Lexical Summary bachur: Young man, chosen one Original Word: בָּחוּר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance choice young man, chosen Or bachur {baw-khoor'}; participle passive of bachar; properly, selected, i.e. A youth (often collective) -- (choice) young (man), chosen, X hole. see HEBREW bachar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originpass. part. of bachar Definition a young man NASB Translation choice (4), vigorous young men (1), young man (6), young men (35). Brown-Driver-Briggs בָּחוּר noun masculine young man Isaiah 62:5 7t.; plural בַּחוּרִים (intensive with daghesh forte implicit) Proverbs 20:29 13t.; construct בַּחוּרֵי Ezekiel 23:6 4t.; suffix בַּחוּרַי etc. Lamentations 1:18 16t.; — young man (choice, in the prime of manhood) 1 Samuel 9:2; Ecclesiastes 11:9; Isaiah 62:5; collective young men Jeremiah 15:8; בָּחוּר וּבְתוּלָה young men and virgins Deuteronomy 32:25; 2Chronicles 36:17; Jeremiah 51:22; Ezekiel 9:6; usually plural Judges 14:10; Ruth 3:10; 1 Samuel 8:16; 2 Kings 8:12; 2Chronicles 36:17; Proverbs 20:29; Isaiah 9:17; Isaiah 31:8; Isaiah 40:30; Jeremiah 6:11; Jeremiah 9:20; Jeremiah 11:22; Jeremiah 18:21; Jeremiah 48:15; Jeremiah 49:26; Jeremiah 50:3; Jeremiah 51:3; Lamentations 1:15; Lamentations 5:13,14; Ezekiel 33:6,12,23; Ezekiel 30:17; Joel 3:1; Amos 2:11; Amos 4:10; "" בתולות Psalm 78:63; Psalm 148:12; Isaiah 23:4; Jeremiah 31:13; Lamentations 1:18; Lamentations 2:21; Amos 8:13; Zechariah 9:17. Topical Lexicon Identity and Semantic Field בָּחוּר designates a male in the prime of youth—old enough for the responsibilities of war, worship, work, and marriage, yet still distinguished from the elder (זָקֵן) and the child (יֶלֶד). Its appearances span narrative, legal, poetic, and prophetic literature (about sixty-four times), consistently presenting the young man as vigorous, available for service, and emblematic of future potential. Bachur in Israel’s Martial Life From the wilderness period onward, the first task of the בָּחוּר is military. When Amalek attacks, Joshua summons men (Exodus 17); later, the word explicitly surfaces: “He chose young men of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings” (Exodus 24:5)—a covenantal ceremony that merges worship with martial readiness. Judges and Kings repeatedly draft the בָּחוּר for battle readiness (Judges 8:20; 1 Samuel 8:16; 1 Samuel 14:52). Ahab’s surprise victory hinges on the “young officers of the district governors” (1 Kings 20:14-19). The prophets therefore employ בָּחוּר as shorthand for national defense: “Assyria shall fall by a sword not of man; a sword not of man shall devour him, and he will flee from the sword, and his young men shall become forced labor” (Isaiah 31:8). The downfall of strongholds is dramatized by the incapacitation or capture of the בָּחוּר (Jeremiah 15:8; Nahum 3:22). Covenantal Significance in Social Order A healthy society is pictured when “old men and young men alike” praise the LORD (Psalm 148:12). Conversely, covenant curses threaten indiscriminate devastation: “Outside the sword will bereave, inside there will be terror, destroying both young man and virgin” (Deuteronomy 32:25). Jeremiah mourns siege conditions in which “the young men no longer gather at the gate” (Lamentations 5:14), signaling civic breakdown. Portrait of Strength and Virtue Scripture holds the vigor of the בָּחוּר in high esteem yet subjects it to moral direction. “The glory of young men is their strength, and gray hair is the splendor of the old” (Proverbs 20:29). Qoheleth both celebrates and warns: “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth… but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment” (Ecclesiastes 11:9). Job’s restoration is poetically marked when “his flesh is renewed like a child’s; he returns to the days of his youth” (Job 33:25). The imagery