בָּרָה
𐤁𐤓𐤄
bârâh
H1262 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To select, choose, or pick out (often with care); in some contexts, to feed or provide grain; rarely, to make manifest or clear. The primary use is to denote careful selection or choice, either of people or things, sometimes extending metaphorically to acts of discernment, and, in denominative usage, to feeding (primarily with grain). Rarely, it can indicate the act of making something obvious or evident.
Semantic Range
to choose, to select (with care), to pick out, to provide or feed (especially with grain), to make manifest or clear, to declare, to purify (in some contexts)
Root / Etymology
Root is ברה (bet-resh-heh), possibly connected with the core meaning 'to select, make clear'; however, as a denominative from בָּר (bar, 'grain', 'pure'), it develops the sense 'to feed (with grain)'. There is overlap in meaning with בָּרַר (barar, 'to purify, select'). The verb form often preserves the nuance of careful choosing or the act of ‘declaring clear’ by selection. Some uses may be influenced by analogy with related roots emphasizing purity or distinction.
Historical & Contextual Notes
בָּרָה (bârâh) is an uncommon verb, appearing infrequently in the Hebrew Bible. In poetic use (e.g., Psalm 89:20), it often points to God’s choosing of an individual for a special role. In post-exilic or wisdom literature (Ecclesiastes 3:18), the sense shifts towards making something manifest or evident—akin to exposing or clarifying. When used denominatively from the noun 'bar' (grain), it acquires the secondary sense of 'to feed' (e.g., Genesis 41:35 of feeding the people with stored grain). The distinction with בָּרַר (barar) is narrow: both may indicate selection or purification, but בָּרָה leans towards the act of choosing or providing sustenance, while בָּרַר focuses on sifting or refining. English translations do not always capture these nuances, sometimes rendering the word simply as 'choose', 'feed', or 'manifest', which can obscure the specific context or underlying metaphor.
Translation Consistency
The primary and most typical sense of בָּרָה in SILEX is careful selection or picking out (of people or things). "Choose" is the most natural, widely understood English verb to convey that semantic range (covering "select" or "pick out"). The feeding/"provide grain" and rare senses (make manifest, purify) are infrequent and can be handled contextually, while using a single core verb of "choose" ensures consistency and natural English across all forms.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to select; also (as denominative from בָּר) to feed; also (as equivalent to בָּרַר) to render clear (Ecclesiastes 3:18); to select; to feed; to render clear; choose, (cause to) eat, manifest, (give) meat.
Bantu Hebrew
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ברה (b-r-h) — choosing, selecting, making clear, feeding with grain
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1267 | בָּרוּת | in my prepared meal |
| H1274 | בְּרִי | fat |
| H1279 | בִּרְיָה | the substantial food |
Word Forms
6 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1262-05 |
וְ/אֶבְרֶ֖ה | veevereh | HC/Vqi1cs |
and I will eat | and I will choose | and I will eat | 2 |
H1262-01 |
בְּרוּ | beru | HVqv2mp |
choose | Select! | Select | 1 |
H1262-04 |
בָרָ֥א | vara | HVqp3ms |
did he eat | bad | he ate | 1 |
H1262-02 |
לְ/הַבְר֧וֹת | lehaverot | HR/Vhc |
to persuade | to cause to choose | to cause to choose | 1 |
H1262-03 |
לְ/בָרוֹת֙ | levarot | HR/Vpc |
for food | to carefully select | for food | 1 |
H1262-06 |
וְ/תַבְרֵ֣/נִי | vetavereni | HC/Vhj3fs/Sp1cs |
and let her feed me | and may she choose me | and let her feed me | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
7 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1262-01 |
1 Samuel 17:8 | בְּרוּ | beru | HVqv2mp |
choose | Select! | Select |
H1262-02 |
2 Samuel 3:35 | לְ/הַבְר֧וֹת | lehaverot | HR/Vhc |
to persuade | to cause to choose | to cause to choose |
H1262-04 |
2 Samuel 12:17 | בָרָ֥א | vara | HVqp3ms |
did he eat | bad | he ate |
H1262-06 |
2 Samuel 13:5 | וְ/תַבְרֵ֣/נִי | vetavereni | HC/Vhj3fs/Sp1cs |
and let her feed me | and may she choose me | and let her feed me |
H1262-05 |
2 Samuel 13:6 | וְ/אֶבְרֶ֖ה | veevereh | HC/Vqi1cs |
and I will eat | and I will choose | and I will eat |
H1262-05 |
2 Samuel 13:10 | וְ/אֶבְרֶ֖ה | veevereh | HC/Vqi1cs |
and I will eat | and I will choose | and I will eat |
H1262-03 |
Lamentations 4:10 | לְ/בָרוֹת֙ | levarot | HR/Vpc |
for food | to carefully select | for food |