בָּשָׂר (H1320) — Hebrew Lexicon

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.

Translation Consistency

primary "flesh" 50 occurrences

'Flesh' best captures the primary and widest use of בָּשָׂר in the corpus: physical tissue or body, the whole person, and metaphorical senses (mortality, kin, meat). It is the overwhelmingly most common English rendering in the P2 data and preserves the Hebraic range while remaining natural for literal and figurative contexts.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

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 recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

בשר (Besor) — to bring news, announce, gladden

Root בשר to be fresh, to be fleshy

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	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H1320-02`	בָּשָׂ֥ר	basar	`HNcmsa`	flesh	flesh	flesh	72
`H1320-10`	בְּשָׂר֖/וֹ	besaro	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	his flesh	his flesh	his flesh	37
`H1320-03`	בְּשַׂ֥ר	besar	`HNcmsc`	flesh	flesh of	flesh of	29
`H1320-15`	הַ/בָּשָׂ֔ר	habasar	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the flesh	the flesh	the flesh	25
`H1320-38`	בָשָׂ֔ר	vasar	`HNcmsa`	flesh	flesh	flesh	16
`H1320-29`	וּ/בָשָׂר֙	uvasar	`HC/Ncmsa`	and flesh	and flesh	and flesh	8
`H1320-05`	בְּשָׂרָ/ם֙	besaram	`HNcmsc/Sp3mp`	of their flesh	their flesh	their flesh	7
`H1320-09`	בְּשָׂרִ֑/י	besari	`HNcmsc/Sp1cs`	my flesh	my flesh	my flesh	7
`H1320-06`	בְּשָׂ֣רְ/ךָ֔	besarekha	`HNcmsc/Sp2ms`	your flesh	your flesh	your flesh	6
`H1320-20`	מִ/בְּשַׂ֤ר	mibesar	`HR/Ncmsc`	from the flesh	from flesh-of	from flesh of	5
`H1320-34`	וּ/בְשָׂרִ֖/י	uvesari	`HC/Ncmsc/Sp1cs`	and my flesh	and my flesh	and my flesh	5
`H1320-21`	מִ/בְּשָׂרָ/ם֙	mibesaram	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3mp`	of their flesh	from their flesh	from their flesh	4
`H1320-30`	וּ/בְשַׂר	uvesar	`HC/Ncmsc`	and-flesh	and flesh of	and flesh of	4
`H1320-41`	בְשָׂרִ֣/י	vesari	`HNcmsc/Sp1cs`	my flesh	my flesh	my flesh	4
`H1320-39`	וְ/הַ/בָּשָׂ֖ר	vehabasar	`HC/Td/Ncmsa`	And as for the flesh	and the flesh	and the flesh	3
`H1320-01`	בַּ/בָּשָׂ֖ר	babasar	`HRd/Ncmsa`	of the flesh	the flesh	the flesh	2
`H1320-12`	בִּ/בְשָׂרָ֖/הּ	bivesarah	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs`	in her body	in her flesh	in her flesh	2
`H1320-13`	בִּ/בְשַׂרְ/כֶ֖ם	bivesarekhem	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp2mp`	in your flesh	in your flesh	in your flesh	2
`H1320-14`	בִּ֭/בְשָׂרִ/י	bivesari	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs`	in my flesh	in my flesh	in my flesh	2
`H1320-16`	כִּ/בְשַׂ֛ר	kivesar	`HR/Ncmsc`	like flesh	like flesh of	like flesh of	2
`H1320-18`	לְ/בָשָׂ֑ר	levasar	`HR/Ncmsa`	as flesh	flesh	flesh	2
`H1320-25`	מִ֝/בְּשָׂר֗/וֹ	mibesaro	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	from his body	from his flesh	from his flesh	2
`H1320-28`	וּ֝/מִ/בְּשָׂרִ֗/י	umibesari	`HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp1cs`	from my flesh	and from my flesh	and from my flesh	2
`H1320-32`	וּֽ/בְשָׂרְ/ךָ֖	uvesarekha	`HC/Ncmsc/Sp2ms`	and your flesh	and your flesh	and your flesh	2
`H1320-43`	בְשָׂר֣/וֹ	vesaro	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	flesh-his	his flesh	his flesh	2
`H1320-04`	בְּשָׂרָ/הּ֙	besarah	`HNcmsc/Sp3fs`	its flesh	her flesh	her flesh	1
`H1320-07`	בְּשַׂרְ/כֶ֔ם	besarekhem	`HNcmsc/Sp2mp`	your flesh	your flesh	your flesh	1
`H1320-08`	בְּשָׂרֵ֔/נוּ	besarenu	`HNcmsc/Sp1cp`	our flesh	our flesh	our flesh	1
`H1320-11`	בִּ/בְשַׂ֣ר	bivesar	`HR/Ncmsc`	the flesh of	flesh of	in the flesh of	1
`H1320-17`	כִּ/בְשָׂרֽ/וֹ	kivesaro	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	like his flesh	his flesh	like his flesh	1
`H1320-19`	לִ/בְשָׂרִֽ/י	livesari	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs`	to my flesh	my flesh	to my flesh	1
`H1320-22`	מִ/בְּשָׂרֶ֑/ךָ	mibesarekha	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms`	from your flesh	from your flesh	from your flesh	1
`H1320-23`	מִ/בְּשַׂרְ/כֶ֔ם	mibesarekhem	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp2mp`	from-your-flesh	from your flesh	from your flesh	1
`H1320-24`	מִ/בְּשָׂרִ֑/י	mibesari	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs`	from my flesh	from my flesh	from my flesh	1
`H1320-26`	וּ/כְ/בָשָׂ֖ר	ukhevasar	`HC/R/Ncmsa`	and as flesh	and as flesh	and as flesh	1
`H1320-27`	וּ/מִ/בְּשָׂרְ/ךָ֖	umibesarekha	`HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp2ms`	and from your flesh	and from your flesh	and from your flesh	1
`H1320-31`	וּ/בְשָׂרָ֖/ם	uvesaram	`HC/Ncmsc/Sp3mp`	and-their-flesh	and their flesh	and their flesh	1
`H1320-33`	וּ/בְשַׂרְ/כֶ֖ם	uvesarekhem	`HC/Ncmsc/Sp2mp`	and flesh-your	and your flesh	and your flesh	1
`H1320-35`	וּ/בְשָׂר֖/וֹ	uvesaro	`HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	his flesh	his flesh	his flesh	1
`H1320-36`	וּ/בִ֨/בְשָׂרָ֔/ם	uvivesaram	`HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp3mp`	and in their flesh	and in their flesh	and in their flesh	1
`H1320-37`	וּ֭/בִ/בְשָׂרִ/י	uvivesari	`HC/R/Ncmsc/Sp1cs`	and in my flesh	and in my flesh	and in my flesh	1
`H1320-40`	בְשָׂרֵ֖/נוּ	vesarenu	`HNcmsc/Sp1cp`	our flesh	our flesh	our flesh	1
`H1320-42`	בְ֭שָׂרִים	vesarim	`HNcmpa`	to the body	fleshes	the flesh	1

