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בְּכוֹר

𐤁𐤊𐤅𐤓

bᵉkôwr

H1060 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Firstborn; the one born first in order among siblings, especially sons, and thus holding a position of particular status or precedence within the family or clan structure. In extended uses, can denote a preeminent individual or group, or the earliest or most prominent instance of a class. The term frequently implies legal and social privileges associated with birth order, such as inheritance rights and special responsibilities.

Semantic Range

firstborn son, eldest child, animal firstborn, preeminent one, chief or most distinguished (figurative), earliest or initial instance of a group or class

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root בָּכַר (b-k-r), which carries the core meaning 'to be born first', 'to be early'. The noun בְּכוֹר is a masculine substantive denoting the male who is first born.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In early Israelite society, the בְּכוֹר held significant rights and responsibilities, including a double portion of inheritance (Deut 21:17), and could be associated with leadership within the family group. The status of 'firstborn' was sometimes subject to loss or transfer (e.g., Reuben in Gen 49:3-4). The legal and ritual importance of the firstborn is evident in texts relating to redemption (Exod 13:1-16; Num 18:15-17), where all firstborn—both human and animal—were considered especially belonging to Yhwh. In poetic and prophetic contexts, בְּכוֹר can take on the broader sense of 'most important' or 'preeminent' (e.g., Ps 89:28). Later translations and traditions, especially those influenced by Hellenistic or Christian periods, sometimes rendered the term with the Greek 'prototokos' (firstborn), which also took on metaphorical or theological nuances. Standard English translations as 'firstborn' generally convey the primary sense, but may not fully capture the associated legal and social dimensions in ancient Israelite context. Distinct from related terms such as בְּכֹרָה (bekorah, 'birthright'), which refers specifically to the rights or privileges of the firstborn.

Translation Consistency

primary "firstborn" 50 occurrences

‘Firstborn’ is the most natural, widely used English equivalent that captures the primary sense across contexts—literal eldest child (especially son), animal firstborn, and figurative preeminent/first instance. It matches the existing corpus usage (all P2 occurrences) and preserves the social/legal nuance of precedence and inheritance while working as both noun and adjectival form for consistent rendering.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from בָּכַר; firstborn; hence, chief; eldest (son), firstborn(-ling).

Bantu Hebrew

Language Bantu Word Transliteration Meaning
Akan Twi bek-ore first born
Akan Twi BEK-ORE FIRST BORN or ONLY SON

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Root Family

בכר (Bekhorat) — to be born first, to be early, to come before

Root בכר to be born first, to be early, to come before
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1061 בִּכּוּר first yields of
H1062 בְּכוֹרָה firstborn-right
H1063 בִּכּוּרָה first-ripe fig
H1064 בְּכוֹרַת Bekorath
H1067 בְּכִירָה the firstborn daughter

Word Forms

15 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1060-01 בְּכ֤וֹר bekhor HNcmsc firstborn firstborn of firstborn of 58
H1060-10 הַ/בְּכ֣וֹר habekhor HTd/Ncmsa the firstborn the firstborn son the firstborn son 28
H1060-05 בְּכֹר֖/וֹ bekhoro HNcmsc/Sp3ms his firstborn his firstborn son his firstborn son 10
H1060-11 מִ/בְּכ֤וֹר mibekhor HR/Ncmsc from the firstborn from firstborn of from firstborn of 4
H1060-03 בְּכוֹרֵ֣י bekhorey HNcmpc firstborn firstborn of firstborns of 3
H1060-04 בְּכֹ֣רִ/י bekhori HNcmsc/Sp1cs my firstborn my firstborn son my firstborn son 3
H1060-12 בְכ֔וֹר vekhor HNcmsa firstborn firstborn of and firstborn of 3
H1060-02 בְּכֹרֶֽ/ךָ bekhorekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your firstborn your firstborn son your firstborn son 2
H1060-06 בְּכֹר֤וֹת bekhorot HNcmpc firstborns firstborn ones of firstborn ones of 1
H1060-07 בִּ/בְכֹ֣ר bivekhor HR/Ncmsc with the firstborn with the firstborn of with the firstborn of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

