בְּכוֹר122 H1060
Firstborn — the first child or offspring, bearing special inheritance rights; figuratively, preeminence or primacy
Bekhor designates the first offspring to open the womb, whether human or animal, and carries enormous legal and theological weight in the Hebrew Bible. The firstborn son received a double portion of inheritance (Deut 21:17) and held a position of honor in the family. God's claim on every firstborn — established at the exodus when Egypt's firstborn were struck (Exod 12:29; 13:2) — became the basis for the Levitical substitution and the redemption of firstborn sons (Num 3:12-13; 18:15-16). Figuratively, bekhor expresses preeminence: Israel is God's 'firstborn son' (Exod 4:22), and Job 18:13 speaks hauntingly of 'the firstborn of death.' Spanish 'primogenito,' French 'premier-ne,' and German 'Erstgeborener' all preserve the birth-order primacy.
Senses
1. firstborn — The first offspring born to a parent, human or animal, carrying rights of primacy including the double inheritance portion (Deut 21:17). The exodus narrative pivots on the firstborn: God strikes Egypt's firstborn (Exod 12:29) and claims Israel's in return (Exod 13:2), establishing the Levitical substitution (Num 3:12-13) and the requirement to redeem firstborn sons (Num 18:15-16). Figuratively bekhor conveys preeminence — Israel as God's 'firstborn' (Exod 4:22), 'firstborn of death' as the deadliest plague (Job 18:13), 'firstborn of the poor' as the most destitute (Isa 14:30). Spanish 'primogenito,' French 'premier-ne,' and German 'Erstgeborener' all center on birth-order priority. 118×
AR["أَبْكَارِ", "بِكرَ", "بِكرِ", "بِكْرَ", "بِكْرُ", "بِكْرِ"]·ben["জ্যেষ্ঠপুত্র", "প্রথমজাত"]·DE["Erstgeborener-von", "der-Erstgeborene", "des-Erstgeborenen"]·EN["firstborn-of", "the-firstborn-of"]·FR["le-premier-né-de", "premier-né-de"]·heb["בכור", "בכר"]·HI["पहलौठा", "पहलौठे", "पहलौठों", "पहिलौठा"]·ID["anak sulung", "anak-sulung", "sulung"]·IT["il-primogenito-di", "primogenito-di"]·jav["pambarep", "pembajeng", "pembales", "pembarep", "pembayun", "putra-pembarep"]·KO["맏이-인", "맥아들", "맥아들이", "맨처음-태어난-것-의", "맨처음을", "장자", "장자를", "처음-난", "처음난"]·PT["Primogênito-de", "primogênito-de", "primogênito-de-"]·RU["первенец", "первенца", "первенцов"]·ES["primogénito-de", "primogénito-de-"]·SW["mkubwa", "mzaliwa-wa-kwanza", "mzaliwa-wa-kwanza-wa", "mzaliwa-wa-kwanza-wa-", "wazaliwa-wa-kwanza"]·TR["ilk-doğan", "ilk-doğanı", "ilk-doğanın", "ilk-doğanına", "ilk-doğanını", "ilk-doğanının"]·urd["پہلوٹھا", "پہلوٹھوں", "پہلوٹھے"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
בְּכוֹר122 n.m. first-born—Gn 35:23 + 78 times; בְּכֹר Gn 25:13 + 14 times; sf. בְּכֹרִי Gn 49:3 + 14 times; בְּכוֹרוֹ Gn 38:6 + 3 times; pl. cstr. בְּכוֹרֵי Ne 10:37 + 2 times; בְּכוֹרֵיהֶם ψ 136:10; also בְּכֹרוֹת Gn 4:4; Ne 10:37; בְּכֹרֹת Dt 12:6, 17; 14:23;— 1. men and women: a. individuals Gn 25:13 (P) 43:33; 48:18 (E) +. b. coll. Nu 3:46, 50; 8:16; 18:15. c. pl. Ne 10:37 ψ 135:8; 136:10.…