בֶּצֶר
𐤁𐤑𐤓
betser
H1220 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
(I) Precious metal, especially gold, as a raw or refined substance; (II) by extension, metaphorical usage for wealth or valuable treasure. The term may also denote material used for economic or defensive purposes, such as bullion or stores of wealth that could fortify or protect (economically or metaphorically).
Semantic Range
gold (as a substance), precious metal, stored wealth, treasure, means of protection (metaphorically), riches
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root בָּצַר (b-ts-r), which generally means 'to cut off, to make inaccessible, to fortify, to harvest.' The noun בֶּצֶר here reflects the sense of something 'extracted' or 'cut out from the earth,' i.e., a precious metal such as gold. The root can also suggest inaccessibility, linking to the concept of precious metals as things made difficult to obtain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical Hebrew, בֶּצֶר most commonly appears in poetic or wisdom texts (e.g., Job 22:24) where gold, wealth, or treasure is discussed. The word's usage reflects not only the value of gold as an object but also draws upon the semantic connotations of the root—something inaccessible, valuable, or difficult to acquire. Unlike other Hebrew words for gold (זָהָב, kethem), בֶּצֶר emphasizes the extracted or amassed, possibly even unrefined state of wealth. The term does not carry religious or cultic connotations on its own but often appears in moral or proverbial contexts reflecting on the temporary or precarious value of material treasures. In some English translations, nuances of raw wealth or wealth as protection may not be fully captured, with the word simply rendered as 'gold.' Its link to 'defense' is metaphorical rather than literal fortification. There should be no confusion between this word and the unrelated place-name בֶּצֶר (Bezer, a Levitical city of refuge).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from בָּצַר; strictly a clipping, i.e. gold (as dug out); gold defence.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בצר (b-ṣ-r) — cut off, harvest, make inaccessible, fortify
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1208 | בָּצוֹר | the fortified one |
| H1210 | בָּצִיר | grape harvest |
| H1219 | בָּצַר | made-inaccessible |
| H1221 | בֶּצֶר | Fortified-Place |
| H1222 | בְּצַר | gold |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1220-02 |
בְּצָרֶ֑י/ךָ | betsareykha | HNcmpc/Sp2ms |
your-treasures | your precious metals | 1 |
H1220-01 |
בָּ֑צֶר | batser | HNcmsa |
gold | extracted gold | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences