בַּעְשָׁא
𐤁𐤏𐤔𐤀
Baesha
H1201 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name designating a prominent Israelite individual: Baasha, son of Ahijah, who became king of the northern kingdom of Israel (c. 10th century BCE). Occasionally the name is associated, by folk etymology or potential root assonance, with notions of foul smell or offensive action, but in the biblical text it functions exclusively as a personal name.
Semantic Range
personal name (Baasha); possible folk ascription: offensive, to stink
Root / Etymology
Root uncertain. Strong's suggests an unused root meaning 'to stink,' relating to the consonantal similarity with roots involving offensiveness or bad smell (e.g. בָּאַשׁ, 'to stink'). However, direct derivation is not attested, and the name may function independently of this possible root.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Baasha appears chiefly in the Deuteronomistic History (1 Kings 15–16), where he is an Israelite military leader who overthrows Nadab and becomes king of Israel. The name is not given descriptive meaning or explanation within the narrative. Associations with 'stink' or 'offensiveness' derive from Talmudic and later sources, likely reflecting polemical interpretation after the fact. In the biblical context, there is no evidence the name conveyed this meaning to contemporary audiences. The usage is strictly as a personal name; no geographic or collective applications are attested.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to stink; offensiveness; Basha, a king of Israel; Baasha.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בעש (b-ʿ-š) — uncertain; possibly to stink, be offensive
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1201-01 |
בַּעְשָׁ֥א | baesha | HNp |
Baasha | Baasha | 23 |
H1201-03 |
בַעְשָׁ֔א | vaesha | HNp |
Baasha | Baasha | 4 |
H1201-02 |
לְ/בַעְשָׁא֙ | levaesha | HR/Np |
of Baasha | to Baasha | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
28 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1201-01 |
1 Kings 15:16 | בַּעְשָׁ֥א | baesha | HNp |
Baasha | Baasha |
H1201-01 |
1 Kings 15:17 | בַּעְשָׁ֤א | baesha | HNp |
Baasha | Baasha |
H1201-01 |
1 Kings 15:19 | בַּעְשָׁ֣א | baesha | HNp |
Baasha | Baasha |
H1201-01 |
1 Kings 15:21 | בַּעְשָׁ֔א | baesha | HNp |
Baasha | Baasha |
H1201-01 |
1 Kings 15:22 | בַּעְשָׁ֑א | baesha | HNp |
Baasha | Baasha |
H1201-01 |
1 Kings 15:27 | בַּעְשָׁ֤א | baesha | HNp |
Baasha | Baasha |
H1201-03 |
1 Kings 15:27 | בַעְשָׁ֔א | vaesha | HNp |
Baasha | Baasha |
H1201-03 |
1 Kings 15:28 | בַעְשָׁ֔א | vaesha | HNp |
Baasha | Baasha |
H1201-01 |
1 Kings 15:32 | בַּעְשָׁ֥א | baesha | HNp |
Baasha | Baasha |
H1201-01 |
1 Kings 15:33 | בַּעְשָׁ֨א | baesha | HNp |
Baasha | Baasha |