בַּעֲלַת בְּאֵר
𐤁𐤏𐤋𐤕 𐤁𐤀𐤓
Baalat Beer
H1192 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A place name in the southern territory associated with the Israelites, specifically denoting 'Baalath of the Well' or 'Mistress/Lady of the Well.' The lexical meaning combines the feminine form of 'lord/mistress' with the noun for 'well/spring,' referring to a settlement distinguished by or identified with a significant water source. The term serves both as a toponym (place name) and as a descriptive designation of the locality.
Semantic Range
proper name of a locality (place name), mistress of the well, settlement by a significant water source, locus associated with ownership or protection of a well
Root / Etymology
From Hebrew roots בעל (b-ʿ-l), meaning 'to own, rule, be master over,' and באר (b-ʾ-r), meaning 'well, pit, spring.' The term combines בַּעֲלַת, the feminine singular construct form 'mistress/lady of,' with בְּאֵר, 'well.' Thus, בַּעֲלַת בְּאֵר literally means 'lady/mistress of the well.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
בַּעֲלַת בְּאֵר appears in Joshua 19:8 as a toponym in a list of locations marking the inheritance of the tribe of Simeon within the southern Israelite territory. Unlike personal names involving 'Baal'/'Baʿal' as a deity reference, here 'Baʿalat' is a standard feminine noun meaning 'mistress' or 'lady' and functions as part of a locality's designation, literally signifying 'Mistress of the Well.' The use of 'baʿal' and its feminine forms in place names often pointed to a notable feature, owner, or tutelary figure—sometimes with local religious connotation, but not necessarily in every instance. The translation 'Baalath-beer' found in many English Bibles preserves the original form, but later tradition sometimes alters the vocalization or spelling. The site's exact identification remains uncertain, but context and placement in lists point to its locale in the arid south where wells were crucial to settlement and life. Later references or translations using forms like 'Baalathbeer,' 'Baalath-beer,' or simply 'Bealoth-beer' reflect scribal variations but do not alter the underlying meaning. English traditions rendering 'Baʿalath' as 'mistress' can sometimes miss the toponymic sense, and the term should be read as a place name rather than ascribe direct religious connotation unless contextual evidence in a specific passage warrants it.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
xlit Bᵉʻêr corrected to Bᵉʼêr; from בַּעֲלָה and בְּאֵר; mistress of a well; Baalath-Beer, a place in Palestine; Baalath-beer.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בעל, באר (b-ʿ-l; b-ʾ-r) — to own, to possess, to rule; well, spring, to dig
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1192-02 |
בְּאֵ֖ר | beer | HNp |
Beer | Well of the Oath | 1 |
H1192-01 |
בַּֽעֲלַ֥ת | baalat | HNp |
Baalath | Mistress of the Well | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1192-01 |
Joshua 19:8 | בַּֽעֲלַ֥ת | baalat | HNp |
Baalath | Mistress of the Well |
H1192-02 |
Joshua 19:8 | בְּאֵ֖ר | beer | HNp |
Beer | Well of the Oath |