H1197a H1197a
To burn, be on fire (Qal); to kindle, set ablaze (Piel/Hifil); to purge or remove evil from the community
A verb whose primary meaning is physical burning — fire that blazes, consumes, and devours. Yet its most theologically distinctive use is the Deuteronomic formula 'you shall purge (בִּעַרְתָּ) the evil from your midst,' where the metaphor shifts from consuming flame to moral removal. Spanish captures this split neatly: arder for the intransitive blaze, but quitar and barrer ('sweep away') for the purging sense. The burning bush of Exodus 3:2-3 — 'burning yet not consumed' — remains one of Scripture's most iconic images, while the purging formula in Deuteronomy 13-21 shaped Israel's understanding of communal holiness.
Senses
1. burn, be on fire — Intransitive burning — fire that blazes, is kindled, or is alight without an explicit agent causing it. This is the Qal and Pual base sense: the bush that 'burned with fire yet was not consumed' (Exod 3:2), the fire that 'burned among them' at Taberah (Num 11:1, 3), or Mount Sinai 'burning with fire' (Deut 4:11). Spanish arde and French brûlant consistently gloss this as ongoing, intransitive combustion. Coals that 'burned' from the divine presence (Ps 18:9 = 2 Sam 22:9) and the prophet's word 'like a burning fire shut up in my bones' (Jer 20:9) extend the image powerfully. 39×
AR["اشْتَعَلَ", "اشْتَعَلَتْ", "تَتَّقِدُ", "تَشْتَعِلُ", "مُتَّقِدَةٍ", "مُشتَعِلٍ", "مُشْتَعِلٌ", "مُشْتَعِلَةً", "مُشْتَعِلَةٌ", "مُلْتَهِبٌ", "وَ-تَتَّقِدَ", "وَ-تَشْتَعِلَ", "وَ-تَشْتَعِلُ", "يَشْتَعِلُ"]·ben["এবং-জ্বলবে", "ও-জ্বলবে", "ও-তা-জ্বলবে", "জ্বলছিল", "জ্বলছে", "জ্বলন্ত", "জ্বলবে", "জ্বলবে-কি", "জ্বলল", "জ্বলেছে"]·DE["[בערה]", "blazed", "brannte", "brennen", "burning", "und-brennen", "verbrannte", "war-burning", "wird-brennen"]·EN["and-burn", "and-it-burns", "and-it-shall-burn", "and-it-will-burn", "blazed", "burned", "burning", "burns", "in-it", "pitch", "was-burning", "will-burn"]·FR["brûla", "brûlant", "brûler", "dans-brûler", "et-brûler", "était-brûlant"]·heb["בוער", "בוערה", "בוערת", "בערה", "בערו", "ו-בערה", "תבער"]·HI["और-जले", "और-जलेगी", "और-वह-जलेगी", "जल-रही-थी", "जलता-था", "जलता-हुआ", "जलती-हुई", "जली", "जले", "जलेगी"]·ID["bernyala", "dan-akan-menyala", "dan-membakar", "dan-menyala", "menyala", "yang-menyala"]·IT["bruciare", "brucio'", "bruciò", "burning", "e-bruciare", "fu-burning"]·jav["badhé-murub", "ingkang-murub,", "kang-murub", "kobong", "lan-badhé-murub", "lan-murub", "lan-ngobong", "murub", "ngobong", "nyumed", "tukang-roti"]·KO["그리고-타오르리라", "그리고-타오를-것이다", "불타고-있었다", "타고", "타고-있었느니라", "타고-있었다", "타는", "타오르는", "타오르니", "타오르도다", "타오르리이까", "타오른다", "타오리이까"]·PT["ardendo", "ardente", "ardente,", "arderá", "ardiam", "e-queimará", "e-queime", "queimando", "queimaram", "queimou"]·RU["будет-гореть", "будет-пылать", "возгорались", "возгорелась", "возгорелись", "горела", "горит", "горящая", "горящей", "горящий", "и-возгорелся", "и-возгорится", "и-разгорелась", "и-разгорится"]·ES["arde", "arderá", "ardiendo", "ardiente", "ardieron", "ardía", "y-arda", "y-arderá"]·SW["imewaka", "inayowaka", "itawaka", "kinawaka", "likiwaka", "na-ikawaka", "na-iwake", "na-utawaka", "nayo-itawaka", "ukiwaka", "ulikuwa-ukiwaka", "uliwaka", "unaowaka", "yaliwaka"]·TR["ve-yanacak", "ve-yanar", "ve-yansın", "yanacak", "yanan", "yandi", "yandı", "yaniyor", "yanıyordu"]·urd["اور-بھڑکے-گی", "اور-جلے", "اور-جلے-گی", "بھڑک-اُٹھی", "بھڑکے", "جل-رہا-تھا", "جل-رہی-تھی", "جلتا-تھا", "جلتا-ہوا", "جلتی", "جلتی-ہوئی", "جلتی-ہے", "جلے-گا", "جلے-گی"]
Exod 3:2, Exod 3:3, Num 11:1, Num 11:3, Deut 4:11, Deut 5:23, Deut 9:15, Judg 15:14, 2 Sam 22:9, 2 Sam 22:13, Esth 1:12, Job 1:16 (+27 more)
2. purge, remove evil — To purge, remove, or sweep away evil — the distinctive metaphorical-legal sense found overwhelmingly in the Deuteronomic formula וּבִעַרְתָּ הָרָע מִקִּרְבֶּךָ, 'you shall purge the evil from your midst' (Deut 13:5, 17:7, 17:12, 19:13, 19:19, 21:21, 22:21-24, 24:7). Here the burning metaphor has fully shifted to moral-communal removal. Spanish renders this with quitar and barrer ('remove, sweep away'), Hindi with दूर करना, and French with purger — all confirming the semantic distance from literal fire. This sense shaped Israelite jurisprudence profoundly. 22×
AR["أَبْعَدْتَ", "أَخْرَجْتُ", "أَزالَ", "أُخْرِجْ", "تَنْزِعُ", "وَ-أُحْرِقُ", "وَ-أُزيلُ", "وَ-تَنْزِعُ", "وَ-نَنْزِعَ", "وَأُبِيدُكُمَا", "وَتَنْزِعُ", "يُحْرَقُ"]·ben["আর-দূর-করব", "এবং-তুমি-দূর-করবে", "এবং-দূর-করব", "এবং-দূর-করবে", "এবং-পুড়ে-দেব", "এবং-পোড়াব", "তুমি-দূর-করবে", "তুমি-সরিয়ে-দিয়েছ", "পোড়ায়", "বের-করেছি", "সে-দূর-করল"]·DE["brennen", "eins-verbrennt-hinauf", "er-removed", "ich-entfernte", "soll-purge", "und-du-soll-purge", "und-ich-wird-consume", "und-ich-wird-verbrenne-hinauf", "und-ich-wird-zerstoere", "und-verbrennen-weg"]·EN["I-removed", "and-I-will-burn-up", "and-I-will-consume", "and-I-will-destroy", "and-burn-away", "and-you-shall-purge", "he-removed", "one-burns-up", "shall-purge", "you-have-removed"]·FR["[בערת]", "devra-purge", "et-brûler-au-loin", "et-je-fera-brûle-en-haut", "et-je-fera-consume", "et-je-fera-détruis", "et-tu-devra-purge", "il-ôta", "je-ôta", "un-brûle-en-haut"]·heb["ביער", "ביערתי", "בערת", "ו-ביערת", "ו-ביערתי", "ו-נבערה", "יבער", "תבער"]·HI["और-झाड़-दूँगा", "और-दूर-करेंगे", "और-नाश-करूँगा", "और-निकालेगा", "और-मिटाओ", "और-साफ़-करूँगा", "और-साफ़-करेगा", "झाड़ता-है", "तूने-नष्टकिया", "निकाला", "साफ़-करेगा", "साफ़-किया"]·ID["Aku-mengeluarkan", "akan-menghapuskan", "dan-Aku-akan-menyapu", "dan-Aku-menyapu", "dan-aku-menghapuskan", "dan-biarlah-kita-membasmi", "dan-engkau-membasmi", "dan-hapuskanlah", "dan-kamu-menyingkirkan", "dia-menyingkirkan", "engkau-membasmi", "mengeluarkan-aku", "menyapu"]·IT["[בערת]", "dovra-purge", "e-bruciare-via", "e-io-vorrà-brucia-su", "e-io-vorrà-consuma", "e-io-vorrà-distruggi", "e-tu-dovra-purge", "egli-tolse", "io-rimosse", "uno-brucia-su"]·jav["kula-sampun-nyingkiraken", "kula-singkiraken", "lan-Aku-badh鱮yingkiraken", "lan-badhé-nyapu", "lan-kawula-sedaya-mbucal", "lan-mbusak", "lan-nyirnakaken", "lan-panjenengan-kedah-nyirnakaken", "lan-panjenengan-nyingkiraken", "panjenengan-mbucali", "panjenengan-nyingkiraken", "piyambakipun-nyingkiraken", "tiyang-nyingkiraken"]·KO["그리고-쓸어버리겠다", "그리고-없애리라", "그리고-없애자", "그리고-제거하라", "그리고-제거하리라-네가", "내가-치웠다", "쓸어버린다", "없애다-네가", "제거하리라", "제거했다"]·PT["e-consumirei", "e-eliminarei", "e-extirparemos", "e-extirparás", "e-removerás", "e-varrerei", "eliminaste", "exterminou", "removerás", "removi", "tirei", "varre"]·RU["выжигают", "и-выжгу", "и-искореним", "и-истребишь", "и-истреблю", "и-удали", "и-удалишь", "истребил", "убирал", "убрал", "удалишь", "уничтожил-ты"]·ES["He-quitado", "barrió", "he-quitado", "quitarás", "quitaste", "se-barre", "y-barreré", "y-quitaremos", "y-quitarás", "y-quitaré"]·SW["aliwaondoa", "mtu-anavyofagia", "na-kuwaondoa", "na-nitafagia", "na-tupate-kuuondoa", "na-utaondoa", "nimeondoa", "umeziondoa", "utaondoa"]·TR["süpürülür", "temizledi", "temizledim", "temizledin", "temizleyeceksin", "ve-kaldıracağım", "ve-süpüreceğim", "ve-temizleyeceksin"]·urd["اور-تُو-دُور-کرے", "اور-جلاؤں-گا", "اور-دور-کر", "اور-دور-کرے-گا", "اور-مٹاؤں-گا", "اور-میں-صاف-کروں-گا", "اور-ہٹائیں", "تو-نے-ہٹایا", "جلا-دیا", "دُور-کرے", "صاف-کیا-جاتا-ہے", "میں-نے-نکالا"]
Deut 13:5, Deut 17:7, Deut 17:12, Deut 19:13, Deut 19:19, Deut 21:9, Deut 21:21, Deut 22:21, Deut 22:22, Deut 22:24, Deut 24:7, Deut 26:13 (+10 more)
3. kindle, set on fire — Causative or intensive physical burning in the Piel — to kindle, ignite, or set fire to something, with an explicit agent causing combustion. Distinguished from sense 1 by transitivity: someone kindles fire on the Sabbath (Exod 35:3), the priest maintains the altar fire (Lev 6:12), or lamps are kept burning in the temple (2 Chr 4:20, 13:11). Spanish encender ('to light, ignite') and German anzünden capture this active kindling force. 18×
