English · KJV
H1234

בָּקַע

bâqaʻ /baw-kah'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto cleave; generally, to rend, break, rip or open
KJV usagemake a breach, break forth (into, out, in pieces, through, up), be ready to burst, cleave (asunder), cut out, divide, hatch, rend (asunder), rip up, tear, win.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of bâqaʻ — 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 bâqaʻ, represented by H1234, is a primitive root meaning to cleave, rend, break, rip, or open. It appears 51 times across 50 unique verses in the Bible. Its meaning encompasses a forceful and often violent action of splitting something apart, whether it be the earth, a body of water, a city wall, or even an egg.

Beyond its immediate sense of a forceful split, H1234 often implies a complete and decisive separation, creating an opening or a passage where none existed, or a violent rupture that fundamentally alters the integrity of the object. This is not merely a surface crack or damage, but a definitive sundering, whether by divine intervention or human force. The action can be initiated externally, as when God cleaves a rock, or internally, as when something "breaks out" or "bursts" from within, highlighting the dynamic and often transformative nature of the verb.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H1234 is frequently used to describe God's miraculous power over the natural world. It is the word used when God divided the sea for Israel's escape Exodus 14:21 and when the fountains of the great deep were broken up during the flood Genesis 7:11. God also clave the rocks in the wilderness to provide water for His people Psalms 78:15. In a prophetic sense, the Mount of Olives is foretold to cleave in two at the Lord's return Zechariah 14:4. The term is also used to describe extreme acts of human violence, such as when armies would ripped up pregnant women in conquest Amos 1:13.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand on the concept of breaking, opening, and rending:

  • H7167 qâraʻ (to rend, literally or figuratively; tear): This word often conveys a similar tearing action. It is used to describe how a wild beast would tear its prey Hosea 13:8 and, figuratively, the command to rend your heart and not your garments Joel 2:13.
  • H7665 shâbar (to burst; break, crush, destroy): This term often describes shattering or breaking something into pieces. It is used when a reed is broken and cannot be leaned on Ezekiel 29:7 and is also used figuratively to describe a broken and contrite heart Psalms 51:17.
  • H6605 pâthach (to open wide; to loosen, begin): While H1234 often implies a violent split, H6605 can describe a more controlled opening. It is used when the windows of heaven were opened during the flood Genesis 7:11 and when God promises to open a fountain for sin and for uncleanness Zechariah 13:1.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H1234 is demonstrated in its contrasting applications:

  • Divine Sovereignty and Judgment: The word showcases God's absolute power to split open the very fabric of creation, seen in the dividing of the sea and the breaking up of the fountains of the deep Genesis 7:11. This same power is used for judgment, as a stormy wind is sent to rend a wall Ezekiel 13:11.
  • Miraculous Provision and Deliverance: The act of cleaving is a means of salvation. God clave the rock to provide life-giving water Isaiah 48:21 and divided the sea to create a path of escape Nehemiah 9:11.
  • Human Depravity: In stark contrast, the word is used to describe the horrific brutality of warfare, where conquerors ripped up the innocent to enlarge their own border Amos 1:13, highlighting the depths of human sin.
  • Spiritual Breakthrough: The word signifies a sudden and powerful emergence of hope and restoration. In a promise of blessing, light break forth as the morning Isaiah 58:8, and in a renewed wilderness, waters break out Isaiah 35:6.

Summary

In summary, H1234 is a powerful and dynamic verb that signifies a forceful splitting or bursting forth. It is a word of immense contrasts, used to describe God's magnificent acts of creation, deliverance, and judgment, as well as the most heinous acts of human violence. From cleaving a rock for water to breaking through an enemy line, bâqaʻ illustrates that the act of breaking open can lead to either salvation or destruction.

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 51 occurrences, inflected in 34 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.

  • תִּבָּקַע
  • נִבְקְעוּ
  • יִּבְקְעוּ
  • בּוֹקֵעַ
  • יִבָּקַע
  • תְּבַקַּע
  • תְּבַקֵּעַ
  • בִּקֵּעַ
  • יִּבְקַע
  • בִּקְעָ
  • בָקַעְתָּ
  • נַבְקִעֶ

Related Words

Related

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.

H7167 קָרַע a primitive root; to rend, literally or figuratively (revile, paint the eyes, as if enlarging them); cut out, rend, [idi H7665 שָׁבַר a primitive root; to burst (literally or figuratively); break (down, off, in pieces, up), broken (-hearted), bring to th H6605 פָּתַח a primitive root; to open wide (literally or figuratively); specifically, to loosen, begin, plough, carve; appear, break

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 50 verses across 24 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Isaiah (7 verses); never once in the other 15.

2
Genesis
2
Exodus
1
Numbers
2
Joshua
1
Judges
1
1 Samuel
1
2 Samuel
1
1 Kings
5
2 Kings
1
1 Chronicles
3
2 Chronicles
1
Nehemiah
3
Job
4
Psalms
1
Proverbs
1
Ecclesiastes
7
Isaiah
2
Jeremiah
5
Ezekiel
2
Hosea
1
Amos
1
Micah
1
Habakkuk
1
Zechariah

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.