beasts	like a beast	like a beast	1
`H929-20`	לִ/בְהֵמָ֣ה	livehemah	`HR/Ncfsa`	to the beast	to a beast	to the beast	1
`H929-21`	לִ/בְהֶמְתָּ/ם֙	livehemetam	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3mp`	for their cattle	for their beast	for their cattle	1
`H929-22`	לִ/בְהֶמְתֶּ֑/ךָ	livehemetekha	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp2ms`	for your livestock	your livestock	for your livestock	1
`H929-23`	לִ/בְהֶמְתֵּֽ/נוּ	livehemetenu	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp1cp`	for our livestock	to our livestock	for our livestock	1
`H929-24`	מֵ/הַ/בְּהֵמָֽה	mehabehemah	`HR/Td/Ncfsa`	from the livestock	from the livestock animal	from the livestock	1
`H929-25`	מִ/בַּהֲמ֣וֹת	mibahamot	`HR/Ncfpc`	than the beasts	from beasts of	from beasts of	1
`H929-29`	וּ/בְהֶמְתָּ֖/הּ	uvehemetah	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp3fs`	and its livestock	and her beast	and its livestock	1
`H929-30`	וּ֝/בְהֶמְתָּ֗/ם	uvehemetam	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp3mp`	and their cattle	and their livestock	and their livestock	1
`H929-31`	וּ/בְהֶמְתֶּ֔/ךָ	uvehemetekha	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp2ms`	and-livestock-your	and your beast	and your beast	1
`H929-32`	וּֽ/בְהֶמְתְּ/כֶֽם	uvehemetekhem	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp2mp`	and your animals	and your herd-animal	and your animals	1
`H929-33`	וּ/בְהֶמְתֵּ֔י/נוּ	uvehemeteynu	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp1cp`	and our cattle	our livestock	and our livestock	1
`H929-34`	וּ/בִ/בְהֵמָ֑ה	uvivehemah	`HC/R/Ncfsa`	and with livestock	and with a beast	and with livestock	1
`H929-35`	וּ/בִ/בְהֶמְתֶּֽ/ךָ	uvivehemetekha	`HC/R/Ncfsc/Sp2ms`	or among your livestock	your livestock	or among your livestock	1
`H929-36`	וּ/בִ/בְהֶמְתֵּ֨/נוּ֙	uvivehemetenu	`HC/R/Ncfsc/Sp1cp`	and-over-our-livestock	our livestock	and over our livestock	1
`H929-38`	בְהַמְתְּ/ךָ֖	vehametekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	of your livestock	your livestock animal	of your livestock	1
`H929-43`	וְ/לִ֨/בְהֶמְתְּ/ךָ֔	velivehemetekha	`HC/R/Ncfsc/Sp2ms`	and for your livestock	and for your livestock	and for your livestock	1

