בָּשָׂר
𐤁𐤔𐤓
bâsâr
H1320 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Flesh; the physical material of animal and human bodies, referring both to living tissue and, in some cases, meat for consumption. The term also extends to signify the entire physical body, individual person, or, more generally, humankind. In familial or social contexts, 'בָּשָׂר' can denote blood relations or kin. In rare instances, it euphemistically refers to the genitals. The word's range thus encompasses anatomical, anthropological, and social connotations.
Semantic Range
flesh (human or animal tissue), physical body, entire person, kin/relative (by extension), humankind (collective), meat for food, genitalia (euphemism), vulnerable/mortal human condition
Root / Etymology
From the root בשר (ב-ש-ר), whose basic meaning is 'to be fresh, to be fleshy.' The term 'בָּשָׂר' arises directly from this root and carries the sense of that which is soft, fresh, or fleshy in an animal or human body. The direct lexical meaning focuses on physicality and corporeality, not limited to living tissue but also extending to meat.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In ancient Israelite society, 'בָּשָׂר' was used to contrast the physical, mortal nature of humans and animals with other elements, such as רוח (ruaḥ, 'spirit/breath') and נפשׁ (nefesh, 'life-force'). It frequently denotes food in the form of animal meat, especially in contexts of sacrifices or hospitality, but also serves idiomatically for family ties—'flesh and bone' indicating close kinship. The euphemistic use for genitalia is rare but attested in certain texts (e.g., Genesis 17:11, circumcision of the flesh). In later biblical texts (e.g., prophetic or wisdom literature), 'בָּשָׂר' can emphasize human frailty in contrast to the divine. English translations often narrow the term to 'flesh' or 'body,' but this may obscure its semantic breadth, particularly the nuances of kinship and the corporeal distinction between human and deity or animal. 'בָּשָׂר' is to be distinguished from עור ('skin') and גֵּו ('body, back'), terms with overlapping but distinct semantic domains. Over time, the term's concrete sense became more prominent, especially regarding ritual, kinship, and anthropology.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from בָּשַׂר; flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the pudenda of aman; body, (fat, lean) flesh(-ed), kin, (man-) kind, [phrase] nakedness, self, skin.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בשר (b-š-r) — freshness, fleshliness, soft bodily substance
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1308 | בְּשׂוֹר | the Wadi Besor |
| H1319 | בָּשַׂר | Proclaim glad news! |
| H1321 | בְּשַׁר | flesh-of |
Word Forms
43 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1320-02 |
בָּשָׂ֖ר | basar | HNcmsa |
flesh | flesh | 72 |
H1320-10 |
בְּשָׂר֔/וֹ | besaro | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his flesh | his flesh | 37 |
H1320-03 |
בְּשַׂ֣ר | besar | HNcmsc |
flesh | flesh of | 29 |
H1320-15 |
הַ/בָּשָׂ֔ר | habasar | HTd/Ncmsa |
the flesh | the flesh | 25 |
H1320-38 |
בָשָׂ֑ר | vasar | HNcmsa |
flesh | flesh | 16 |
H1320-29 |
וּ/בָשָׂ֖ר | uvasar | HC/Ncmsa |
and flesh | and flesh | 8 |
H1320-05 |
בְּשָׂרָ֖/ם | besaram | HNcmsc/Sp3mp |
of their flesh | their flesh | 7 |
H1320-09 |
בְּ֝שָׂרִ֗/י | besari | HNcmsc/Sp1cs |
my flesh | my flesh | 7 |
H1320-06 |
בְּשָׂרְ/ךָ֖ | besarekha | HNcmsc/Sp2ms |
your flesh | your flesh | 6 |
H1320-20 |
מִ/בְּשַׂ֧ר | mibesar | HR/Ncmsc |
from the flesh | from flesh-of | 5 |
Occurrences in Scripture
270 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1320-02 |
Genesis 2:21 | בָּשָׂ֖ר | basar | HNcmsa |
flesh | flesh |
H1320-29 |
Genesis 2:23 | וּ/בָשָׂ֖ר | uvasar | HC/Ncmsa |
and flesh | and flesh |
H1320-24 |
Genesis 2:23 | מִ/בְּשָׂרִ֑/י | mibesari | HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs |
from my flesh | from my flesh |
H1320-18 |
Genesis 2:24 | לְ/בָשָׂ֥ר | levasar | HR/Ncmsa |
one flesh | flesh |
H1320-38 |
Genesis 6:3 | בָשָׂ֑ר | vasar | HNcmsa |
flesh | flesh |
H1320-02 |
Genesis 6:12 | בָּשָׂ֛ר | basar | HNcmsa |
flesh | flesh |
H1320-02 |
Genesis 6:13 | בָּשָׂר֙ | basar | HNcmsa |
flesh | flesh |
H1320-02 |
Genesis 6:17 | בָּשָׂ֗ר | basar | HNcmsa |
flesh | flesh |
H1320-02 |
Genesis 6:19 | בָּשָׂ֞ר | basar | HNcmsa |
flesh | flesh |
H1320-15 |
Genesis 7:15 | הַ/בָּשָׂ֔ר | habasar | HTd/Ncmsa |
flesh | the flesh |