118 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1060-05 Genesis 10:15 בְּכֹר֖/וֹ bekhoro HNcmsc/Sp3ms his firstborn his firstborn son his firstborn son
H1060-05 Genesis 22:21 בְּכֹר֖/וֹ bekhoro HNcmsc/Sp3ms his firstborn his firstborn son his firstborn son
H1060-01 Genesis 25:13 בְּכֹ֤ר bekhor HNcmsc the firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-02 Genesis 27:19 בְּכֹרֶ֔/ךָ bekhorekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your firstborn your firstborn son your firstborn son
H1060-13 Genesis 27:32 בְכֹֽרְ/ךָ֖ vekhorekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your firstborn your firstborn son your firstborn
H1060-01 Genesis 35:23 בְּכ֥וֹר bekhor HNcmsc firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Genesis 36:15 בְּכ֣וֹר bekhor HNcmsc firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-05 Genesis 38:6 בְּכוֹר֑/וֹ bekhoro HNcmsc/Sp3ms his firstborn his firstborn son his firstborn son
H1060-01 Genesis 38:7 בְּכ֣וֹר bekhor HNcmsc firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-10 Genesis 41:51 הַ/בְּכ֖וֹר habekhor HTd/Ncmsa of the firstborn the firstborn son the firstborn son
H1060-10 Genesis 43:33 הַ/בְּכֹר֙ habekhor HTd/Ncmsa the firstborn the firstborn son the firstborn son
H1060-01 Genesis 46:8 בְּכֹ֥ר bekhor HNcmsc firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-10 Genesis 48:14 הַ/בְּכֽוֹר habekhor HTd/Ncmsa was the firstborn the firstborn son the firstborn son
H1060-10 Genesis 48:18 הַ/בְּכֹ֔ר habekhor HTd/Ncmsa the firstborn the firstborn son the firstborn son
H1060-04 Genesis 49:3 בְּכֹ֣רִ/י bekhori HNcmsc/Sp1cs my firstborn my firstborn son my firstborn son
H1060-14 Exodus 4:22 בְכֹרִ֖/י vekhori HNcmsc/Sp1cs My firstborn my firstborn my firstborn
H1060-02 Exodus 4:23 בְּכֹרֶֽ/ךָ bekhorekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your firstborn your firstborn son your firstborn son
H1060-01 Exodus 6:14 בְּכֹ֣ר bekhor HNcmsc the firstborn of firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Exodus 11:5 בְּכוֹר֮ bekhor HNcmsa firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-11 Exodus 11:5 מִ/בְּכ֤וֹר mibekhor HR/Ncmsc from the firstborn from firstborn of from firstborn of
H1060-01 Exodus 11:5 בְּכ֣וֹר bekhor-2 HNcmsc the firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Exodus 11:5 בְּכ֥וֹר bekhor-3 HNcmsc firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Exodus 12:12 בְּכוֹר֙ bekhor HNcmsa firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Exodus 12:29 בְּכוֹר֮ bekhor HNcmsa firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-11 Exodus 12:29 מִ/בְּכֹ֤ר mibekhor HR/Ncmsc from the firstborn from firstborn of from firstborn of
H1060-01 Exodus 12:29 בְּכ֣וֹר bekhor-2 HNcmsc the firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Exodus 12:29 בְּכ֥וֹר bekhor-3 HNcmsc firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Exodus 13:2 בְּכ֜וֹר bekhor HNcmsa firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Exodus 13:13 בְּכ֥וֹר bekhor HNcmsc firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Exodus 13:15 בְּכוֹר֙ bekhor HNcmsa firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-11 Exodus 13:15 מִ/בְּכֹ֥ר mibekhor HR/Ncmsc from the firstborn from firstborn of from firstborn of
H1060-01 Exodus 13:15 בְּכ֣וֹר bekhor-2 HNcmsc firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Exodus 13:15 בְּכ֥וֹר bekhor-3 HNcmsc firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Exodus 22:28 בְּכ֥וֹר bekhor HNcmsc firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Exodus 34:20 בְּכ֤וֹר bekhor HNcmsc the firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Leviticus 27:26 בְּכ֞וֹר bekhor HNcmsa firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Numbers 1:20 בְּכֹ֣ר bekhor HNcmsc firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-10 Numbers 3:2 הַ/בְּכ֣וֹר habekhor HTd/Ncmsa the firstborn the firstborn son the firstborn son
H1060-01 Numbers 3:12 בְּכ֛וֹר bekhor HNcmsa firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Numbers 3:13 בְּכוֹר֒ bekhor HNcmsa firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Numbers 3:13 בְּכ֜וֹר bekhor-2 HNcmsa firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Numbers 3:13 בְּכוֹר֙ bekhor-3 HNcmsa firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Numbers 3:40 בְּכֹ֤ר bekhor HNcmsa firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Numbers 3:41 בְּכֹ֖ר bekhor HNcmsa firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Numbers 3:41 בְּכ֔וֹר bekhor-2 HNcmsa firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Numbers 3:42 בְּכֹ֖ר bekhor HNcmsa firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Numbers 3:43 בְּכ֨וֹר bekhor HNcmsa firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-01 Numbers 3:45 בְּכוֹר֙ bekhor HNcmsa firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
H1060-11 Numbers 3:46 מִ/בְּכ֖וֹר mibekhor HR/Ncmsc from firstborn from firstborn of from firstborn of
H1060-01 Numbers 3:50 בְּכ֛וֹר bekhor HNcmsc firstborn firstborn of firstborn of
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