H1254a H1254a
To create (Qal), be created (Nifal), or cut down/clear (Piel); used exclusively of divine creation in Qal, with a wholly distinct Piel meaning of felling trees.
The verb bara (בָּרָא) is one of the most theologically loaded words in the Hebrew Bible. Its Qal stem is reserved exclusively for God as subject — no human ever 'creates' (bara) in the active voice. From the majestic opening of Genesis 1:1 ('In the beginning God created') through Isaiah's repeated declarations of God as Creator, this verb marks divine origination as categorically different from human craftsmanship. The participle boreh becomes a divine title — 'your Creator' (Isa 43:1), 'Creator of the ends of the earth' (Isa 40:28). Spanish and French track the Qal straightforwardly with 'creo/crea' and 'crea,' but the Nifal passive ('were created,' Gen 2:4) adds a theological dimension: the heavens and earth exist as things that were created — their createdness is their defining quality. The Piel stem presents a striking lexical surprise: it means 'to cut down' or 'clear' forested land (Josh 17:15, 18), entirely unrelated to creation. Arabic preserves this duality: bara'a means 'to create,' but the cognate bara means 'to cut, pare, shape by cutting.'
Senses
1. Qal: to create — Qal active: to create by divine fiat, bringing into existence what was not. Used exclusively with God as subject — 25 occurrences spanning creation of heavens and earth (Gen 1:1), sea creatures and humanity (Gen 1:21, 27), and new things yet to come (Num 16:30, Isa 48:7). Spanish 'creo' and French 'crea' map directly. The verb implies effortless divine origination, distinguished from asah (to make) and yatsar (to form/fashion) by its restriction to God alone. Five times in Genesis 1:27–2:4 it punctuates the creation narrative with rising emphasis. 25×
AR["اُخْلُقْ", "خَلَقَ", "خَلَقَنَا", "خَلَقَهَا", "خَلَقَهُ", "خَلَقَهُمَا", "خَلَقْتَهُمَا", "خَلَقْتُ", "خَلَقْتُهُ", "وَ-خَلَقَ"]·ben["আমাদের-সৃষ্টি-করেছেন", "আর-সৃষ্টি-করলেন", "এটি-সৃষ্টি-করেছি", "তাদের-সৃষ্টি-করেছ", "তিনি-এটি-সৃষ্টি-করেছেন", "তিনি-তাদের-সৃষ্টি-করলেন", "সৃষ্টি-কর-", "সৃষ্টি-করলেন", "সৃষ্টি-করেছি", "সৃষ্টি-করেছি-তাকে", "সৃষ্টি-করেছে", "সৃষ্টি-করেছে-তাকে", "সৃষ্টি-করেছেন"]·DE["[בראנו]", "created", "erschaffen", "erschaffen-ihnen", "geschaffen-hatte", "ich-schuf", "in-sah", "schaffen", "schuf", "schuf-er", "schuf-er-sie", "und-schuf"]·EN["And-created", "He-created-it", "I-created", "I-created-him", "create", "create-us", "created", "created-them", "has-created-it", "have-created-it", "he-created", "he-created-them"]·FR["Et-créa", "created", "créa", "créer", "dans-créer", "il-créa", "il-créa-eux"]·heb["ברא", "ברא-", "ברא-ם", "בראה", "בראנו", "בראתי", "בראתיו", "בראתם", "ו-ברא"]·HI["इसे-सृजा-है", "उनहे-बनाया", "उसने-सृजा", "और-सृजा", "तूने-बनाया-उन्हें", "ने-बनाया-हमें", "परमेश्वर-ने", "बनाया-है", "मैंने-सृजा", "रचा", "सृजा", "सृजा-उसने", "सृजा-मैंने-उसे", "सृजित-कर"]·ID["Aku-ciptakan", "Aku-menciptakannya", "Dan-menciptakanlah", "Ia-menciptakan", "Ia-menciptakan-mereka", "Ia-menciptakannya", "menciptakan", "menciptakan-kita", "menciptakannya", "telah-diciptakan", "telah-menciptakannya", "yang