בִּרְיָה
𐤁𐤓𐤉𐤄
biryâh
H1279 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Food; that which is eaten, particularly solid nourishment, with particular emphasis (in prose and poetic contexts) on substantial or prepared food, often contrasting with drink or less substantial fare. Used generically for food supplied at meals.
Semantic Range
provision of food, meal, dish, prepared food, victuals, substantial food, festive fare
Root / Etymology
From the root בָּרָה (barah), likely with the sense of eating or consuming, though the precise root meaning is debated. The word בִּרְיָה is a feminine noun derived from this root, used specifically for food or meat.
Historical & Contextual Notes
בִּרְיָה occurs infrequently in the Hebrew Bible, primarily in texts associated with court or formal banquets (e.g., Nehemiah 8:10, Daniel 1:8, 16). It is distinct from other common terms for food such as לֶחֶם (leḥem, bread, sustenance) or אֹכֶל (ʾokhel, general food, eating), in that it tends to refer to prepared or festive dishes, sometimes with an implication of richness or abundance. In the book of Daniel, it appears in the setting of royal provision, aligning with Persian or Babylonian court custom. Later Hebrew usage preserves this sense, and the word does not typically refer to ordinary daily fare but to a meal of noteworthy substance. The standard translation as 'meat' or 'food' does not convey these nuances. In post-biblical Hebrew, the term persists in the sense of a substantial or festive meal. The term does not specify the type of food (e.g., animal or plant) but denotes food seen as a discrete dish or portion.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine from בָּרָה; food; meat.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ברה (b-r-h) — eat, consume, select (food)
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1279-01 |
הַ/בִּרְיָ֔ה | habireyah | HTd/Ncfsa |
the food | the substantial food | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1279-01 |
2 Samuel 13:5 | הַ/בִּרְיָ֔ה | habireyah | HTd/Ncfsa |
the food | the substantial food |
H1279-01 |
2 Samuel 13:7 | הַ/בִּרְיָֽה | habireyah | HTd/Ncfsa |
the food | the substantial food |
H1279-01 |
2 Samuel 13:10 | הַ/בִּרְיָה֙ | habireyah | HTd/Ncfsa |
the food | the substantial food |