בֵּן4870 H1121a
son, male child; member of a class; age designation
Appearing nearly 5,000 times, the Hebrew word for 'son' extends far beyond biological offspring. While its primary meaning is 'male child,' Hebrew idiom uses 'son of X' to mean 'one characterized by X' or 'member of category X'—thus 'sons of the prophets' are prophetic disciples, 'sons of Belial' are worthless people, and 'sons of valor' are warriors. The same construction with numbers expresses age: 'son of thirty years' means 'thirty years old.' This productive phrase structure reveals how Hebrew thinks categorically through kinship metaphors.
Senses
1. [split] son, male offspring, descendant — Male offspring in the direct biological or legal sense, including descendants. This core kinship meaning dominates the usage in genealogies and narratives. Cross-linguistic glosses uniformly use basic words for male child: Spanish hijo, Arabic ابْنَ, Hindi बेटा/पुत्र. 3×
AR["ابنَ", "ابْنَ־", "ابْنُ", "ابْنُ-", "ابْنُ־", "ابْنِ", "اِبنَ-", "اِبْنَ", "اِبْنُ", "بْنُ", "بْنِ"]·ben["ছেলে", "পুত্র", "পুত্র-", "সন্তান"]·DE["Sohn-von", "Sohn-von-", "der-Sohn-", "des-Sohnes-", "ein-Sohn-", "war-ein-Sohn-von"]·EN["a-son-of", "son-of", "son-of-"]·FR["fils-de", "fils-de-", "un-fils-de"]·heb["בן", "בן-", "בני"]·HI["पुत्र", "पुत्र-", "बेटा-"]·ID["anak", "anak-", "berumur-", "usia"]·IT["figlio-di", "figlio-di-", "un-figlio-di"]·jav["putra", "putra-", "putranipun", "putranipun-", "sampun-", "yuswa-"]·KO["아들", "아들-", "아들-의", "아들-인", "아들이었다-"]·PT["filho-de", "filho-de-"]·RU["сын", "сын-", "сына", "сына-"]·ES["hijo-de", "hijo-de-"]·SW["alikuwa-na-miaka", "mwana", "mwana-", "mwana-wa", "mwana-wa-", "mwenye-miaka", "mwezi"]·TR["-den-", "oğlu", "oğlu-"]·urd["ابن", "بن", "بچّا", "بیٹا", "بیٹا-", "بیٹے", "سال"]
1. son (biological/legal offspring) — Split from sense 87013. Criteria: Direct male child or descendant in family relationship: 'Abraham's son,' 'the son of David.' Genealogies, inheritance, family narratives. 2950×
AR["ابنَ", "ابنِ", "ابْنَ־", "ابْنُ", "ابْنُ-", "ابْنُ־", "اِبْنَ", "اِبْنُ", "اِبْنُ-", "اِبْنِ-", "بْنَ", "بْنُ", "بْنِ"]·ben["ছেলে", "পুত্র", "পুত্র-", "সন্তান"]·DE["Sohn-von", "Sohn-von-", "der-Sohn-", "des-Sohnes-", "ein-Sohn-", "war-ein-Sohn-von"]·EN["a-son-of", "son-of", "son-of-"]·FR["fils-de", "fils-de-", "un-fils-de"]·heb["בן", "בן-", "בני"]·HI["का-बेटा", "पुत्र", "पुत्र-", "बेटा-", "बेटे-"]·ID["anak", "anak-", "berumur-"]·IT["figlio-di", "figlio-di-", "un-figlio-di"]·jav["putra", "putra-", "putranipun", "putranipun-", "sampun-", "yuswa-"]·KO["아들", "아들(접)-", "아들-", "아들-의", "아들-인", "아들이었다-"]·PT["filho-de", "filho-de-"]·RU["сын", "сын-", "сына", "сына-", "сыну-"]·ES["hijo-de", "hijo-de-"]·SW["alikuwa-na-miaka", "mwana", "mwana-", "mwana-wa", "mwenye-miaka", "mwezi"]·TR["oğlu", "oğlu-"]·urd["بن", "بن-", "بچّا", "بیٹا", "بیٹا-", "بیٹے", "بیٹے-"]
