בָּשֵׁל
boiled
Definition
The Hebrew noun בָּשֵׁל (bâshêl) means 'boiled' or 'cooked by boiling.' It specifically refers to meat or food prepared in water, as opposed to being roasted or baked. In its two biblical occurrences, it describes the prohibited way to prepare the Passover lamb (Exodus 12:9) and the boiled shoulder of the ram offered in the Nazirite vow ceremony (Numbers 6:19). The word consistently denotes a specific culinary method, with no extended metaphorical meanings in the biblical text.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only twice in the Old Testament, both times in legal/ritual contexts within the Pentateuch. In Exodus 12:9, God commands that the Passover lamb must not be eaten 'boiled' (בָּשֵׁל) in water, but roasted with fire. In Numbers 6:19, the priest is instructed to take the boiled (בָּשֵׁל) shoulder of the ram as part of the Nazirite's offering. The usage is strictly literal, describing a cooking technique regulated by divine instruction.
Etymology
בָּשֵׁל is a noun derived from the verbal root בָּשַׁל (bâshal, H1310), which means 'to boil, to cook, to ripen.' This root is common in Semitic languages, appearing in Akkadian and Arabic with similar meanings related to cooking or maturation. The noun form specifically denotes the state or result of the boiling action.
Semantic Range
While the word itself is mundane, its two usages are theologically significant as they pertain to precise ritual obedience. In Exodus 12:9, the prohibition against boiling the Passover lamb underscores the distinct, God-ordained method of preparation that set the meal apart and may have symbolized haste or divine judgment (fire). In Numbers 6:19, the boiled portion is a prescribed element of a vow of consecration. Understanding this term highlights the importance of specific obedience to God's instructions in worship.
Boiling was a common, efficient method of cooking meat in the ancient Near East, often done in a pot over a fire. The biblical instructions contrast this everyday practice with the ritually required method of roasting for the Passover, marking it as a unique, sacred meal. The command may also have served to distinguish Israelite practice from that of surrounding cultures or to ensure the lamb was cooked whole and its blood properly handled.
צָלָה (tsâlâh, H6740) — to roast or fry; the prescribed method for the Passover lamb. בִּשֵּׁל (bishshēl, H1310) — the verbal root meaning 'to cook, to boil,' from which בָּשֵׁל is derived.
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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