-menciptakan"]·IT["And-creò", "creare", "created", "creo'", "creò", "egli-creò", "egli-creò-loro", "in-vide", "io-creai"]·jav["Ingsun-sampun-nitahaken", "Ingsun-sampun-nitahaken-piyambakipun", "Panjenenganipun-nitahaken-piyambakipun", "dipunnitahaken", "kabingahan", "lan-nitahaken", "nitahaken", "nitahaken-kita", "nitahaken-piyambakipun-sadaya", "nyipta", "sampun-nitahaken", "sampun-nitahaken-piyambakipun"]·KO["그리고-창조하셨다", "내가-창조하였느니라-그를", "창조하셨나이다", "창조하셨느니라-그것을", "창조하셨는가", "창조하셨다", "창조하셨다-우리를", "창조하소서", "창조하였느니라", "창조하였느니라-그것을", "창조했느니라"]·PT["E-criou", "a-criou", "cria", "criei", "criei-o", "criou", "criou-os", "nos-criou", "os-criaste"]·RU["И-сотворил", "создал-нас", "сотвори-", "сотворил", "сотворил-Я-его", "сотворил-её", "сотворил-их", "сотворил-это"]·ES["Y-creó", "crea-", "creé", "creó", "la-creó", "lo-creé", "lo-creó", "lo-he-creado", "los-creaste", "los-creó", "nos-creó?"]·SW["Na-akaumba", "aliiumba", "alimuumba", "alituumba", "aliumba", "aliwahumba", "aliwaumba", "ameiumba", "ameumba", "ameviumba", "nilimuumba", "nimemuumba", "nimeumba", "niumbie-", "uliviumba"]·TR["Ve-yarattı", "yarat-", "yaratti", "yaratti-onu", "yarattim", "yarattim-onu", "yarattı", "yarattı-bizi", "yarattı-onları", "yarattın"]·urd["اور-تخلیق-کیا", "اُس-نے-پیدا-کی", "اُسے-پیدا-کیا", "تخلیق-کیا", "تخلیق-کیا-اُنہیں", "میں-نے-اُسے-پیدا-کیا", "نے-ہمیں-پیدا-کیا", "پیدا-کر", "پیدا-کیا", "پیدا-کیا-اِسے", "پیدا-کیا-تُو-نے-اُنہیں"]
2. Qal participle: Creator — Qal participle used substantivally as a divine title: 'Creator.' Thirteen occurrences, overwhelmingly in Isaiah (40:28; 42:5; 43:1, 15; 45:7, 18; 65:17), establish boreh/bore'akha as a standing epithet for God. Spanish alternates between 'creador de' (Creator of) and 'el creador' (the Creator); German uses 'Schopfer.' The participle often appears in construct chains — 'Creator of the heavens,' 'Creator of Israel,' 'your Creator' — making divine creation not a past event but an ongoing identity. Ecclesiastes 12:1 uses the plural of majesty bore'ekha: 'Remember your Creator in the days of your youth.' 13×
AR["بُورْأِيكَ", "خَالِقٌ", "خَالِقُ", "خَالِقُكَ", "وَ-خالِقُ", "وَخَالِقُ"]·ben["-যিনি-সৃষ্টি-করেন", "এবং-সৃষ্টিকারী", "তোমার-সৃষ্টিকর্তা", "তোমার-সৃষ্টিকর্তাকে", "সৃষ্টিকর্তা", "সৃষ্টিকারী"]·DE["Schoepfer", "[בוראיך]", "[וברא]", "schaffen", "und-Schoepfer"]·EN["Creator-of", "am-creating", "and-Creator-of", "and-creating", "creating", "of-the-ends", "your-Creator"]·FR["créer", "et-créer", "בוראיך-toi"]·heb["בורא", "בוראיך", "בוראך", "ו-בורא", "וּ-בוֹרא"]·HI["अपने-सृजनहार", "और-सृजने-वाला", "बनाता-हूँ", "रचनेवाला", "सृजनहार", "सृजनहार-तेरे", "सृजने-वाला"]·ID["Pencipta", "Penciptamu", "dan-menciptakan", "dan-yang-menciptakan", "menciptakan", "yang-menciptakan", "yang-menciptakan-engkau"]·IT["Creatore", "creare", "e-Creatore", "e-creare", "tuo-Creator-tuo"]·jav["Ingkang-nitahaken", "Ingkang-nitahaken-panjenengan", "angin", "ingkang-damel-panjenengan", "lan-nitahaken", "nitahaken"]·KO["그리고-창조하시고", "그리고-창조하시는-분이", "창조자", "창조자가", "창조자들-너의", "창조자이시니", "창조하는-자", "창조하신-자", "창조하신-자가-너를", "창조한다"]·PT["Criador-teu", "criador-de", "criador-teu", "criando", "e-cria", "e-criador-de"]·RU["Создателя-твоего", "Творец", "Творец-твой", "и-Творящий", "и-творящий", "творю", "творящий"]·ES["creador-de", "creo", "el-creador", "el-que-crea", "tu-Creador", "tu-creador", "y-creador-de", "y-el-que-crea"]·SW["Muumba", "Muumba-wa", "Muumba-wako", "aliyekuumba", "aliyeumba", "mwumbaji-wa", "na-anayeumba", "na-muumba-wa", "ninachokiumba", "ninaumba"]·TR["Yaratan", "Yaratani", "Yaratanin", "Yaratici", "ve-yaratan", "yaraticini", "yaratiyorum"]·urd["اور-تخلیق-کرنے-والا", "اور-پیدا-کرنے-والا", "اپنے-خالق", "تیرا-خالق", "خالق", "خالق-ہے", "پیدا-کرنے-والا", "پیدا-کرنے-والا-ہوں"]
3. Nifal: to be created — Nifal passive: to be created, to come into being by divine act. Ten occurrences mark the created status of things — the heavens and earth 'when they were created' (Gen 2:4); Adam and Eve 'in the day they were created' (Gen 5:2); a future people 'yet to be created' shall praise the LORD (Ps 102:18). Spanish uses 'fueron creados/creadas' (were created), and French 'avoir ete crea.' The passive voice shifts focus from God the actor to the creation as recipient, emphasizing the creaturely dependence of all that exists (Ps 104:30, Ezek 21:30, 28:13, 15). 10×
AR["تُخلَق", "خَلْقِكَ", "خَلْقِهِمَا", "خُلِقَتْ", "خُلِقْتِ", "فِي-خَلْقِهِمَا", "مَخلوق", "وَخُلِقُوا"]·ben["ও-সৃষ্টি-হল", "তাদের-সৃষ্টিতে", "তাদের-সৃষ্টির", "তারা-সৃষ্ট-হয়", "তারা-সৃষ্টি-হয়েছে", "তোমার-সৃষ্টির", "সৃষ্টি-হবে", "সৃষ্টি-হয়েছিলে-তুমি", "সৃষ্টি-হয়েছে"]·DE["als-sie-geschaffen-wurden", "doch-zu-sein-erschaffen", "haben-gewesen-schuf", "schaffen", "sie-sind-erschaffen", "und-sie-waren-erschaffen"]·EN["and-they-were-created", "being-created-them", "have-been-created", "they-are-created", "when-they-were-created", "yet-to-be-created", "you-were-created", "your-being-created"]·FR["avoir-été-créa", "créer", "et-créer", "quand-ils-étaient-créa", "étant-créa-eux"]·heb["ב-ברא-ם", "ברא-ם", "היבראך", "ו-נבראו", "ייבראון", "נבראו", "נבראת", "ניברא"]·HI["उनके-बनाये-जाने-के", "और-वे-सृजे-गए", "जो-उत्पन्न-होगी", "बनाई-गई-तू", "में-उनके-सृजे-जाने", "वे-सृजी-गईं", "वे-सृजे-जाते-हैं", "सृजने-तेरे-के", "सृजे-गए"]·ID["dan-tercipta", "diciptakan", "engkau-diciptakan", "engkau-diciptakan,", "ketika-diciptakan", "mereka-diciptakan", "yang-diciptakan"]·IT["avere-stato-creò", "creare", "creo'", "e-creo'", "essendo-creò-loro", "quando-essi-furono-creò"]·jav["dipun-damel", "dipun-titahaken", "ing-nalika-dipun-titahaken", "ingkang-dipun-cipta", "kacipta", "lan-sami-dipundamel", "panjenengan-dipun-cipta", "panjenengan-dipun-damel", "sami-dipun-cipta"]·KO["그들-이-창조되리라", "그리하여-창조되었다", "에-그것들이-창조되었을-때", "에-그들이-창조되었을-때", "창조되었고", "창조되었다", "창조된", "창조됨의-너의"]·PT["e-foram-criados", "em-que-foram-criados", "foram-criadas", "foste-criada", "quando-foram-criados", "que-será-criado", "seres-criado", "são-criados"]·RU["в-земле", "и-сотворены", "при-сотворении-их", "сотворения-их", "сотворения-твоего", "сотворены", "сотворяются", "сотворённый"]·ES["cuando-fueron-creados", "fueron-creadas", "fuiste-creada", "han-sido-creadas", "que-será-creado", "ser-creados", "ser-tú-creado", "son-creados", "y-fueron-creados"]·SW["kuumbwa-kwako", "kuumbwa-kwao", "na-vikaumbwa", "uliumbwa", "umbwa", "walipoumbwa", "waliumbwa", "wanaumbwa", "yameumbwa"]·TR["ve-yaratıldılar", "yaratildilar", "yaratılacak", "yaratıldı", "yaratıldıkları", "yaratıldıklarında", "yaratıldın", "yaratıldığının", "yaratılırlar"]·urd["اور-وہ-پیدا-ہوئے", "اُن-کی-تخلیق-میں", "تخلیق-کیے-جانے-اُن-کے", "وہ-پیدا-ہوتے-ہیں", "پیدا-ہوئی", "پیدا-ہوئیں", "پیدا-ہونے-والی", "پیدائش-تیری", "کیے-گئے"]
