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בְּחֻרוֹת

𐤁𐤇𐤓𐤅𐤕

bᵉchurôwth

H979 noun

SILEX Entry

Root בחר to choose, select, be chosen

Definition

Feminine plural form meaning 'youth', often referring to the period or state of being young, the prime of life, or to a group of young people (both men and women, depending on context). Can convey abstract notions such as vigor associated with youth, or refer concretely to groups of young persons. The masculine plural, בְּחֻרִים (beḥurim), is commonly used specifically for young men.

Semantic Range

youth (stage of life), young women (plural), young people collectively, vigor associated with youth, prime of life, young men (by analogy or in masculine form)

Root / Etymology

From the root בחר (to choose, select). The noun בָּחוּר (bachur) means 'young man, youth', likely from the idea of those chosen, i.e., fit or in the prime of strength and vigor. The feminine plural, בְּחֻרוֹת (beḥurot), denotes 'young women' or 'youth' more generally, but is rare in this form.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The term בְּחֻרוֹת appears infrequently in the Hebrew Bible. It is the feminine plural of בָּחוּר but may refer abstractly to 'youth' as a stage of life or to groups of young women. Usage is context-dependent; the masculine forms are more prevalent and typically refer to young men or warriors in their prime. In later biblical books and post-biblical Hebrew, distinctions between feminine and masculine forms may become more pronounced. English translations sometimes generalize with 'youth' or 'young men', which can obscure the gendered nuance of the Hebrew original. Compared to related terms like עַלְמָה (ʿalmah, 'young woman') or נַעַר (naʿar, 'boy, youth, servant'), בָּחוּר and its plurals emphasize the prime of life and physical maturity over mere age or social status.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or בְּחוּרוֹת; feminine plural of בָּחוּר; also (masculine plural) בְּחֻרִים; youth (collectively and abstractly); young men, youth.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

בחר (b-ḥ-r) — to choose, select, be chosen

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2984 יִבְחַר He Will Choose
H4004 מִבְחוֹר chosen place
H4005 מִבְחָר in the choicest of
H4006 מִבְחָר choicest of
H970 בָּחוּר chosen young man

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H979-01 בְּחוּרֹתֶ֑י/ךָ bechuroteykha HNcbpc/Sp2ms your-youth your young women 1
H979-02 מִ/בְּחֻרָ֖י/ו mibechurayv HR/Ncbpc/Sp3ms one of his chosen men from his chosen young-ones 1
H979-03 בְחוּרוֹתֶ֔/ךָ vechurotekha HNcbpc/Sp2ms of your youth your youthful ones 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H979-02 Numbers 11:28 מִ/בְּחֻרָ֖י/ו mibechurayv HR/Ncbpc/Sp3ms one of his chosen men from his chosen young-ones
H979-03 Ecclesiastes 11:9 בְחוּרוֹתֶ֔/ךָ vechurotekha HNcbpc/Sp2ms of your youth your youthful ones
H979-01 Ecclesiastes 12:1 בְּחוּרֹתֶ֑י/ךָ bechuroteykha HNcbpc/Sp2ms your-youth your young women
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