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בֹּקֶר

𐤁𐤒𐤓

bôqer

H1242 noun

SILEX Entry

Root בקר to seek, examine, become active

Definition

The period of morning, particularly the time from first light or dawn until full daylight; in wider contexts, refers to the early part of the day in contrast to evening. In narrative or ritual texts, denotes the start or renewal of daily activities, sacrificial duties, or time reckoning.

Semantic Range

morning, dawn, daybreak, early part of the day, the time of renewal or beginning

Root / Etymology

From the root בקר (b-q-r), which in the verb form means 'to seek, inquire, examine' but often functions as a denominative in relation to the noun for 'morning.' The noun בֹּקֶר ('morning') likely refers originally to the time of day when people begin to move about, seeking or inspecting the activities of the day.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In early biblical usage, בֹּקֶר signified the morning as the transition from darkness to light, often marking a new phase, opportunity, or beginning, especially in narrative sequences ('in the morning...'). In priestly and ritual contexts, designates the time for specific offerings (e.g., Exodus 29:39). In poetry and wisdom literature, may convey more figurative senses such as renewal or hope after night. Contrasts with עֶרֶב ('evening') as a pair defining the daily cycle. Later Hebrew continues to use בֹּקֶר for 'morning,' with its semantic center stable over time. Standard English translations sufficiently render the term as 'morning,' but nuances such as the symbolic association with newness or renewal may be overlooked. The word is never used as a technical calendrical division like 'daybreak,' but denotes the broad first third of the day.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from בָּקַר; properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally, morning; ([phrase]) day, early, morning, morrow.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

בקר (b-q-r) — seek, examine, become active

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1230 בַּקְבַּקַּר Search-Seeker
H1239 בָּקַר I will examine closely
H1240 בְּקַר to thoroughly investigate
H1241 בָּקָר in the cattle
H1243 בַּקָּרָה as inspection-of

Word Forms

16 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1242-01 בַּ/בֹּ֑קֶר baboqer HRd/Ncmsa in the morning in the morning 74
H1242-03 הַ/בֹּ֖קֶר haboqer HTd/Ncmsa the morning the morning 33
H1242-02 בֹּ֑קֶר boqer HNcmsa morning daybreak 31
H1242-12 בַ/בֹּ֔קֶר vaboqer HRd/Ncmsa in the morning in the morning-time 31
H1242-06 לַ/בֹּ֑קֶר laboqer HRd/Ncmsa for the morning for the dawn 15
H1242-16 בֹ֖קֶר voqer HNcmsa morning daybreak 9
H1242-10 וּ/בַ/בֹּ֖קֶר uvaboqer HC/Rd/Ncmsa and in the morning and in the morning 6
H1242-05 לַ/בְּקָרִ֔ים labeqarim HRd/Ncmpa every morning to the mornings 4
H1242-08 מֵֽ/הַ/בֹּ֨קֶר֙ mehaboqer HR/Td/Ncmsa from the morning from the dawn 3
H1242-15 וְ/לַ/בֹּ֥קֶר velaboqer HC/Rd/Ncmsa and for the morning and at the dawn 2

Occurrences in Scripture

214 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1242-16 Genesis 1:5 בֹ֖קֶר voqer HNcmsa morning daybreak
H1242-16 Genesis 1:8 בֹ֖קֶר voqer HNcmsa morning daybreak
H1242-16 Genesis 1:13 בֹ֖קֶר voqer HNcmsa morning daybreak
H1242-16 Genesis 1:19 בֹ֖קֶר voqer HNcmsa morning daybreak
H1242-16 Genesis 1:23 בֹ֖קֶר voqer HNcmsa morning daybreak
H1242-16 Genesis 1:31 בֹ֖קֶר voqer HNcmsa morning daybreak
H1242-01 Genesis 19:27 בַּ/בֹּ֑קֶר baboqer HRd/Ncmsa in the morning in the morning
H1242-01 Genesis 20:8 בַּ/בֹּ֗קֶר baboqer HRd/Ncmsa in the morning in the morning
H1242-01 Genesis 21:14 בַּ/בֹּ֡קֶר baboqer HRd/Ncmsa in the morning in the morning
H1242-01 Genesis 22:3 בַּ/בֹּ֗קֶר baboqer HRd/Ncmsa in the morning in the morning
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