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בֵּית בָּרָה

𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤁𐤓𐤄

Bêyth Bârâh

H1012 noun

SILEX Entry

Root בית, עבר to build, to dwell, to cross, to pass over

Definition

Proper noun designating a location, likely meaning 'house of crossing' or 'place of the ford.' Refers specifically to a settlement or site associated with a river crossing, most notably mentioned in the context of Gideon's pursuit of the Midianites. The term indicates a place characterized by its location at or near a ford, an accessible crossing point over a river.

Semantic Range

house of the ford, place of crossing, settlement at a ford, proper noun referring to a site by the Jordan River

Root / Etymology

Derived from the noun בַּיִת (bayit, 'house') and a form related to the root עבר (ʿ-b-r, 'to cross, to pass over'). The combination בֵּית בָּרָה (Bêyth Bârâh) thus means 'house/place of crossing/ford.' The specific form בָּרָה is debated; some propose a variant of עברה ('ford, crossing'), though the etymology is not fully certain and may reflect a regional toponym.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The name appears in Judges 7:24, associated with the narrative of Gideon's campaign against the Midianites. Its identification has been subject to debate; while sometimes equated with Beth-abara (Bethany across the Jordan) of later sources, this connection is uncertain. The designation emphasizes the functional importance of the site as a crossing on the Jordan River, probably near where it was possible to ford the river, and thus strategic in military or travel contexts. Modern translations often retain the transliterated name, but some older English versions render it 'house of the ford.' The etymology, while suggesting 'house of the crossing/ford,' is not absolutely certain due to the rare or otherwise unattested form בָּרָה; some scholars suggest a scribal variant or regional dialectal influence.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

probably from בַּיִת and עֲבָרָה; house of (the) ford; Beth-Barah, a place in Palestine; Beth-barah.

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Root Family

בית, עבר (b-y-t; ʿ-b-r) — to build, house, dwelling; to cross, pass over

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1012-02 בֵּ֥ית beyt HNp Beth house of 2
H1012-01 בָּרָ֖ה barah HNp barah House of Crossing 2

Occurrences in Scripture

4 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1012-02 Judges 7:24 בֵּ֥ית beyt HNp Beth house of
H1012-01 Judges 7:24 בָּרָ֖ה barah HNp barah House of Crossing
H1012-02 Judges 7:24 בֵּ֥ית beyt-2 HNp Beth house of
H1012-01 Judges 7:24 בָּרָ֖ה barah-2 HNp barah House of Crossing
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