2. children, people (collective) — Idiomatic construct phrase 'son/sons of X' expressing membership in a class or possession of a quality rather than literal parentage. 'Sons of the prophets' are guild members, 'sons of Belial' are scoundrels. Swahili shifts to watu wa (people of), revealing the categorical function beneath the kinship metaphor. 12×
AR["أَبْنَاءً", "البَنينَ", "الـ-بَنُونَ", "الْوَلَدَانِ", "بَنيكُم", "بَنينَ", "بَنُونَ", "بَنِينَ", "لِلبَنين", "وَ-لِ-بَني-نا", "وَ-لِبَنيهِ"]·ben["-সন্তানরা", "এবং-আমাদের-সন্তানদের", "এবং-তাঁর-সন্তানদের-জন্য", "ছেলেদের", "সন্তান", "সন্তানদের", "সন্তানরা-", "সন্তানেরা"]·DE["Kinder", "Kindern", "Soehne", "Söhne", "dein-Söhne", "die-Soehne", "die-Söhne", "und-unseren-Kindern", "und-zu-seine-Soehne"]·EN["The-children", "and-for-His-children", "and-to-our-children", "children", "the-children", "your-children"]·FR["dans-fils", "enfants", "et-son-fils-lui", "et-à-notre-enfants", "fils", "le-fils", "les-enfants", "les-fils"]·heb["בן", "בניכם", "בנים", "ה-בן", "ה-בנים", "ו-ל-בן-נו", "ו-ל-בניו"]·HI["और-पुत्रों-के-लिए", "और-हमारे-बच्चों-का-है", "तुम्हारे-पुत्रों", "पुत्र", "पुत्रों-की", "बच्चे", "बच्चों", "बच्चों-के", "बच्चों-ने"]·ID["Anak-anak", "anak-anak", "anak-anak-kamu", "dan-anak-anak-kami", "dan-untuk-anak-anaknya"]·IT["e-a-nostro-figli", "e-per-figlio-suo", "figli", "figlio", "i-figli", "il-figli"]·jav["Para-putra", "anak", "anak-anak-panjenengan-sedaya", "lan-kanggé-para-putra-kawula", "lan-kanggé-putra", "laré-laré", "para-putra", "putra", "putra-putra"]·KO["그-아들들-의", "그-아들들이", "그리고-그-의-자녀-들-에게", "그리고-우리-자녀들의", "너희-의-자녀들", "아들들", "아들들의", "아들을", "자녀들과", "자녀들을", "자녀들이다"]·PT["Os-filhos", "dos-filhos", "e-para-filhos-dele", "e-para-filhos-nossos", "filhos", "os-filhos", "vossos-filhos"]·RU["вашим", "детей", "и-детям-нашим", "и-для-сыновей-Его", "сыновей", "сыновья", "сыновьями", "сыны"]·ES["Los-hijos", "hijos", "los-hijos", "vuestros-hijos", "y-a-hijos-nuestros", "y-para-hijos-sus"]·SW["na-kwa-watoto-wake", "na-kwa-watoto-wetu", "watoto", "watoto-hao", "watoto-wenu"]·TR["cocuklar", "oğullarınızın", "ve-çocuklarımıza", "ve-çocuklarına-onun", "çocuklar", "çocukların"]·urd["اور-بچوں-ہمارے-کی", "اور-بیٹوں-اُس-کے-لیے", "بچوں", "بچوں-کی", "بچے", "بیٹے", "تمہارے-بچوں-پر"]
2. member of a class or group — Split from sense 87013. Criteria: Idiomatic constructions marking class membership or characteristic: 'sons of Israel' (Israelites), 'son of man' (human being), 'son of death' (one deserving death), 'sons of valor' (warriors). 1964×
