בְּשׂוֹר
𐤁𐤔𐤅𐤓
Besor
H1308 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name referring to a wadi (seasonal stream or ravine) in the southwestern region of the land associated with the ancient Philistines, southwest of Gaza. The primary lexical meaning is the designation of a specific geographical feature (the 'Wadi Besor'), rather than an abstract noun or adjective. This term functions exclusively as a toponym within the Hebrew Bible and does not carry other semantic values apart from naming the stream.
Semantic Range
proper name of a specific wadi or seasonal watercourse in southwestern Canaan, geographical designation only
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root בָּשַׂר (b-s-r), primarily meaning 'to bring news, announce, gladden,' though the relationship between the root meaning and the toponym is uncertain. The name could reflect a wishful or descriptive sense ('cheerful' or 'gladness'), but this is speculative; more likely, it is a traditional place name preserved from local geographical nomenclature.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, Besor refers specifically to the ravine or wadi (seasonal watercourse) where David's men paused during his pursuit of the Amalekites (1 Samuel 30:9–10, 21). The location lay on the southwestern edge of the territory associated with the Philistines, likely corresponding to the modern Wadi Ghazza. The toponym carries no broader theological or symbolic meaning within the biblical text and is not used elsewhere in the Bible apart from this context. Later translation traditions (Septuagint, Vulgate) transliterate the name, and no later English meaning (such as 'stream called Besor') broadens or narrows the sense beyond its use as a geographical term. There is no evidence that local inhabitant groups (Philistines, Israelites, etc.) imbued the name with ideological or religious significance. The suggestion made in older sources that the name is connected with 'good news' is linguistically tenuous and rejected in recent lexicography.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from בָּשַׂר; cheerful; Besor, a stream of Palestine; Besor.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בשר (b-ś-r) — bring news, announce, gladden
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1319 | בָּשַׂר | Proclaim glad news! |
| H1320 | בָּשָׂר | the flesh |
| H1321 | בְּשַׁר | flesh-of |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1308-01 |
הַ/בְּשׂ֑וֹר | habesor | HTd/Np |
Besor | the Wadi Besor | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1308-01 |
1 Samuel 30:9 | הַ/בְּשׂ֑וֹר | habesor | HTd/Np |
Besor | the Wadi Besor |
H1308-01 |
1 Samuel 30:10 | הַ/בְּשֽׂוֹר | habesor | HTd/Np |
Besor | the Wadi Besor |
H1308-01 |
1 Samuel 30:21 | הַ/בְּשׂ֔וֹר | habesor | HTd/Np |
Besor | the Wadi Besor |