AR["أَوْقَدْتُمُوهَا", "أَوْقَدْتُهَا", "الإِحرَاقِ", "تُوقِدوا", "رَعَيتُم", "لِ-تُضِيءَهَا", "لِ-يَحْتَرِقَ", "لِ-يُوقَدَ", "لِتُضيءَ", "لِلرَّعيِ", "لِلْإِحْرَاقِ", "لِلْوَقُودِ", "وَ-يُوقِدُ", "وَيُشْعِلُونَ", "يُشْعِلُونَ-", "يُوقِدُونَ"]·ben["-খাওয়ার-জন্য", "-জ্বালাতে", "অগ্নির", "আর-পোড়াবে", "এবং-জ্বালাক", "জ্বালাচ্ছে", "জ্বালাতে", "জ্বালানোর-জন্য", "জ্বালাবে", "জ্বালিয়েছি-তা", "তোমরা-জ্বালিয়েছ", "পুড়িয়ে-দিয়েছ", "পোড়াবে-"]·DE["brannte", "brennen", "du-soll-kindle", "fuer-burning", "und-brennen", "und-soll-verbrennen", "zu-brannte"]·EN["and-burn", "and-shall-burn", "and-they-will-burn", "are-kindling", "burning", "for-burning", "for-burning-them", "have-kindled-it", "they-will-burn-", "to-burn", "you-have-consumed", "you-have-kindled", "you-shall-kindle"]·FR["[לבער]", "[לבערם]", "brûler", "et-brûler", "et-devra-brûler", "pour-brûlant", "tu---enflammer"]·heb["ביערתיה", "ביערתם", "בער", "ו-ביער", "ו-ביערו", "יבערו-", "ל-ביער", "ל-בער", "ל-בערם-ם", "מבערים", "תבערו"]·HI["और-जलाए", "और-जलाएंगे", "खाने-के-लिए", "जलाएंगे-", "जलाओगे", "जलाते-हैं", "जलाने-उन्हें", "जलाने-की", "जलाने-के-लिए", "जलाने-को", "जलाया-मैंने-उसे", "तुमने-उजाड़-दिया", "तुमने-जलायी"]·ID["dan-menyalakan", "dan-mereka-akan-membakar", "engkau-menyalakan", "menyalakan", "menyalakannya", "mereka-akan-menyalakan-", "pembakaran", "telah-memakan-habis", "untuk-api", "untuk-dibakar", "untuk-dimakan", "untuk-dinyalakan", "untuk-membakar", "untuk-menyala", "yang-kamu-nyalakan"]·IT["[לבער]", "[לבערם]", "bruciare", "e-bruciare", "e-dovra-bruciare", "per-burning", "tu-shall-kindle"]·jav["ingkang-panjenengan-sampun-nyrnahaken", "kangge-dipun-obong", "kangge-dipunkobong", "kangge-dipuntedha", "kangge-ngobong", "kanggé-murub", "kanggé-ngobong", "kobongan", "lan-mbetahaken-latu", "lan-murub", "lan-piyambakipun-mbetahaken-latu", "nyumet", "panjenengan-sedaya-badhé-ngesuk", "piyambakipun-mbetahaken-latu", "sampun-ngentekaken", "sampun-nyumed", "supados-dipunsumet"]·KO["그리고-불태울것이다", "그리고-태우라", "너희가-피운", "너희는-피우지-말라", "먹힘-이", "불을-피우고-있다", "불지른다-그것을", "불태울것이다", "사르는-것이", "소말의", "타버려지도록", "태우기-위한", "태우기-위해", "태우려고", "태우려고-그것들-을", "태울", "태웠도다"]·PT["a-acendi", "acendem", "acendereis", "acenderão-", "acendestes", "devorastes", "e-acenderão", "e-queimará", "para-acender", "para-queima", "para-queimar", "queima"]·RU["будут-жечь-", "гореть", "для-сжигания", "зажигайте", "и-будут-жечь", "и-сожгут", "и-сожжёт", "которые-разжгли-вы", "на-сожжение", "огня", "опустошили", "разжигают", "разжёг-его", "сжигать", "чтобы-гореть-им", "чтобы-зажигать"]·ES["ardor", "devorasteis", "encenderéis", "encendisteis", "encienden", "lo-encendí", "para-consumir", "para-encender", "para-encenderlas", "para-quemar", "quemarán-", "y-encenderá", "y-quemarán"]·SW["kuchoma", "kufanya-ziwake", "kuteketeza", "kuteketezwa", "kuwashwa", "kwa-kuchomwa", "mlioziwasha", "mmekula", "na-atawasha", "nimeuwasha", "wanawasha", "washe", "watawasha"]·TR["-yakılmak", "otlamak-icin", "tutuşturdum-onu", "ve-yakacak", "ve-yakacaklar", "yakacaklar-", "yakacaksınız", "yakmak", "yakmak-icin", "yakmak-için", "yakmak-için-onları", "yaktiginiz", "yakıyorlar", "yediniz"]·urd["اور-جلائیں-گے", "اور-جلائے", "تم-جلاؤ", "تم-نے-چرایا", "جلاتے-ہیں", "جلانا", "جلانے-کو", "جلانے-کی", "جلانے-کے-لیے", "جلایا-اسے", "جنہیں-تم-نے-جلائیں", "وہ-جلائیں-گے", "چراگاہ-کو"]
