בֹּאר
a cistern
Definition
The Hebrew noun בֹּאר (bôʼr) refers to a cistern, which is an artificial underground reservoir dug into rock or soil to collect and store rainwater. In the Bible, it primarily denotes a man-made water storage pit, essential for survival in arid regions. Its single biblical occurrence in Jeremiah 2:13 uses it metaphorically, contrasting God as the 'fountain of living waters' with broken cisterns that cannot hold water. This highlights the word's literal sense as a vital, but limited, water source, while its figurative use underscores spiritual inadequacy.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only once in the Old Testament, in Jeremiah 2:13. Here, it is used in a powerful prophetic metaphor. The context is God's indictment of Judah for forsaking Him, the source of living water, and instead relying on 'broken cisterns' that cannot hold water—symbolizing idolatry and human-made solutions that fail. The usage is entirely figurative, drawing on the well-known cultural reality of cisterns to make a spiritual point about reliability and sustenance.
Etymology
בֹּאר (bôʼr) is derived from the root בָּאַר (bāʼar, H874), which means 'to make plain' or 'to dig.' This root connection suggests the act of digging out or excavating to create a clear, defined space for water. The noun form thus naturally refers to the dug-out pit itself. It is a cognate with the more common word בְּאֵר (beʼēr, H875), which typically means a 'well' fed by spring water, whereas בֹּאר specifically denotes a cistern for collected rainwater.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, בֹּאר is theologically significant. In Jeremiah 2:13, it becomes a central metaphor for the human condition apart from God. The 'broken cistern' represents idolatry, self-reliance, and any spiritual pursuit that promises life but ultimately fails because it cannot contain the living water God provides. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading by clarifying the contrast: a cistern (bôʼr) holds stagnant, collected water, while God is a fountain (מַעְיָן, maʿyān) of fresh, flowing, living water. This underscores doctrines of God as the sole source of salvation and the futility of false worship.
In ancient Israel's semi-arid climate, cisterns were crucial for survival, especially during dry seasons. They were typically plastered pits dug into limestone to store rainwater runoff. A 'broken' cistern, one with cracks in its plaster lining, would be utterly useless, leaking the precious water it was meant to preserve. This cultural reality gives the metaphor in Jeremiah its powerful punch—choosing idols over God is as foolish and disastrous as relying on a cracked water tank in the desert.
בְּאֵר (beʼēr, H875) — a well or shaft, often fed by a spring or groundwater. שַׁחַת (shachath, H7845) — a pit or ditch, often for trapping or destruction, not specifically for water storage. בּוֹר (bôr, H953) — a general term for pit, cistern, dungeon, or grave.
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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