בְּאֹשׁ
𐤁𐤀𐤔
bᵉʼôsh
H889 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A foul odor or unpleasant smell, especially a stench resulting from decay, rot, or decomposition; refers broadly to any offensive odor.
Semantic Range
foul odor, stench, offensive smell, putrefaction, (by extension) metaphorical corruption or defilement
Root / Etymology
Root: באש (b-’-sh). Root meaning: to have an offensive odor, to stink, to be putrid. The word בְּאֹשׁ (bᵉʼôsh) is formed from this root and directly denotes the result of the process—i.e., the stench or bad smell arising from rot or corruption.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical Hebrew, בְּאֹשׁ typically refers to physical odors considered repulsive, such as the smell of decay, rotting organic matter, or putrefaction (e.g., the smell of decomposed food or animal matter). This term appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible but when used, it emphasizes the sensory quality of something being spoiled or defiled. The word is closely related to the verbal root באש, which means 'to stink' or 'to become putrid.' The term can be compared with רֵיחַ (reiach), which denotes 'smell' or 'scent' in general (positive or negative), whereas בְּאֹשׁ is always negative in connotation. Use of this term can carry metaphorical undertones, signifying corruption or moral decay, though the basic meaning is non-figurative. English translations (such as 'stench' or 'stink') usually capture the basic sense but may underplay its connection to ritual or symbolic impurity as understood by some biblical authors.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from בֹּאר; a stench; stink.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
באש (b-ʾ-sh) — to stink, to emit an offensive odor, to be putrid
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H887 | בָּאַשׁ | to cause to stink |
| H890 | בׇּאְשָׁה | stink-weed |
| H891 | בְּאֻשִׁים | foul berries |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H889-03 |
בָאְשׁ֗/וֹ | vaesho | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his-stench | his stench | 1 |
H889-01 |
בְּאֹ֤שׁ | beosh | HNcmsc |
stench | stench of | 1 |
H889-02 |
בָאְשָׁ֑/ם | vaesham | HNcmsc/Sp3mp |
their stench | their stench | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H889-02 |
Isaiah 34:3 | בָאְשָׁ֑/ם | vaesham | HNcmsc/Sp3mp |
their stench | their stench |
H889-03 |
Joel 2:20 | בָאְשׁ֗/וֹ | vaesho | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his-stench | his stench |
H889-01 |
Amos 4:10 | בְּאֹ֤שׁ | beosh | HNcmsc |
stench | stench of |