בָּר
grain of any kind (even while standing in the field); by extension the open country
Definition
The Hebrew noun בָּר (bâr) primarily refers to 'grain' in a general sense, including wheat, barley, and other cultivated cereals, whether still growing in the field or as harvested produce (Genesis 41:35, 49). By extension, it can poetically denote the open, cultivated countryside or fields where such grain grows, as seen in Psalm 65:13 where 'the pastures of the wilderness' and 'the hills' are personified as being clothed with flocks and the 'valleys' covered with grain (בָּר). In Job 39:4, the word is used in a more naturalistic context, describing the young of wild animals returning from foraging in the open country.
Biblical Usage
בָּר appears 14 times, predominantly in the Joseph narrative of Genesis (e.g., Genesis 41:35, 42:3, 45:23) where it consistently refers to stored grain as a vital economic commodity during the famine. Its other uses are poetic: in Psalms (65:13, 72:16) it symbolizes agricultural abundance and divine blessing, and in Job (39:4) it describes the natural habitat of wild creatures. This pattern shows a shift from concrete, economic usage in narrative to metaphorical, descriptive usage in poetry.
Etymology
Derived from the root בָּרַר (bârar, H1305), meaning 'to purify, select, or winnow.' The connection lies in the process of winnowing grain to separate the edible kernel (the pure, choice part) from the chaff. Thus, בָּר conceptually denotes the 'choice' or 'pure' product of the field—the cultivated grain itself.
Semantic Range
בָּר is theologically significant as a tangible sign of God's provision and covenant blessing. In the Joseph story, the grain represents God's foresight and salvation through planning (Genesis 41:36). In the Psalms, abundant grain (בָּר) is a direct result of God's faithfulness and care for the land and people (Psalm 65:9-13, 72:16), symbolizing the prosperity of a righteous kingdom. Understanding it as 'choice produce' deepens the imagery of God's selective and abundant goodness.
In ancient Israelite culture, grain was the staple of life, economy, and survival. A good harvest meant security and blessing, while famine was a crisis. Storing grain, as Pharaoh did, was a sophisticated state-level strategy for survival. The poetic link between grain and the open countryside reflects an agrarian worldview where cultivated land was the source of life and prosperity, distinct from wilderness.
דָּגָן (dāgān, H1715) — a more common general term for grain or cereal produce. חִטָּה (ḥiṭṭâ, H2406) — specifically 'wheat,' a type of grain. שְׂעֹרָה (śə‘ōrâ, H8184) — specifically 'barley,' another type of grain.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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