H0974 H0974
To examine, test, try, prove; of God testing human hearts, humans testing God, and the refiner's assay of metal.
Bachan belongs to a cluster of Hebrew testing-words alongside nasah and tsaraph, but it carries a distinctive nuance: the searching, penetrating examination that gets to the inner truth of a thing. Where nasah often means putting someone to the test through circumstances, bachan implies looking deep inside — God's 'eyelids test the children of men' (Ps 11:4), searching them through and through. The metallurgical metaphor of refining gold runs through the word's usage (Job 23:10; Zech 13:9; Mal 3:3), and this image illuminates the whole semantic range: testing is not punitive destruction but the separation of genuine from false. The word's directionality matters too — when God tests humans, it reveals character; when humans test God, it borders on provocation.
5. testing, assaying (as process or means) — The process or means of testing itself: the Qal infinitive construct used to describe the act of assaying, especially in metallurgical comparison. Zechariah 13:9 says God will refine them 'as one tests gold' — kibchon et-hazzahav. The infinitive abstracts away from agent and patient to focus on the procedure itself, the refiner's art as an image of divine purification. Only 1 occurrence in this precise grammatical form, but it crystallizes the word's core metaphor. 1×
AR["كَ-امْتِحَانِ"]·ben["যেমন-পরীক্ষা-করে"]·DE["[כבחן]"]·EN["as-testing"]·FR["[כבחן]"]·heb["כ-בחון"]·HI["जैसे-परखा-जाता-है"]·ID["seperti-menguji"]·IT["[כבחן]"]·jav["kados-nguji"]·KO["시험함-같이"]·PT["como-provar"]·RU["как-испытывают"]·ES["como-se-prueba"]·SW["kama-kujaribu"]·TR["denenmesi-gibi"]·urd["جانچنے-کی-طرح"]
▼ 4 more senses below
Senses
1. test, examine (divine testing of persons) — Divine testing of persons: God as subject examining hearts, minds, and inner character to prove faithfulness or expose falsity. This is the dominant sense (16 occurrences), and the BDB entry's core meaning. God tests the righteous (Ps 11:5), searches the heart and tests the mind (Jer 11:20; 17:10; 20:12), and the psalmist's confidence rests on having been tested: 'when he has tested me, I shall come out as gold' (Job 23:10). The Aramaic cognate bechen and Syriac bachhen confirm this as the root's primary meaning across Semitic. Spanish el-que-prueba and French eprouver both select judicial-examination vocabulary, not casual trying. 16×
AR["اخْتَبَرْتُكَ","امْتَحَنْتَ","اِمْتَحَنْتَنا","تَفْحَصُ","تَمتَحِنُ","تَمْتَحِنُ","تَمْتَحِنُهُ","فَاحِصُ","مُخْتَبِرُ","وَ-أَمْتَحِنُهُمْ","وَ-فَاحِصُ","وَ-مُخْتَبِرُ","وَأَمْتَحِنُهُمْ","يَمْتَحِنُ","يَمْتَحِنُنِي"]·ben["আপনি-পরীক্ষা-করেছেন","আমি-তোমাকে-পরীক্ষা-করেছিলাম","এবং-আমি-পরীক্ষা-করব","এবং-যিনি-পরীক্ষা-করেন","ও-পরীক্ষা-করব-তাদের","কিন্তু-পরীক্ষা-করেন","তিনি-আমাকে-পরীক্ষা-করেন","তুমি-আমাদের-পরীক্ষা-করেছ","তুমি-তাকে-পরীক্ষা-করবে","পরীক্ষা-কর","পরীক্ষা-করে","পরীক্ষা-করেন","পরীক্ষাকারী"]·DE["[בחן]","[בחנני]","[ובחנתים]","[תבחן]","[תבחננו]","du-geprüft-uns","du-haben-versuchte","ich-geprüft-du","prüft","und-der-einer-testing","und-pruefe"]·EN["I-tested-you","You-test-him","You-tested-us","and-I-will-test-them","and-tester-of","and-testing-them","and-the-one-testing","he-has-tested-me","test","testing","tests","who-tests","you-have-tried"]·FR["[בחן]","[ובחנתים]","dans-éprouver","et-dans-éprouver","et-éprouver","éprouver","éprouver-moi"]·heb["אבחנך","בוחן","בחן","בחנני","בחנת","בחנתנו","ו-בוחן","ו-בחנתים","יבחן","תבחן","תבחננו","תיבחן"]·HI["और-जांचता-है","और-परखनेवाला","और-मैं-उनको-परखूँगा","और-मैं-परखूँगा-उन्हें","जब-वह-मुझे-परखेगा","तूने-परखा-