4. kindle, cause to burn (Hifil) — Causative burning in the Hifil stem — to kindle or cause something to burn, often with a more direct causative force than the Piel. The arsonist who 'kindled a fire in a field' (Exod 22:6), Samson setting the Philistine grain alight with foxes and torches (Judg 15:5), and God's judgment declared as 'I will kindle a fire' (Ezek 5:2, 2 Chr 28:3). Spanish encendió and French brûla confirm the transitive, agent-driven causation. 6×
AR["المُشعِلُ", "تُحْرِقُ", "وَ-أَحْرَقَ", "وَ-أَشْعَلَ-", "وَأُحْرِقُ"]·ben["এবং-আমি-পোড়াব", "এবং-জ্বালালেন", "এবং-জ্বালালেন-", "ও-পোড়ালেন", "তুমি-জ্বালাবে", "যে-প্রজ্বলিত-করেছে"]·DE["[והבערתי]", "brennen", "der-eins-kindling", "und-brennen", "und-kindled-", "und-verbrannte"]·EN["and-I-will-burn", "and-burned", "and-kindled-", "the-one-kindling", "you-shall-burn"]·FR["[ויבער]", "brûler", "et-brûla", "et-brûler", "et-kindled-", "le-un-kindling"]·heb["ה-מבעיר", "ו-הבעיר", "ו-הבערתי", "ו-יבער", "תבעיר"]·HI["और-जलाई", "और-जलाया", "और-मैं-जलाऊँगा", "जलाने-वाला", "तू-जलाएगा"]·ID["Dan-menyalakan-", "dan-Aku-akan-membakar", "dan-membakar", "engkau-akan-membakar", "yang menyalakan"]·IT["[ויבער]", "bruciare", "e-bruciare", "e-bruciò", "e-kindled-", "il-uno-kindling"]·jav["Lan-ngobong-", "lan-Kawula-badhé-ngobong", "lan-mbakari", "lan-ngobong", "panjenengan-obong", "tiyang-ingkang-ngobong"]·KO["그-태운-자가", "그리고-그-가-태웠다", "그리고-내가-태우리라", "그리고-붙였다", "그리고-태웠다", "네가-태우라"]·PT["E-acendeu-", "e-fez-passar", "e-queimarei", "e-queimou", "o-que-acendeu", "queimarás"]·RU["И-зажёг-", "зажёгший", "и-сжигал", "и-сжёг", "и-сожгу", "сожжёшь"]·ES["Y-encendió", "el-que-encendió", "quemarás", "y-quemaré", "y-quemó"]·SW["aliyewasha", "na-akateketeza", "na-akawasha-", "na-akawateketeza", "na-nitateketeza", "utaichoma"]·TR["Ve-yaktı-", "ve-yakacağım", "ve-yaktı", "yakacaksın", "yakan"]·urd["اور-جلاؤں-گا", "اور-جلایا", "تو-جلا", "جلانے-والا"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)G1525 1. enter a place physically (179×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. [בָּעַר] vb. burn, consume (𝔗 בְּעַר burn; ܒܥܰܪ seek out, collect, glean; this apparently earlier meaning)— Qal Pf. 3 fs. בָּֽעֲרָה Nu 11:3 + 2 times, וּבָֽעֲרָה consec. Is 10:17 + 3 times, בָּֽעֲרוּ Ju 15:14 + 2 times + 2 S 22:13 (but cf. De on ψ 18), וּבָֽעֲרוּ consec. Is 1:31; Impf. יִבְעַר Ex 3:3 ψ 2:12, etc.; Pt. בֹּעֵר Ex 3:2 + 6 times, בֹּעֵרָ֑ה Is 34:9, בּוֹעֵרָה Ho 7:4, בֹּעֲרָ֫ה…