← H952 H954 →

בּוֹר

𐤁𐤅𐤓

Bor

H953 noun

SILEX Entry

Root בור to dig, to excavate, to hollow out

Definition

A pit or excavation in the ground, often dug for water storage (cistern), but also used as a holding place for prisoners (dungeon) or as a metaphor for dangers and the underworld. The word frequently denotes a man-made cavity, typically unlined, for holding water or other contents, and can also signify a trap or a place of confinement. It ranges from literal physical pits to metaphorical uses, especially for death or Sheol.

Semantic Range

pit, cistern, dungeon, prison, trap, grave, underworld, abyss, figurative place of death or destruction

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root בור, likely connected with digging or hollowing out. The root is related to forming a cavity or depression; however, some etymologies connect it to בָּאַר (to dig a well) or בּוּר (to be empty), though this remains debated.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In early Israelite contexts, בּוֹר denotes a pit dug for practical purposes—water collection (cisterns), storage, or refuse. In narrative and legal texts, it is used for literal dungeons or places of detention (e.g., Joseph's imprisonment, Jeremiah's confinement). In poetic and prophetic literature, it becomes a metaphor for death, Sheol, or extreme danger. בּוֹר often stands in contrast to בְּאֵר (be'er), a term for a natural or lined well. While English translations might render both 'pit' and 'well', בּוֹר is typically an unlined cistern or a prison shaft, and may function as an ambush or trap. Over time and in later texts, its metaphorical sense as an image of death or cosmic depths increases, especially in Psalms, prophetic poetry, and later Jewish tradition. The word is sometimes translated 'dungeon' or 'prison' in contexts of captivity or danger, but this narrows its reference compared to the broader Hebrew usage.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from בּוּר (in the sense of בֹּאר); a pit hole (especially one used as a cistern or a prison); cistern, dungeon, fountain, pit, well.

Bantu Hebrew

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

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

בור (b-w-r) — to dig, to excavate, to hollow out

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1287 בֹּרִית alkaline cleanser
H952 בּוּר and to bore through

Word Forms

19 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H953-17 בֽוֹר vor HNcmsa to the pit dug-out pit 18
H953-06 הַ/בּ֤וֹר habor HTd/Ncmsa the cistern the pit 17
H953-04 בּ֗וֹר bor HNcmsa a pit dug-out pit 8
H953-09 מִ/בּ֣וֹר mibor HR/Np from the pit from a pit 6
H953-16 וְ/הַ/בּ֣וֹר vehabor HC/Td/Ncmsa and-the-cistern and the dug pit 2
H953-05 בֹּר֨וֹת borot HNcmpa cisterns dug-out pits 2
H953-18 בוֹרֽ/וֹ voro HNcmsc/Sp3ms his cistern his dug-pit 2
H953-01 בַּ/בּ֑וֹר babor HRd/Ncmsa in the pit in the dug pit 2
H953-03 בְּ/ב֣וֹר bevor HR/Ncmsc in the pit in a pit 1
H953-07 הַ/בֹּ֑רָ/ה haborah HTd/Ncmsa/Sd into the pit into the pit 1

Occurrences in Scripture

68 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H953-08 Genesis 37:20 הַ/בֹּר֔וֹת haborot HTd/Ncmpa of the pits the pits
H953-06 Genesis 37:22 הַ/בּ֤וֹר habor HTd/Ncmsa the pit the pit
H953-07 Genesis 37:24 הַ/בֹּ֑רָ/ה haborah HTd/Ncmsa/Sd into the pit into the pit
H953-16 Genesis 37:24 וְ/הַ/בּ֣וֹר vehabor HC/Td/Ncmsa and the pit and the dug pit
H953-06 Genesis 37:28 הַ/בּ֔וֹר habor HTd/Ncmsa the pit the pit
H953-06 Genesis 37:29 הַ/בּ֔וֹר habor HTd/Ncmsa the pit the pit
H953-01 Genesis 37:29 בַּ/בּ֑וֹר babor HRd/Ncmsa in the pit in the dug pit
H953-01 Genesis 40:15 בַּ/בּֽוֹר babor HRd/Ncmsa into the pit in the dug pit
H953-06 Genesis 41:14 הַ/בּ֑וֹר habor HTd/Ncmsa the dungeon the pit
H953-06 Exodus 12:29 הַ/בּ֑וֹר habor HTd/Ncmsa of the dungeon the pit
← H952 Hebrew Lexicon H954 →