בָּנָה
𐤁𐤍𐤄
bânâh
H1129 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To build, to construct, especially in relation to physical structures or settlements; by extension, to establish or found (such as a house, dynasty, city, or altar). Figuratively, to establish or produce offspring, particularly sons (with emphasis on founding a family line or household). The word can also denote repairing or restoring what has been broken or ruined, as well as setting up, making ready, or preparing something for use. The notion of building is often employed idiomatically in relational or social contexts, such as 'building a house' referring to establishing a household or lineage.
Semantic Range
to build physical structures (houses, cities, altars), to establish or found a household or dynasty, to repair or restore, to produce or obtain children (especially sons), to prepare or set up, to increase or make prosperous (figurative), idiomatically to establish lineage
Root / Etymology
Root בנה, meaning 'to build.' The verb בָּנָה derives directly from this root, embodying the core concept of constructing or erecting something material or institutional. The root is productive in forming related nouns (בֵּן 'son', בַּיִת 'house', בִּנְיָן 'structure').
Historical & Contextual Notes
Across the Hebrew Bible, בָּנָה is most commonly used for the literal construction of dwellings, cities, altars, and fortifications (e.g., Genesis 4:17, Exodus 1:11, 1 Kings 6:1). It is also frequently employed in the figurative sense of founding a house or lineage, particularly in patriarchal and monarchic contexts where 'building a house' is a metonym for establishing a family, a royal dynasty, or perpetuating one's line (e.g., Ruth 4:11; 2 Samuel 7:27). In poetic and prophetic literature, the verb extends to meanings like repairing Jerusalem or establishing the nation of Israel anew after disaster (e.g., Isaiah 58:12, Jeremiah 24:6). Later, post-exilic literature broadens 'building' to the restoration of the community and temple (e.g., Ezra, Nehemiah). Distinct from related roots such as עשׂה ('to make, do'), בנה emphasizes the process of assembling or raising up, especially with respect to permanence and institutional establishment. English translations often render בָּנָה as 'build' or 'repair', but sometimes obscure its extended sense as 'establishing a family' or 'producing children.' The idiom 'to build the house of someone' specifically refers to ensuring or increasing the posterity of a family line, especially in the context of the Israelite system of inheritance and kinship. In earlier translations, 'build' could be rendered figuratively as 'obtain children.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to build (literally and figuratively); (begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make, repair, set (up), [idiom] surely.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בנה (b-n-h) — to build, to construct, to establish
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1004 | בַּיִת | in the houses |
| H1005 | בַּיִת | the built-house |
| H1006 | בַּיִת | the house |
| H1007 | בֵּית אָוֶן | house-of |
| H1008 | בֵּית־אֵל | in house of |
Word Forms
86 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1129-60 |
וַ/יִּבֶן֩ | vayiven | HC/Vqw3ms |
and built | and he built | 59 |
H1129-30 |
לִ/בְנֹ֥ת | livenot | HR/Vqc |
to build | to build | 49 |
H1129-01 |
בָּנָ֤ה | banah | HVqp3ms |
he built | he built | 39 |
H1129-63 |
וַ/יִּבְנ֣וּ | vayivenu | HC/Vqw3mp |
and they built | and they built | 15 |
H1129-82 |
יִבְנֶ֖ה | yiveneh | HVqi3ms |
shall build | he will build | 15 |
H1129-05 |
בָּנִֽיתִי | baniti | HVqp1cs |
I have built | I built | 13 |
H1129-38 |
תִבְנֶ֥ה | tiveneh | HVqi2ms |
you shall build | you will build | 12 |
H1129-44 |
וּ/בָנ֤וּ | uvanu | HC/Vqq3cp |
and they will build | and we built | 10 |
H1129-07 |
בָּנ֖וּ | banu | HVqp3cp |
built | they built | 9 |
H1129-33 |
נִבְנֶה | niveneh | HVqh1cp |
we will build | let us build | 7 |
Occurrences in Scripture
377 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1129-60 |
Genesis 2:22 | וַ/יִּבֶן֩ | vayiven | HC/Vqw3ms |
and built | and he built |
H1129-18 |
Genesis 4:17 | בֹּ֣נֶה | boneh | HVqrmsa |
building | the one who builds |
H1129-60 |
Genesis 8:20 | וַ/יִּ֥בֶן | vayiven | HC/Vqw3ms |
and built | and he built |
H1129-60 |
Genesis 10:11 | וַ/יִּ֨בֶן֙ | vayiven | HC/Vqw3ms |
and he built | and he built |
H1129-33 |
Genesis 11:4 | נִבְנֶה | niveneh | HVqh1cp |
let us build | let us build |
H1129-07 |
Genesis 11:5 | בָּנ֖וּ | banu | HVqp3cp |
they had built | they built |
H1129-30 |
Genesis 11:8 | לִ/בְנֹ֥ת | livenot | HR/Vqc |
building | to build |
H1129-60 |
Genesis 12:7 | וַ/יִּ֤בֶן | vayiven | HC/Vqw3ms |
and built | and he built |
H1129-60 |
Genesis 12:8 | וַ/יִּֽבֶן | vayiven | HC/Vqw3ms |
he built | and he built |
H1129-60 |
Genesis 13:18 | וַ/יִּֽבֶן | vayiven | HC/Vqw3ms |
and built | and he built |