בָּרֹד
𐤁𐤓𐤃
bârôd
H1261 adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Adjective describing an animal, especially livestock, having a pattern of spots—typically white or light—on a darker background, so as to appear mottled or speckled. Differs from other terms for marking in that it connotes a patchy or spotty appearance, often with irregular shapes.
Semantic Range
mottled, spotted (with light spots or patches), dappled, flecked with white, having a piebald pattern, especially of domestic animals
Root / Etymology
From the root ברד (b-r-d), which primarily means 'hail.' The adjective בָּרֹד is related metaphorically, referring to an animal whose coat is marked as if 'dappled with hailstones,' i.e., scattered with pale spots on a darker surface.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Used primarily in the descriptions of livestock in the narratives of Genesis 30–31, where patterns of animal coloration are important in the story of Jacob and Laban. The term is quite rare and specific, not a general word for 'spotted' but used in a specialized agricultural/herding context. In these narratives, it helps distinguish between various types of animal coloration—such as 'speckled' (נָקֹד, naqod) and 'spotted' (בָּרֹד, barod)—with בָּרֹד signifying a particular pattern reminiscent of being sprinkled or flecked, aligning with the root's sense of hailstones. English translations often use 'grisled,' 'spotted,' or 'dappled'; however, 'grisled' is archaic, and the more precise sense is 'mottled with pale spots.' Later Jewish tradition and classical translations sometimes differ in how precisely they identify this pattern.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from בָּרַד; spotted (as if with hail); grisled.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ברד (b-r-d) — hail, to scatter as hailstones
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1261-02 |
וּ/בְרֻדִּֽים | uverudim | HC/Aampa |
and speckled | and hail-dappled ones | 2 |
H1261-03 |
וְ/הַ֨/בְּרֻדִּ֔ים | vehaberudim | HC/Td/Aampa |
and-the-grisled | and the hail-dappled ones | 1 |
H1261-01 |
בְּרֻדִּ֖ים | berudim | HAampa |
dappled | hail-dappled ones | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1261-02 |
Genesis 31:10 | וּ/בְרֻדִּֽים | uverudim | HC/Aampa |
and spotted | and hail-dappled ones |
H1261-02 |
Genesis 31:12 | וּ/בְרֻדִּ֑ים | uverudim | HC/Aampa |
and speckled | and hail-dappled ones |
H1261-01 |
Zechariah 6:3 | בְּרֻדִּ֖ים | berudim | HAampa |
dappled | hail-dappled ones |
H1261-03 |
Zechariah 6:6 | וְ/הַ֨/בְּרֻדִּ֔ים | vehaberudim | HC/Td/Aampa |
and-the-grisled | and the hail-dappled ones |