underscores that youthful vigor is a gift but not an end in itself. Prophetic and Poetic Imagery In Song of Songs the beloved praises the groom as “a sachet of myrrh is my beloved to me… the fragrance of your ointments is pleasing; your name is like perfume poured out; therefore the maidens love you” (Song of Songs 1:3-4, with בָּחוּר implied). Prophets turn the term to eschatological joy: “Then young women will rejoice with dancing, young men and old as well” (Jeremiah 31:13). Joel enlarges the promise: “Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions” (Joel 2:28), linking youthfulness to Spirit-empowered ministry. Eschatological Hope and Restoration Isaiah contrasts human frailty with divine strength: “Even youths grow weary and faint, and young men stumble and fall, but those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:30-31). Zechariah 9:17 portrays the Messianic age in banquet terms: “How lovely and beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine the young women.” The ideal future includes flourishing בָּחוּר whose vigor is protected, redirected, and fulfilled under the reign of the LORD. Implications for Discipleship and Ministry Today 1 Timothy 4:12 urges, “Let no one despise your youth,” echoing the Old Testament honor accorded the בָּחוּר. Church ministry that engages young men should emulate biblical patterns: training for spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6), covenant worship (Hebrews 10:24-25), service alongside elders (1 Peter 5:5), and moral accountability (Titus 2:6-8). The prevalence of בָּחוּר reminds every generation that God entrusts the vitality of youth to His covenant community for righteous purposes. When cultivated under divine authority, the strength of the young man becomes a testimony to the faithfulness of the God who renews, empowers, and ultimately brings to fruition the promise, “They will still bear fruit in old age” (Psalm 92:14). Forms and Transliterations בְּחוּרֵ֣י בַּ֣חֻרֶ֔יהָ בַּֽחוּרִ֔ים בַּֽחוּרָ֖יו בַּח֣וּרֵיהֶ֔ם בַּח֣וּרֵיכֶ֔ם בַּח֥וּרֵי בַּח֨וּרֵי בַּחוּרִ֖ים בַּחוּרִ֣ים בַּחוּרִ֥ים בַּחוּרִים֙ בַּחוּרֵיהֶ֤ם בַּחוּרֵיכֶ֧ם בַּחוּרָ֑י בַּחוּרָ֜יו בַּחוּרָ֥יו בַחוּרֶ֖יהָ בָּח֑וּר בָּח֔וּר בָּח֖וּר בָּח֣וּר בָּח֥וּר בָּחַ֙רְתִּי֙ בָּחַ֣ר בָּחֽוּר׃ בָּחוּר֙ בָח֖וּר בָח֣וּר בחור בחור׃ בחורי בחוריה בחוריהם בחוריו בחוריכם בחורים בחר בחריה בחרתי הַבַּ֣חוּרִ֔ים הַבַּֽחוּרִים֙ הַבַּחוּרִֽים׃ הבחורים הבחורים׃ וְהַבַּחוּרִ֖ים וּבַחֻֽרֵיהֶם֙ וּבַחֻרִ֥ים וּבַחוּרִ֖ים וּבַחוּרֵ֖י וּבַחוּרַ֖י וּבַחוּרָ֖יו וּמִבַּחוּרֵיכֶ֖ם ובחורי ובחוריו ובחורים ובחריהם ובחרים והבחורים ומבחוריכם bā·ḥar bā·ḥar·tî ba·ḥū·rāw ba·ḥū·rāy ba·ḥū·rê ba·ḥu·re·hā ḇa·ḥū·re·hā ba·ḥū·rê·hem ba·ḥū·rê·ḵem ba·ḥū·rîm bā·ḥūr ḇā·ḥūr baChar baCharti baChur bachuRai bachuRav baChurei bachureiChem bachuReiha bachureiHem bachuRim bāḥar bāḥartî bāḥūr ḇāḥūr baḥūrāw baḥūrāy baḥūrê baḥurehā ḇaḥūrehā baḥūrêhem baḥūrêḵem baḥūrîm bə·ḥū·rê bechuRei bəḥūrê hab·ba·ḥū·rîm habbachuRim habbaḥūrîm ū·ḇa·ḥū·rāw ū·ḇa·ḥū·ray ū·ḇa·ḥū·rê ū·ḇa·ḥu·rê·hem ū·ḇa·ḥu·rîm ū·ḇa·ḥū·rîm ū·mib·ba·ḥū·rê·ḵem ūḇaḥūrāw ūḇaḥūray ūḇaḥūrê ūḇaḥurêhem ūḇaḥurîm ūḇaḥūrîm umibbachureiChem ūmibbaḥūrêḵem uvachuRai uvachuRav uvachuRei uvachureiHem uvachuRim vaChur vachuReiha vehabbachuRim wə·hab·ba·ḥū·rîm wəhabbaḥūrîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 14:7 HEB: מֵא֥וֹת רֶ֙כֶב֙ בָּח֔וּר וְכֹ֖ל רֶ֣כֶב INT: hundred chariots young and all the chariots Deuteronomy 32:25 Judges 14:10 Judges 20:15 Judges 20:16 Judges 20:34 Ruth 3:10 1 Samuel 8:16 1 Samuel 9:2 1 Samuel 24:2 1 Samuel 26:2 2 Samuel 6:1 2 Samuel 10:9 1 Kings 12:21 2 Kings 8:12 1 Chronicles 19:10 2 Chronicles 11:1 2 Chronicles 13:3 2 Chronicles 13:3 2 Chronicles 13:17 2 Chronicles 25:5 2 Chronicles 29:11 2 Chronicles 33:7 2 Chronicles 36:17 2 Chronicles 36:17 64 Occurrences |
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