हमें","तूने-परखा-है","परखता-है","परखता-है-तू-उसको","परखने-वाला","परीक्षा-करता","परीक्षा-करता-है","परीक्षा-करने-वाला","मैंने-परखा-तुझे"]·ID["Aku-menguji-engkau","Dia-menguji-ku","Engkau-menguji","Engkau-mengujinya","Engkau-telah-menguji-kami","dan-Aku-akan-menguji-mereka","dan-menguji-mereka","dan-yang-menguji","menguji","tetapi-yang-menguji","yang-menguji"]·IT["[בחן]","[ובחנתים]","e-esaminare","e-provare","e-provo'","esaminare","esaminare-mio","provare","provo'"]·jav["Kula-nguji-panjenengan","Panjenengan-nguji","Panjenengan-nguji-piyambakipun","Panjenengan-sampun-nguji-kawula-sedaya","Panjenenganipun-nguji-kawula","ingkang-nguji","lan-kang-nguji","lan-nguji-Kawula-tiyang","lan-nguji-piyambakipun","nguji","saha-ingkang-nguji"]·KO["그러나-단련하시는-분은","그리고-내가-그들을-시험하리라","그리고-내가-시험하리라-그들을","그리고-살피시는-이시여","내가-시험하였다-너를","시험하는-자","시험하는-자여","시험하는-자이니라","시험하는-자이시라","시험하다","시험하며","시험하셨도다","시험하셨음이라","시험하시나니","시험하시나이다","시험하시는가-그를"]·PT["Provador-de","Provaste","e-examina","e-o-que-prova","e-provando-os","e-prová-los-ei","nos-provaste","pois-o-que-prova","prova","provas","provas-o","provei-te","quando-me-provar,"]·RU["Ты-испытал","а-испытывающий","и-испытаю-их","и-испытывающий","испытает-меня","испытал-Я-тебя","испытал-нас","испытывает","испытываешь","испытываешь-его","испытывающий"]·ES["el-que-prueba","has-probado","lo-pruebas.","me-prueba,","nos-probaste","prueba","prueba,","pruebas","pruebo","que-prueba","te-probé","y-el-que-prueba","y-los-probaré","y-probándolos"]·SW["Umechunguza","akinijaribu","anamjaribu","anayemjaribu","anayepima","lakini-anayejaribu","linajaribu","linapima","na-mpimaji-wa","na-nitawajaribu","nilikujaribu","ninajaribu","umetujaribu","unajaribu","unamjaribu"]·TR["denediğinde-beni","deneyen","fakat-sınayan","sınadım-seni","sınadın","sınadın-bizi","sınar","sınayan","sınayansın","sınıyorsun-onu","ve-deneyeceğim","ve-deneyeceğim-onları","ve-sınayan"]·urd["آزمائے گا-مجھے","آزماتا-ہے-اُسے","آزمایا-مَیں-نے-تجھے","اور-جانچنے-والا","اور-جانچوں-گا-اُنہیں","اور-پرکھنے-والا","اور-پرکھوں-گا-اُنہیں","تُو-نے-جانچا","تُو-نے-ہمیں-آزمایا","جانچتا-ہے","پرکھتا ہے","پرکھتا-ہوں","پرکھتا-ہے","پرکھنے-والا","پرکھنے-والے"]
2. test, try (human testing of God) — Human testing of God: the reversal of sense 1, where humans are the agents who test, try, or challenge God's patience and promises. Psalm 95:9 recalls Israel in the wilderness — 'your fathers tested me.' Malachi 3:10 is the remarkable exception where God himself invites testing: 'Test me in this, says the LORD of hosts.' The connotation ranges from sinful provocation (Ps 95:9) to divinely authorized proving (Mal 3:10, 15). French eprouvez-moi and Spanish me-probaron both carry the relational challenge overtone. Six occurrences, sharply distinguished from sense 1 by the agent-patient inversion. 6×
AR["امْتَحَنُوا","امْتَحَنُونِي","تَمْتَحِنُ","وَ-تَفْحَصُ","وَامْتَحَنْتَ","وَامْتَحِنُونِي"]·ben["আমাকে-পরীক্ষা-করেছিল","এবং-পরীক্ষা-করবে","এবং-পরীক্ষা-করো-আমাকে","ও-পরীক্ষা-করেছ-তুমি","তারা-পরীক্ষা-করেছে","পরীক্ষা-করে"]·DE["[בחנו]","[ובחנוני]","[ובחנת]","prüfen","sie-versuchte-mich"]·EN["and-test","and-test-Me","test","they-test","they-tried-me"]·FR["[ובחנת]","dans-éprouver","et-éprouvez-moi","éprouver","éprouvez!"]·heb["בחנו","בחנוני","ו-בחנוני","ו-בחנת","יבחנו"]·HI["उन्होंने-परखा","और-तू-परखेगा","और-परखो-मुझे","और-परीक्षा-की-तूने","जाँचा-मुझे","परीक्षा-करती-हैं"]·ID["dan-Engkau-menguji","dan-menguji","dan-ujilah-Aku","menguji","menguji-Ku","mereka-menguji"]·IT["[בחנו]","[ובחנוני]","e-provare","provo'"]·jav["lan-Panjenengan-nguji","lan-nguji","lan-nyobi-Kawula","nguji","nguji-Kula","nyobi"]·KO["그리고-당신이-시험하셨다","그리고-시험하라","그리고-시험하라-나를","나-를-시험하였도다","시험하시나이다","시험한다"]·PT["e-provai-me","e-provarás","e-provaste","me-provaram","provam","provaram"]·RU["и-испытаешь","и-испытайте-Меня","и-испытываешь","испытывали-Меня","испытывают"]·ES["me-probaron","prueban","tentaron","y-examinarás","y-probadme","y-probaste"]·SW["na-nijaribu","na-umejaribu","na-upime","walinipima","wanamjaribu","zinachunguza"]·TR["denediler","sınadılar-beni","sınar","ve-denedin","ve-deneyeceksin","ve-deneyin-beni"]·urd["آزمایا","اور-آزماؤ","اور-پرکھ-لے-گا","اور-پرکھا-تُو-نے","جانچتی-ہیں","پرکھا-مجھے"]
3. be tested, be proved (Nifal/Pual passive) — Passive and reflexive: to be tested, be proved, undergo examination. The Nifal and Pual stems appear in Joseph's testing of his brothers — 'by this you shall be tested' (Gen 42:15-16) — and in Job's plea that he 'be tested' to the end (Job 34:36). Ezekiel 21:13 asks 'what if even the rod that despises be no more?' — testing as eschatological proving. Spanish sea-probado and German geprueft-werden both preserve the passive morphology. Four occurrences, marking the grammatical voice distinction as semantically meaningful. 4×
AR["امْتِحَانٌ","تُمْتَحَنُونَ","وَ-لْتُمْتَحَنْ","يُمتَحَنُ"]·ben["আর-পরীক্ষিত-হবে","পরীক্ষা","পরীক্ষা-হোক","পরীক্ষিত-হবে"]·DE["[בחן]","er-prueft","und-geprüft-werden","werdet-ihr-geprüft"]·EN["and-will-be-tested","let-be-tested","tested","you-will-be-tested"]·FR["[בחן]","et---être-éprouva","tu---être-éprouva","éprouver"]·heb["בוחן","ו-יבחנו","ייבחן","תבחנו"]·HI["और-परखी-जाएँगी","परखा-जाए","परखे-जाओगे-तुम","परीक्षा"]·ID["biarlah diuji","dan-akan-diuji","kamu-akan-diuji","ujian"]·IT["[בחן]","e-will-essere-tested","esaminare","tu-will-essere-tested"]·jav["badhé-dipun-uji","dipun-uji,","lan-mugi-dipun-uji","mugi-dipunuji"]·KO["그리고-시험-받으리라","시험-받으리라","시험당하라","시험이다"]·PT["e-serão-testadas","seja-provado","sereis-testados","teste"]·RU["будете-испытаны","да-будет-испытан","и-будут-испытаны","испытание"]·ES["es-prueba","sea-probado","seréis-probados","y-serán-probadas"]·SW["kujaribu","na-ajaribiwe","na-kujaribu","ni-jaribu"]·TR["denense","sınanacaksınız","sınandı","ve-sınansın"]·urd["آزمائش","آزمائے-جاؤ-گے-تم","اور-آزمائی-جائیں","پرکھا جائے"]
4. test, examine (imperatival plea for testing) — Imperatival plea for testing: the psalmist inviting God's scrutiny as a declaration of innocence. 'Examine me, O LORD, and test me; try my heart and my mind' (Ps 26:2; cf. 139:23). Semantically related to sense 1 but rhetoricaly distinct — the human initiative and the vulnerability of self-submission to divine examination give these passages their unique emotional intensity. Spanish pruebame captures the intimate, second-person directness. Only 2 occurrences, but among the most personally charged uses of the verb. 2×
AR["امْتَحِنْنِي"]·ben["আমাকে-পরীক্ষা-করুন","পরীক্ষা-কর-আমাকে"]·DE["examine-mich","prüfen-mich"]·EN["examine-me","test-me"]·FR["dans-fais-moi-grâce"]·heb["בחון-אותי","בחנני"]·HI["जाँच-मुझे","परख-मुझे"]·ID["ujilah"]·IT["provami"]·jav["Ujana-kula","mugi-nguji-kula"]·KO["시험하소서","시험하소서-나-를"]·PT["Prova-me","prova-me"]·RU["испытай-меня"]·ES["pruébame"]·SW["Unijaribu","nijaribu"]·TR["sına-beni"]·urd["آزما-مجھے","پرکھ-مجھے"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [בָּחַן] vb. examine, try (cf. Aramaic בְּחַן, Syriac ܒܰܚܶܢ, try, examine; Arabic محن i. viiii. test, cf. WSG 65)— Qal Pf. sf. בְּחָנַ֫נִי Jb 23:10, בָּחַנְתָּ ψ 17:3 + 7 times; Impf. יִבְחָ֑ן ψ 11:5 + 5 times; Imv. sf. בְּחָנֵנִי ψ 26:2 + 2 times; Inf. בְּחֹן Zc 13:9; Pt. בֹּחֵן Je 11:20 + 5 times (‖ צרף, נסה);— 1. examine, scrutinize, try ψ 11:5; 139:23 Jb 7:18; עַפְעַפָּיו יִבְחֲנוּ בְנֵי…