4. Piel: to cut down, clear — Piel: to cut down trees or clear forested land for settlement. Five occurrences, all in concrete contexts: Joshua tells Ephraim to 'clear' the forest in the hill country (Josh 17:15) and promises they shall 'cut it down' (Josh 17:18). Ezekiel 21:19 and 23:47 extend the cutting imagery to violent destruction. The Arabic cognate bara (to cut, pare a reed for writing, shape a stick for an arrow) preserves this older physical sense. Spanish uses 'talar' (to fell) and 'cortar' (to cut), clearly distinguishing this from the creation vocabulary. The semantic gap between Qal 'create' and Piel 'cut down' is among the most dramatic stem-meaning splits in Hebrew. 5×
AR["ارْسُمْ", "وَ-اقْطَعوا", "وَ-تَقْطَعونَهُ", "وَيَقْطَعُ"]·ben["এবং-কাটবে-তারা", "এবং-পরিষ্কার-কর", "এবং-পরিষ্কার-করবে", "চিত্রিত-কর"]·DE["schaffen", "und-clear", "und-clear-es", "und-schaffen"]·EN["and-clear", "and-clear-it", "and-cut-them-down", "make"]·FR["créer", "et-clear", "et-clear-il", "et-créer"]·heb["ברא", "ו-בראו", "ו-בראת", "ו-בראתו"]·HI["और-टुकड़े-मारेंगे", "और-साफ़-कर", "और-साफ़-करेगा-उसे", "बना"]·ID["dan-memotong-motong", "dan-tebanglah", "dan-tebanglah-itu", "ukirkanlah"]·IT["creare", "e-clear", "e-clear-esso", "e-creare"]·jav["dipun-damel,", "dipun-damel.", "lan-babadi", "lan-mbabadi", "lan-sami-ngirès"]·KO["그리고-개간하라", "그리고-개간하라-그것을", "그리고-치어라", "만들어라"]·PT["e-desbravarás", "e-desbravarás-a", "e-despedaçarão", "marca"]·RU["вырежь", "и-изрубит", "и-расчисти", "и-расчистишь-её"]·ES["traza", "y-cortarán", "y-lo-talarás", "y-tala"]·SW["na-jikateni-miti", "na-utaikata", "na-watawakata", "tengeneza"]·TR["oluştur", "ve-kesecek", "ve-temizle", "ve-temizleyeceksin-onu"]·urd["اور-صاف-کر", "اور-صاف-کر-لے-اُسے", "اور-کاٹیں", "بنا"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)H6213a 2. make, construct, fabricate (148×)H3772 1. cut a covenant / make a pact (97×)H5060 1. touch physically (Qal) (96×)H3615 1. complete a task (Piel) (85×)H3772 2. cut off / destroy (Hifil causative) (81×)H3920 1. capture, seize (Qal) (76×)H???? 12. (76×)H3772 3. be cut off / be eliminated (Niphal) (74×)H6213a 3. be done, be made (Niphal) (73×)G4160 2. make, construct, create (62×)H3847 1. Qal: put on, wear (60×)H8210 1. pour out (liquid/libation) (59×)G2440 1. garment or clothing (general) (54×)H4191 4. kill / put to death (Hifil causative) (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. בָּרָא53 vb. shape, create (cf. Arabic بَرَى, form, fashion by cutting, shape out, pare a reed for writing, a stick for an arrow; بَرَأَ, create (loan-word); Ph. הברא CISi. 347 incisor, a trade involving cutting; Assyrian barû, make, create, COTGloss & Hpt KAT2 Gloss 1 but dub.; Sab. ברא found, build, DHMZMG 1883, 413, synon. בנה; BaZA 1888, 58, comp. Assyrian banû, create, beget, with…