Occurrences in Scripture

190 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H929-03`	Genesis 1:24	בְּהֵמָ֥ה	behemah	`HNcfsa`	cattle	land beast	animal
`H929-15`	Genesis 1:25	הַ/בְּהֵמָה֙	habehemah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the cattle	the beast	the animal
`H929-27`	Genesis 1:26	וּ/בַ/בְּהֵמָה֙	uvabehemah	`HC/Rd/Ncfsa`	and over the livestock	and in the beast	and over the animal
`H929-15`	Genesis 2:20	הַ/בְּהֵמָה֙	habehemah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the livestock	the beast	the animal
`H929-15`	Genesis 3:14	הַ/בְּהֵמָ֔ה	habehemah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	livestock	the beast	the animal
`H929-03`	Genesis 6:7	בְּהֵמָ֔ה	behemah	`HNcfsa`	animals	land beast	animal
`H929-15`	Genesis 6:20	הַ/בְּהֵמָה֙	habehemah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the cattle	the beast	the animal
`H929-15`	Genesis 7:2	הַ/בְּהֵמָ֣ה	habehemah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	animal	the beast	the animal
`H929-15`	Genesis 7:2	הַ/בְּהֵמָ֡ה	habehemah-2	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the animal	the beast	the animal
`H929-15`	Genesis 7:8	הַ/בְּהֵמָה֙	habehemah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	clean animals	the beast	the animal
`H929-15`	Genesis 7:8	הַ֨/בְּהֵמָ֔ה	habehemah-2	`HTd/Ncfsa`	animals	the beast	the animal
`H929-15`	Genesis 7:14	הַ/בְּהֵמָה֙	habehemah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the cattle	the beast	the animal
`H929-27`	Genesis 7:21	וּ/בַ/בְּהֵמָה֙	uvabehemah	`HC/Rd/Ncfsa`	and cattle	and in the beast	and in the animal
`H929-03`	Genesis 7:23	בְּהֵמָה֙	behemah	`HNcfsa`	animals	land beast	animal
`H929-15`	Genesis 8:1	הַ/בְּהֵמָ֔ה	habehemah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the livestock	the beast	the livestock
`H929-27`	Genesis 8:17	וּ/בַ/בְּהֵמָ֛ה	uvabehemah	`HC/Rd/Ncfsa`	and of cattle	and in the beast	and in the animal
`H929-15`	Genesis 8:20	הַ/בְּהֵמָ֣ה	habehemah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	clean animal	the beast	the animal
`H929-01`	Genesis 9:10	בַּ/בְּהֵמָ֛ה	babehemah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	of the livestock	in the beast	in the animal
`H929-06`	Genesis 34:23	בְּהֶמְתָּ֔/ם	behemetam	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	their animals	their beast	their animals
`H929-10`	Genesis 36:6	בְּהֶמְתּ֗/וֹ	behemeto	`HNcfsc/Sp3ms`	his beasts	his livestock animal	his livestock animal
`H929-15`	Genesis 47:18	הַ/בְּהֵמָ֖ה	habehemah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the animals	the beast	the animal
`H929-27`	Exodus 8:13	וּ/בַ/בְּהֵמָ֑ה	uvabehemah	`HC/Rd/Ncfsa`	and on beast	and in the beast	and in the animal
`H929-27`	Exodus 8:14	וּ/בַ/בְּהֵמָֽה	uvabehemah	`HC/Rd/Ncfsa`	and on beast	and in the beast	and on beast
`H929-15`	Exodus 9:9	הַ/בְּהֵמָ֗ה	habehemah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	beast	the beast	the animal
`H929-27`	Exodus 9:10	וּ/בַ/בְּהֵמָֽה	uvabehemah	`HC/Rd/Ncfsa`	and on beast	and in the beast	and in the animal
`H929-37`	Exodus 9:19	וְ/הַ/בְּהֵמָ֜ה	vehabehemah	`HC/Td/Ncfsa`	and beast	and the beast	and the animal
`H929-15`	Exodus 9:22	הַ/בְּהֵמָ֗ה	habehemah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	beast	the beast	the animal
`H929-03`	Exodus 9:25	בְּהֵמָ֑ה	behemah	`HNcfsa`	beast	land beast	animal
`H929-03`	Exodus 11:5	בְּהֵמָֽה	behemah	`HNcfsa`	of livestock	land beast	animal
`H929-03`	Exodus 11:7	בְּהֵמָ֑ה	behemah	`HNcfsa`	beast	land beast	animal
`H929-03`	Exodus 12:12	בְּהֵמָ֑ה	behemah	`HNcfsa`	beast	land beast	animal
`H929-03`	Exodus 12:29	בְּהֵמָֽה	behemah	`HNcfsa`	of cattle	land beast	animal
`H929-27`	Exodus 13:2	וּ/בַ/בְּהֵמָ֑ה	uvabehemah	`HC/Rd/Ncfsa`	and of beast	and in the beast	and in the animal
`H929-03`	Exodus 13:12	בְּהֵמָ֗ה	behemah	`HNcfsa`	of livestock	land beast	animal
`H929-03`	Exodus 13:15	בְּהֵמָ֑ה	behemah	`HNcfsa`	of beast	land beast	animal
`H929-03`	Exodus 19:13	בְּהֵמָ֥ה	behemah	`HNcfsa`	beast	land beast	animal
`H929-31`	Exodus 20:10	וּ/בְהֶמְתֶּ֔/ךָ	uvehemetekha	`HC/Ncfsc/Sp2ms`	and-livestock-your	and your beast	and your beast
`H929-03`	Exodus 22:9	בְּהֵמָ֖ה	behemah	`HNcfsa`	livestock	land beast	animal
`H929-03`	Exodus 22:18	בְּהֵמָ֖ה	behemah	`HNcfsa`	an animal	land beast	animal
`H929-15`	Leviticus 1:2	הַ/בְּהֵמָ֗ה	habehemah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the livestock	the beast	the livestock
`H929-03`	Leviticus 5:2	בְּהֵמָ֣ה	behemah	`HNcfsa`	livestock	land beast	animal
`H929-14`	Leviticus 7:21	בִּ/בְהֵמָ֣ה	bivehemah	`HR/Ncfsa`	in beast	in a beast	in an animal
`H929-15`	Leviticus 7:25	הַ֨/בְּהֵמָ֔ה	habehemah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the beast	the beast	the animal
`H929-42`	Leviticus 7:26	וְ/לַ/בְּהֵמָֽה	velabehemah	`HC/Rd/Ncfsa`	or of animal	and to the beast	or of animal
`H929-15`	Leviticus 11:2	הַ/בְּהֵמָ֖ה	habehemah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the beast	the beast	the animal
`H929-01`	Leviticus 11:3	בַּ/בְּהֵמָ֑ה	babehemah	`HRd/Ncfsa`	among the beasts	in the beast	in the animal
`H929-15`	Leviticus 11:26	הַ/בְּהֵמָ֡ה	habehemah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the beast	the beast	the animal
`H929-15`	Leviticus 11:39	הַ/בְּהֵמָ֔ה	habehemah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	the beast	the beast	the animal
`H929-15`	Leviticus 11:46	הַ/בְּהֵמָה֙	habehemah	`HTd/Ncfsa`	of the animal	the beast	the animal
`H929-03`	Leviticus 18:23	בְּהֵמָ֛ה	behemah	`HNcfsa`	animal	land beast	animal

← H928 Hebrew Lexicon H930 →