AR["ابنُ-", "ابْنُ", "ابْنُ-", "ابْنُ־", "ابْنِ", "اِبنَ-", "اِبنُ-", "اِبْنُ", "اِبْنُ-", "بْنِ-"]·ben["পুত্র", "পুত্র-", "সন্তান"]·DE["Sohn", "Sohn-von", "Sohn-von-", "ein-Sohn-von"]·EN["a-son-of", "son-of", "son-of-"]·FR["fils", "fils-de", "fils-de-", "un-fils-de"]·heb["בן", "בן-", "בני"]·HI["का-बेटा", "पुत्र", "पुत्र-", "बछड़ा-", "बेटा", "बेटा-"]·ID["anak", "anak-", "berumur", "berumur-", "layak", "putra", "usia"]·IT["figlio", "figlio-di", "figlio-di-", "un-figlio-di"]·jav["anak-", "putra", "putra-", "umur-", "yuswa-"]·KO["아들", "아들(접)-", "아들-", "아들-의", "아들이", "아들이-"]·PT["filho-", "filho-de", "filho-de-"]·RU["сын", "сын-", "сына-"]·ES["de-hijo-de-", "era-hijo-de", "hijo-de", "hijo-de-"]·SW["alikuwa-mwenye-miaka", "mwana-", "mwana-wa", "mwana-wa-", "mwenye-miaka"]·TR["-den-", "ogul-", "oğlu", "oğlu-"]·urd["ابن", "بن", "بیٹا", "بیٹا-", "بیٹے", "سال"]
Exod 6:15, Exod 6:25, Exod 12:43, Exod 23:12, Exod 29:1, Exod 31:2, Exod 31:2, Exod 31:6, Exod 33:11, Exod 35:30, Exod 35:30, Exod 35:34 (+38 more)
3. young of animals — Age designation formed by 'son of X years,' a distinctly Hebrew idiom. 'Abraham was a son of one hundred years' means 'Abraham was one hundred years old.' Translations naturalize this: English 'years old,' Spanish 'años de edad,' Hindi वर्ष का. 9×
AR["الْبَنِينَ", "بَنو-", "بَنُو-", "عِجْلَيْهِمَا", "وَ-بَنِي", "وَأَشْبالُ"]·ben["আর-বাছুর", "এবং-সন্তানরা", "তাদের-বাছুরদের", "বাচ্চাদের", "শাবকেরা-", "সন্তানদের", "সন্তানেরা"]·DE["Soehne-von", "der-jung", "die-Soehne", "ihr-calves", "und-Soehne-von"]·EN["and-cubs-of", "and-sons-of", "children-of-", "the-sons", "the-young", "their-calves", "young-of"]·FR["et-fils", "et-fils-de", "fils", "fils-de", "le-jeune", "les-fils", "leur-calves"]·heb["בני-", "בניהם", "ה-בנים", "ו-בני"]·HI["और-बच्चे", "और-बछड़े", "बच्चे", "बच्चे-", "बच्चों", "बच्चों-के", "बछड़ों-उनके", "सन्तान"]·ID["anak-anak", "anak-anak-itu", "anak-anaknya", "dan-anak-anak"]·IT["e-figli-di", "e-figlio", "figli-di", "figlio", "i-figli", "il-giovane", "loro-vitelli"]·jav["anak", "anak-saking", "anakipun", "lan-anak-", "lan-anak-anak", "para-putra", "putra-putraning-"]·KO["그-아들들의", "그들의-송아지들을", "그리고-새끼들이", "그리고-아들들을", "새끼들", "새끼들을", "새끼들이", "아들이-"]·PT["e-filhos-de", "e-filhotes-de", "filhos-de-", "filhotes-de-", "filhotes-delas", "os-filhos"]·RU["-детей", "-детьми", "и-детёныши", "и-телят", "сыновей", "сыновья-", "сыны-", "телят-их"]·ES["e-hijos-de", "hijos-de-", "los-hijos", "sus-crías", "y-hijos-de"]·SW["na-ndama-wa-", "na-watoto-wa", "ndama-wao", "watoto", "watoto-wa", "watoto-wa-"]·TR["kamaşacak", "ogullari-", "ve-yavruları", "ve-yavrusu", "yavrular", "yavruları", "yavruları-", "yavrularını"]·urd["اور-بچے", "بچوں", "بچوں-کے", "بچھوں-کو", "بچے", "بیٹے"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H0376 1. man, person, human male (2130×)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×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
בֵּן4870 n.m. son (MI Ph. בן; so Sab. CISiv. No. 2, cf. בני DHMSem. Sprachforsch. 6; Arabic اِبْنٌ; Assyrian bin(u), LyonSargon 9, 1. 57; especially in bin-bin, grandson COTGloss., cf. Dl infr.; Aramaic בַּר, ܒܰܪ, pl. בְּנִין, ܒܢܺܝܢ; cf. Palm., especially VogNo. 21. 31. 36 a al.; possibly orig. connected with בנה build, so Thes, cf. Assyrian bânu, begetter (DlPr 104 & cf. BaZMG 1887, 638 ff.);…