Lexical Summary bar: Son, heir, pure, clean Original Word: בַּר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance old, son (Aramaic) corresponding to ben; a son, grandson, etc. -- X old, son. see HEBREW ben NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to ben Definition son NASB Translation age* (1), son (7). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. בַּר noun masculine son (ᵑ7 id.; Syriac  , Mandean ברא NöM § 148, Old Aramaic, Nabataean, Palmyrene בר (and בן) Lzb242f.; Sabean בר according to MordtmVOJ x. 154 f.; = בֵּן, = becoming ר, PhilippiZMG xxxii (1878), 36 ff. BrockSyr. Gr. § 76 and others; √ different from בן according to JHMich Thes K§ 63 and others; Biblical Hebrew בַּר Aramaism for בֵּן); — construct ׳ב Daniel 3:25 +; suffix בְּרֵהּ Daniel 5:22; plural construct בְּנֵי Ezra 6:9 +; suffix בְּנ֫וֺהִי Ezra 6:10; Ezra 7:23, בְּנֵיהוֺן Daniel 6:25; — 1 son(s) Ezra 5:1,2(twice in verse); Ezra 6:14; Daniel 5:22; Daniel 6:25; Ezra 6:10; Ezra 7:23; בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל Ezra 6:16 = Israelites, בְּנֵי גָלוּתָא = captives Ezra 6:16; Daniel 2:25; Daniel 5:13; Daniel 6:14; בַּראֱֿנָשׁ Daniel 7:13 i.e. one of human kind, בְּנֵי אֲנָשָׁא men Daniel 2:38; Daniel 5:21; בַּראֱֿלָהִין Daniel 3:25 a divine (or angelic) being (see Dr, and compare Biblical Hebrew Genesis 6:2; Job 1:6); ׳בַּר שְׁנִין וגו Job 6:1 a son of 62 years = 62 years old (Biblical Hebrew בֵּן 9). 2 of bullocks, בְּנֵי תוֺרִין Ezra 6:9. II. בַּר see ברר. Topical Lexicon Overview of the Biblical UsageThe Aramaic noun “bar” surfaces eight times in the Old Testament, always within the post-exilic books of Ezra and Daniel. It functions in two principal ways: (1) to identify physical descent, underscoring historical veracity and covenant continuity; (2) to introduce prophetic, even messianic, expectation through the title “Son of Man.” Each context enriches the unfolding redemptive narrative that binds together genealogical accuracy, divine intervention, and eschatological hope. Genealogical Authentication in Ezra Ezra’s Aramaic sections employ “bar” to authenticate the leadership that guided the first returnees. • Ezra 5:1 names “Zechariah son of Iddo,” linking the prophet to a known priestly family and validating his authority to spur the rebuilding. Through “bar,” Ezra testifies that the rebuilding is not an ad hoc enterprise but the lawful continuation of God’s covenant program through verifiable heirs. Royal Succession and Accountability in Daniel Daniel applies “bar” to the rise and fall of Near-Eastern monarchs, exposing human kingdoms to divine scrutiny. • Daniel 5:22 confronts “you his son, Belshazzar,” reminding the final Babylonian ruler that lineage is no shield from judgment. These uses of “bar” emphasize both historical accuracy and the moral accountability of every dynasty before the true King. The Fourth Man in the Furnace The most dramatic employment of the term occurs in Daniel 3:25: “the fourth looks like a son of the gods!”. Nebuchadnezzar’s pagan vocabulary cannot veil the supernatural identity of the deliverer walking amid the flames. Aramaic “bar” here signals more than genealogy; it hints at a heavenly figure who shares the divine nature while appearing in human form. The passage prefigures incarnational themes later fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The Son of Man Vision Daniel 7:13 reads, “I saw One like a Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven”. This climactic vision intertwines royal authority (“given dominion, glory, and a kingdom,” verse 14) with the humility of human likeness. The phrase became the favorite self-designation of Jesus in the Gospels, grounding His identity simultaneously in Danielic prophecy and His genuine humanity. “Bar” thus moves from simple genealogy to the highest Christological title. Theological and Ministry Significance 1. Reliability of Scripture: Every appearance of “bar” confirms Scripture’s attention to historical detail, reinforcing confidence in the Bible’s record of people, places, and events. Summary Though numerically few, the eight occurrences of “bar” weave together family legitimacy, royal accountability, divine rescue, and messianic expectation. The word begins by naming sons of men rebuilding a ruined temple and culminates in unveiling the Son of Man who will rule an everlasting kingdom—an arc that testifies to the unified storyline of Scripture, from post-exilic renewal to final redemption. Forms and Transliterations בְּרֵהּ֙ בַּר־ בַר־ בר־ ברה כְּבַ֥ר כבר לְבַר־ לבר־ bar bar- ḇar- bə·rêh beReh bərêh kə·ḇar kəḇar keVar lə·ḇar- ləḇar- levar varLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 5:1 HEB: ק) וּזְכַרְיָ֤ה בַר־ עִדּוֹא֙ [נְבִיאַיָּא NAS: and Zechariah the son of Iddo, KJV: and Zechariah the son of Iddo, INT: prophesied and Zechariah the son of Iddo prophesied Ezra 5:2 Ezra 5:2 Ezra 6:14 Daniel 3:25 Daniel 5:22 Daniel 5:31 Daniel 7:13 8 Occurrences |
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