בָּשֵׁל
𐤁𐤔𐤋
bâshêl
H1311 adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Fully cooked (by boiling); specifically, something that has become thoroughly softened or prepared by boiling, especially with reference to foodstuffs. In certain contexts, describes a state of something having reached ripeness or fulfillment through a heating process, particularly boiling or stewing in water.
Semantic Range
boiled, sodden (cooked in water), thoroughly cooked (by boiling), fully prepared (culinarily), ripe or matured (as with heating); figurative completion or readiness through boiling
Root / Etymology
From the root בָּשַׁל (b-sh-l), which primarily means 'to boil' or 'to ripen.' The form בָּשֵׁל is a qal passive participle, meaning 'boiled' or 'having been boiled.' Root meaning relates to the process of cooking or causing something to ripen through application of heat.
Historical & Contextual Notes
בָּשֵׁל is used in biblical Hebrew to denote something which has been completely boiled or cooked, typically in liquid. In dietary and ritual legislation, such as Exodus 12:9 ('do not eat it raw or boiled at all in water'), the term marks a clear distinction between methods of food preparation—roasting versus boiling. The participle form especially marks completion or readiness as a result of a boiling process. The core sense ('thoroughly boiled') is maintained consistently across contexts, both as literal cooking and in some figurative references to ripeness or readiness through applied heat. English translations (e.g., 'boiled,' 'sodden') accurately capture the culinary nuance, but may miss the process-oriented sense of the Hebrew. Related verbs include בָּשַׁל (to boil, to ripen), but בָּשֵׁל specifically refers to the state resulting from boiling. In later Hebrew, related terms broaden to include ripening of fruit in general, though this is less common in biblical texts. No significant usage shift is evident across major historical periods.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from בָּשַׁל; boiled; [idiom] at all, sodden.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בשל (b-sh-l) — to boil, to ripen, to cook with heat
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1311-02 |
וּ/בָשֵׁ֥ל | uvashel | HC/Aamsa |
or boiled | fully boiled | or boiled | 1 |
H1311-01 |
בְּשֵׁלָה֮ | beshelah | HAafsa |
boiled | fully boiled | fully boiled | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1311-02 |
Exodus 12:9 | וּ/בָשֵׁ֥ל | uvashel | HC/Aamsa |
or boiled | fully boiled | or boiled |
H1311-01 |
Numbers 6:19 | בְּשֵׁלָה֮ | beshelah | HAafsa |
boiled | fully boiled | fully boiled |