Word Study for H1057 (בָּכָא)

bâkâʼ /baw-kaw'/ Ask about this word

Meaningthe weeping tree (some gum-distilling tree, perhaps the balsam)

KJV usagemulberry tree.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of bâkâʼ — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word bâkâʼ, represented by H1057, is defined as the weeping tree or mulberry tree. This term, possibly referring to a gum-distilling tree like balsam, appears 5 times in 5 unique verses. Its usage points to both a specific type of tree and a symbolic location within scripture.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H1057 serves two primary functions. Firstly, it acts as a crucial strategic and spiritual marker in battle. When David H1732 enquired H7592 of the LORD H3068, he was instructed to position his troops "over against the mulberry trees" (2 Samuel 5:23; 1 Chronicles 14:14). The signal to attack was not a human command but a "sound H6963 of a going H6807 in the tops H7218 of the mulberry trees," indicating that God H430 had gone forth to smite H5221 the Philistines H6430 (2 Samuel 5:24; 1 Chronicles 14:15). Secondly, it appears as a place name in "the valley H6010 of Baca," which those passing H5674 through make into a well H4599 Psalms 84:6.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the context of H1057:

H1732 Dâvid (loving; David): As the youngest son of Jesse, David is the central human figure in the accounts involving the mulberry trees, where he enquired H7592 of God for military direction 2 Samuel 5:23.
H6807 tsᵉʻâdâh (a march; going): This term describes the supernatural signal, the "sound of going," in the treetops that was to prompt David's attack, signifying the movement of God's host 1 Chronicles 14:15.
H6010 ʻêmeq (a vale; valley): This word is used to form the location "the valley of Baca," directly linking H1057 to a physical place that carries symbolic weight Psalms 84:6.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H1057 is seen in its function as a medium for divine communication and a symbol of spiritual reality.

A Marker for Divine Guidance: The mulberry trees were not arbitrary; God designated them as the precise spot for David to await a signal. This shows God using the natural world to give specific, actionable instructions 2 Samuel 5:23.
A Sign of God's Preceding Action: The sound in the trees was confirmation that the LORD H3068 had already gone out H3318 before David to ensure victory. The trees served as the trigger for David to join a battle already being won by God 2 Samuel 5:24.
A Symbol of Transformation: In Psalms, the "valley of Baca" (weeping) is a place of hardship that is transformed into a well H4599, a source of life and blessing H1293. It illustrates the principle of trial leading to spiritual refreshment Psalms 84:6.

Summary

In summary, H1057 carries a dual meaning that enriches its biblical context. As the "mulberry tree," it is a landmark for divine strategy and a sign of God's initiative in battle. As "Baca," it represents a symbolic valley of weeping that, through faith, becomes a place of abundant blessing. The word demonstrates how God communicates through the physical realm and how places of sorrow can be transformed into sources of strength.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 5 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

בְּכָאִים
בָּכָא

Related Words

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 5 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles (2 verses each); never once in the other 36.

2 Samuel

1 Chronicles

Psalms

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.