H1281 H1281
fleeing, fugitive—used of cosmic serpents and human refugees
This adjective describes rapid, serpentine flight. It appears in two striking mythological images: the 'fleeing serpent' of Job 26:13 (possibly an eclipse-dragon) and Leviathan the 'fleeing serpent' of Isaiah 27:1 (likely figurative for Assyria). In Isaiah 43:14, it shifts to human fugitives fleeing Babylon. The word captures both the sinuous motion of a serpent and the desperate haste of refugees. BDB notes it equals the more common form barriach, suggesting interchangeable spellings for this vivid term.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Describes fleeing or fugitive motion, whether of mythic serpents or human refugees. The evidence shows two contexts: (1) cosmic/mythological serpents in Job 26:13 and Isaiah 27:1, where English renders 'fleeing' and 'Leviathan,' and (2) human fugitives in Isaiah 43:14 ('as fugitives'). Spanish and French vary between 'fleeing/huidiza' and 'fugitives/fugitivos,' while some translations leave the Hebrew untransliterated, indicating difficulty with these poetic, mythologically-charged passages. The term evokes swift, serpentine escape. 3×
AR["الهارِبَةَ", "الْهَارِبَةِ", "هَارِبِينَ"]·ben["পলাতকদের-মতো", "পলায়নকারী"]·DE["[ברח]", "[בריח]", "[בריחים]"]·EN["and-Livyatan", "as-fugitives", "fleeing"]·FR["[ברח]", "[בריחים]", "בריח"]·heb["בריח", "בריחים"]·HI["भगोड़ों", "भागता-हुआ", "भागने-वाला"]·ID["melarikan-diri", "sebagai-pelarian", "yang-melarikan-diri"]·IT["[ברח]", "[בריחים]", "fleeing"]·jav["ingkang-mlayu", "mlayu", "para-tahanan"]·KO["도망치는", "도망하는", "빗장들로"]·PT["fugitiva", "fugitiva.", "fugitivos"]·RU["бегущего", "засовы"]·ES["como-fugitivos", "huidiza"]·SW["akimbizi", "anayekimbia", "wakimbizi"]·TR["kacan", "kaçan", "sucullar"]·urd["بھاگتے", "بھاگنے-والا", "بیڑیوں"]
Related Senses
H7965 1. peace, absence of conflict (198×)H3467 1. save, deliver, rescue (Hifil active) (156×)H5127 1. flee, run away (Qal) (144×)G1515 1. peace, well-being, harmony (93×)H8002 1. peace offering(s) (87×)G4982 1. save spiritually, grant salvation (79×)H3444 1. salvation, deliverance (67×)H4422 1. Nifal: escape, flee (63×)H1272 1. flee, run away (Qal) (58×)H6869b 1. distress, trouble (57×)G4991 1. of salvation (46×)G2347 1. tribulation, affliction, distress (45×)H0983 1. security, safety, confidence (42×)H6031b 1. Piel: afflict, oppress (42×)H6040 1. affliction, misery, suffering (36×)H3468 1. salvation, deliverance (33×)G5343 1. flee, run away (28×)H3467 2. savior, deliverer (Hifil participle substantive) (28×)H8668 1. salvation, deliverance (27×)H8252 1. be quiet, be at rest (26×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. [בָּרִיחַ] adj. fleeing (= בַּרִּיחַ) נָחָשׁ בָּרִֽחַ׃ Jb 26:13 of eclipse-dragon, לִוְיָתָן נָחָשׁ בָּרִחַ Is 27:1 (prob. fig. of Assyrians); as subst. בָּרִיחִים Is 43:14 as fugitives (for other views cf. Comm.); so prob. also Is 15:5 בריחיה, v. בְּרִיחַ.