Occurrences in Scripture

270 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H1320-02`	Genesis 2:21	בָּשָׂ֖ר	basar	`HNcmsa`	flesh	flesh	flesh
`H1320-29`	Genesis 2:23	וּ/בָשָׂ֖ר	uvasar	`HC/Ncmsa`	and flesh	and flesh	and flesh
`H1320-24`	Genesis 2:23	מִ/בְּשָׂרִ֑/י	mibesari	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs`	from my flesh	from my flesh	from my flesh
`H1320-18`	Genesis 2:24	לְ/בָשָׂ֥ר	levasar	`HR/Ncmsa`	one flesh	flesh	flesh
`H1320-38`	Genesis 6:3	בָשָׂ֑ר	vasar	`HNcmsa`	flesh	flesh	flesh
`H1320-02`	Genesis 6:12	בָּשָׂ֛ר	basar	`HNcmsa`	flesh	flesh	flesh
`H1320-02`	Genesis 6:13	בָּשָׂר֙	basar	`HNcmsa`	flesh	flesh	flesh
`H1320-02`	Genesis 6:17	בָּשָׂ֗ר	basar	`HNcmsa`	flesh	flesh	flesh
`H1320-02`	Genesis 6:19	בָּשָׂ֞ר	basar	`HNcmsa`	flesh	flesh	flesh
`H1320-15`	Genesis 7:15	הַ/בָּשָׂ֔ר	habasar	`HTd/Ncmsa`	flesh	the flesh	the flesh
`H1320-02`	Genesis 7:16	בָּשָׂר֙	basar	`HNcmsa`	flesh	flesh	flesh
`H1320-02`	Genesis 7:21	בָּשָׂ֣ר	basar	`HNcmsa`	flesh	flesh	flesh
`H1320-02`	Genesis 8:17	בָּשָׂ֗ר	basar	`HNcmsa`	flesh	flesh	flesh
`H1320-02`	Genesis 9:4	בָּשָׂ֕ר	basar	`HNcmsa`	flesh	flesh	flesh
`H1320-02`	Genesis 9:11	בָּשָׂ֛ר	basar	`HNcmsa`	flesh	flesh	flesh
`H1320-02`	Genesis 9:15	בָּשָׂ֑ר	basar	`HNcmsa`	flesh	flesh	flesh
`H1320-02`	Genesis 9:15	בָּשָֽׂר	basar-2	`HNcmsa`	flesh	flesh	flesh
`H1320-02`	Genesis 9:16	בָּשָׂ֖ר	basar	`HNcmsa`	flesh	flesh	flesh
`H1320-02`	Genesis 9:17	בָּשָׂ֖ר	basar	`HNcmsa`	flesh	flesh	flesh
`H1320-03`	Genesis 17:11	בְּשַׂ֣ר	besar	`HNcmsc`	the flesh	flesh of	flesh of
`H1320-13`	Genesis 17:13	בִּ/בְשַׂרְ/כֶ֖ם	bivesarekhem	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp2mp`	in your flesh	in your flesh	in your flesh
`H1320-03`	Genesis 17:14	בְּשַׂ֣ר	besar	`HNcmsc`	flesh	flesh of	flesh of
`H1320-03`	Genesis 17:23	בְּשַׂ֣ר	besar	`HNcmsc`	the flesh	flesh of	flesh of
`H1320-03`	Genesis 17:24	בְּשַׂ֥ר	besar	`HNcmsc`	in the flesh	flesh of	flesh of
`H1320-03`	Genesis 17:25	בְּשַׂ֥ר	besar	`HNcmsc`	in the flesh	flesh of	flesh of
`H1320-34`	Genesis 29:14	וּ/בְשָׂרִ֖/י	uvesari	`HC/Ncmsc/Sp1cs`	and my flesh	and my flesh	and my flesh
`H1320-40`	Genesis 37:27	בְשָׂרֵ֖/נוּ	vesarenu	`HNcmsc/Sp1cp`	our flesh	our flesh	our flesh
