בַּר

בַּר

a field

Definition

The Hebrew word בַּר (bar) is an Aramaic noun meaning 'field' or 'open country.' In the biblical context, it refers to cultivated land, open plains, or the countryside outside of settled areas. All seven of its occurrences are found in the Aramaic portions of the book of Daniel, specifically in King Nebuchadnezzar's dream and its interpretation. In these passages, the 'field' is the domain where the king's authority and God's judgment are displayed, such as the tree that is cut down and left with its stump in the field (Daniel 4:15). The word consistently denotes an open, outdoor space, distinct from a city or garden.

Biblical Usage

בַּר is used exclusively in the Aramaic sections of Daniel (Daniel 2:38, 4:12, 4:15, 4:21, 4:23, 4:25, 4:32). It appears in the context of Nebuchadnezzar's visions, describing the open field as the setting for the great tree (symbolizing the king's dominion) and the subsequent humbling where the king lives like an animal. The pattern of usage ties the 'field' to themes of royal power, divine judgment, and exposure—the king's grandeur is displayed in the field, and his humiliation occurs there as well.

Etymology

בַּר is an Aramaic word corresponding to the Hebrew בָּר (bar, H1250), which also means 'grain' or 'corn.' It is derived from a common Semitic root meaning 'to be pure' or 'clean,' which evolved to refer to open, cleared land suitable for cultivation or pasture. As an Aramaic term adopted into the Hebrew Bible, it reflects the linguistic context of the Babylonian exile, where Aramaic was the lingua franca.

Semantic Range

In Daniel, the 'field' is the stage for God's sovereignty over human kingdoms. Nebuchadnezzar's dominion is depicted as a tree filling the field (Daniel 4:12), symbolizing his widespread power, yet God commands it be cut down, leaving the stump in the field (Daniel 4:15). This imagery teaches that earthly realms are subject to divine judgment and that humility before God is required. Understanding בַּר enriches reading by highlighting the contrast between human pride in expansive domains and God's ultimate authority over all creation. In the ancient Near East, a 'field' (בַּר) was not just agricultural land but often represented the untamed, open countryside beyond city walls—a place of both provision and peril. For Nebuchadnezzar, a Babylonian king, fields were symbols of territorial control and wealth. The cultural setting differs from modern views of fields as merely farms; it carried connotations of wilderness, dominion, and the arena where divine and human actions intersected, as seen in the king's transformation to a beastly state in the open field (Daniel 4:25). שָׂדֶה (sadeh, H7704) — the common Hebrew word for 'field' or 'countryside,' used broadly throughout the Old Testament for cultivated land or open territory. בָּר (bar, H1250) — a Hebrew word meaning 'grain' or 'corn,' related etymologically but focusing on the produce of the field rather than the land itself.

Word Details