Word Study for H1158 (בָּעָה)

bâʻâh /baw-aw'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto gush over, i.e. to swell; (figuratively) to desire earnestly; by implication to ask

KJV usagecause, inquire, seek up, swell out.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of bâʻâh — 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 bâʻâh, represented by H1158, is a primitive root that expresses concepts of gushing, swelling, and earnest seeking. It appears 5 times across 4 unique verses in the Bible. Its meanings range from the physical, such as water boiling or a wall swelling, to the figurative, signifying a deep desire to inquire or seek something out.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, H1158 is used to illustrate both physical and metaphorical intensity. It describes the physical effect of divine power, where a fire causes waters to boil to make God's name known to His adversaries Isaiah 64:2. It is also used as a metaphor for impending judgment, portraying iniquity as a breach that is swelling out in a high wall, just before it suddenly breaks Isaiah 30:13. In a different context, it signifies a call to action, where a watchman urges the people to enquire Isaiah 21:12, and it describes the thoroughness of judgment, where the hidden things of Esau are sought up Obadiah 1:6.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the contexts in which bâʻâh is used:

H2664 châphas (a primitive root; to seek): This term is paired directly with H1158 to emphasize a thorough and diligent search, as when the things of Esau are "searched out" and "sought up" Obadiah 1:6.
H7725 shûwb (a primitive root; to turn back): Following the call to "enquire" H1158, this word presents the necessary response. The act of seeking is linked to the act of returning to God Isaiah 21:12.
H6919 qâdach (a primitive root to inflame): This word highlights the physical intensity associated with H1158. A fire that "burneth" H6919 is the direct cause for the waters to "boil" H1158 in a display of divine power Isaiah 64:2.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H1158 is seen in its powerful imagery.

Impending Judgment: The word illustrates the nature of sin and iniquity as a force that is "swelling out" within a wall, signifying a breaking point where collapse is sudden and inevitable Isaiah 30:13.
Manifestation of Divine Power: H1158 is used to create a vivid picture of God's might. The boiling of waters is not a natural event but a purposeful sign intended to make His name known and cause nations to tremble before Him Isaiah 64:2.
The Call to Seek: The act of "enquiring" is presented as an urgent opportunity. In Isaiah 21:12, it is part of a direct command from a watchman, linking the desire to seek with the need to "return" and "come."

Summary

In summary, H1158 is a dynamic word that conveys a sense of building pressure and urgent action. Though used sparingly, it powerfully depicts concepts ranging from the physical swelling that precedes a collapse to the earnest inquiry that precedes a spiritual return. It serves as a potent descriptor for the manifestation of God's power, the certainty of judgment, and the critical importance of seeking.

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 verb across 5 occurrences, inflected in 5 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.

נִבְעֶה
נִבְעוּ
בְּעָיוּ
תִּבְעָיוּ
תִּבְעֶה

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 4 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Isaiah (3 verses); never once in the other 37.

Isaiah

Obadiah

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.