`H1320-06`	Genesis 40:19	בְּשָׂרְ/ךָ֖	besarekha	`HNcmsc/Sp2ms`	your flesh	your flesh	your flesh
`H1320-02`	Genesis 41:2	בָּשָׂ֑ר	basar	`HNcmsa`	in flesh	flesh	flesh
`H1320-02`	Genesis 41:3	בָּשָׂ֑ר	basar	`HNcmsa`	of flesh	flesh	flesh
`H1320-15`	Genesis 41:4	הַ/בָּשָׂ֔ר	habasar	`HTd/Ncmsa`	of flesh	the flesh	the flesh
`H1320-02`	Genesis 41:18	בָּשָׂ֖ר	basar	`HNcmsa`	of flesh	flesh	flesh
`H1320-02`	Genesis 41:19	בָּשָׂ֑ר	basar	`HNcmsa`	flesh	flesh	flesh
`H1320-17`	Exodus 4:7	כִּ/בְשָׂרֽ/וֹ	kivesaro	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	like his flesh	his flesh	like his flesh
`H1320-15`	Exodus 12:8	הַ/בָּשָׂ֖ר	habasar	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the flesh	the flesh	the flesh
`H1320-15`	Exodus 12:46	הַ/בָּשָׂ֖ר	habasar	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the flesh	the flesh	the flesh
`H1320-15`	Exodus 16:3	הַ/בָּשָׂ֔ר	habasar	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the flesh	the flesh	the flesh
`H1320-02`	Exodus 16:8	בָּשָׂ֣ר	basar	`HNcmsa`	flesh	flesh	flesh
`H1320-38`	Exodus 16:12	בָשָׂ֔ר	vasar	`HNcmsa`	meat	flesh	flesh
`H1320-10`	Exodus 21:28	בְּשָׂר֔/וֹ	besaro	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	flesh	his flesh	his flesh
`H1320-29`	Exodus 22:30	וּ/בָשָׂ֨ר	uvasar	`HC/Ncmsa`	and flesh	and flesh	and flesh
`H1320-03`	Exodus 28:42	בְּשַׂ֣ר	besar	`HNcmsc`	the flesh	flesh of	flesh of
`H1320-03`	Exodus 29:14	בְּשַׂ֤ר	besar	`HNcmsc`	flesh	flesh of	flesh of
`H1320-10`	Exodus 29:31	בְּשָׂר֖/וֹ	besaro	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	its flesh	his flesh	his flesh
`H1320-03`	Exodus 29:32	בְּשַׂ֣ר	besar	`HNcmsc`	flesh	flesh of	flesh of
`H1320-20`	Exodus 29:34	מִ/בְּשַׂ֧ר	mibesar	`HR/Ncmsc`	from the flesh	from flesh-of	from flesh of
`H1320-03`	Exodus 30:32	בְּשַׂ֤ר	besar	`HNcmsc`	flesh	flesh of	flesh of
`H1320-10`	Leviticus 4:11	בְּשָׂר֔/וֹ	besaro	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	its flesh	his flesh	his flesh
`H1320-10`	Leviticus 6:3	בְּשָׂר/וֹ֒	besaro	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	his body	his flesh	his flesh
`H1320-12`	Leviticus 6:20	בִּ/בְשָׂרָ֖/הּ	bivesarah	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3fs`	its flesh	in her flesh	in her flesh

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