בֹּאר
bor
cistern
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Hebrew word "bor" (H0877) refers to a cistern, which is a container for storing water. This word is part of the semantic domain of Construction & Crafts, indicating its connection to the physical building and creation of structures. The word "bor" is used four times in the Bible, suggesting its importance in ancient Hebrew culture and daily life. Cisterns were likely a crucial component of water storage and supply systems, particularly in arid regions where access to clean water was limited. The significance of "bor" lies in its representation of the practical and material aspects of ancient Hebrew life. It highlights the importance of water conservation and storage, as well as the ingenuity and craftsmanship of the people who built these structures.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences across the text
“For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the spring of living waters, and cut out cisterns for themselves: broken cisterns that can’t hold water.
Jeremiah 2:13“For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the spring of living waters, and cut out cisterns for themselves: broken cisterns that can’t hold water.
2 Samuel 23:15David longed, and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”
2 Samuel 23:16The three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David; but he would not drink of it, but poured it out to Yahweh.