בְּאֵר
𐤁𐤀𐤓
Beer
H876 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A well, specifically a man-made water well or cistern excavated in the ground; also used as a place name for certain sites associated with a well. In broader usage, refers to any substantial water source created by humans for drawing water, as opposed to a naturally occurring spring.
Semantic Range
well, cistern, man-made water source, water-hole; place name associated with a well
Root / Etymology
From the root באר (bet-aleph-resh), meaning 'to dig out, excavate.' The noun בְּאֵר derives from this root and denotes something that has been dug out, specifically for water gathering purposes.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, בְּאֵר primarily refers to artificial wells dug for water, distinguishing it from עַיִן (ʿayin), which refers to a natural spring or fountain. בְּאֵר can also function as a toponym, naming locations where significant events involving wells occurred (e.g., Be'er-lahai-roi, Be'er Shevaʿ). The distinction between בְּאֵר and עַיִן is important in the landscape of ancient Israel, where water sources structured settlement and travel; while springs provided continual water, wells had to be intentionally created and maintained, often representing communal effort and property. In some translation traditions and in English place names, 'Beer' may appear erroneously without reference to its literal meaning of 'well.' Later translational traditions sometimes use 'well' or 'Beer' indistinctly for various sites, but ancient usage was more precise. Occurrences of בְּאֵר reflect the socio-economic realities of the time, as access to water was crucial for settlement and agriculture.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as בְּאֵר; Beer, a place in the Desert, also one in Palestine; Beer.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
באר (b-ʾ-r) — to dig, excavate
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H874 | בָּאַר | clearly explain |
| H875 | בְּאֵר | dug well |
| H877 | בֹּאר | excavated cisterns |
| H878 | בְּאֵרָא | Beera |
| H880 | בְּאֵרָה | Well-Spring |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H876-01 |
בְּאֵ֑רָ/ה | beerah | HNp/Sd |
to Beer | toward Well-place | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H876-01 |
Numbers 21:16 | בְּאֵ֑רָ/ה | beerah | HNp/Sd |
to Beer | toward Well-place |
H876-01 |
Judges 9:21 | בְּאֵ֑רָ/ה | beerah | HNp/Sd |
to Beer | toward Well-place |