### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **bᵉʼêr**, represented by `{{H875}}`, is a term for a **pit** or, more specifically, a **well**. Based on the root word for "to make plain," it points to a source that has been dug or cleared. It appears **37 times** across **33 unique verses**, highlighting its importance as both a literal source of water and a powerful metaphor.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H875}}` is a central feature of life in an arid land. It serves as a vital gathering place and a source of conflict. Isaac's servants are depicted digging multiple wells, with disputes arising over ownership of the water [[Genesis 26:19-21]]. Jacob's first encounter with Rachel occurs at a well, where the daily ritual of watering flocks is delayed until a great stone can be rolled from the well's mouth ([[Genesis 29:2-3]], [[Genesis 29:10]]). Figuratively, the term is used to represent danger and destruction, as in the "pit of destruction" [[Psalms 55:23]] or the plea for the pit not to shut its mouth upon the psalmist [[Psalms 69:15]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the actions and concepts associated with a well:
* `{{H2658}}` **châphar** (dig, search out): This verb is frequently used to describe the act of creating a well, as when Isaac's servants "digged" for water ([[Genesis 26:19]], [[Genesis 26:22]]). Its definition is to delve or explore.
* `{{H3738}}` **kârâh** (dig, open): A similar verb used to describe the digging of a well by Isaac's servants [[Genesis 26:25]] and the nobles of the people [[Numbers 21:18]]. It means to bore or open.
* `{{H7579}}` **shâʼab** (draw water): This describes the primary purpose of a well. It is used in the context of women who "go out to draw water" [[Genesis 24:11]] and Rebekah, who ran to the well to "draw water" for the camels [[Genesis 24:20]].
* `{{H953}}` **bôwr** (cistern, pit, well): This word is used as a close synonym, often for a man-made cistern. Proverbs advises to drink water from one's own "cistern" `{{H953}}` and "well" `{{H875}}`, linking the two concepts [[Proverbs 5:15]].
### Theological Significance
The theological and symbolic weight of `{{H875}}` is significant, representing contrasting themes of life and peril.
* **Divine Provision:** A well often symbolizes God's direct, life-sustaining intervention. God opens Hagar's eyes to see a "well of water" in the wilderness, saving her and her son [[Genesis 21:19]]. The Israelites sing "Spring up, O well" after the LORD promises to provide water [[Numbers 21:17]].
* **Fidelity and Satisfaction:** The well becomes a metaphor for wisdom and marital faithfulness. Proverbs advises a man to drink from his own "well," a figurative command to find satisfaction within his own marriage [[Proverbs 5:15]]. In the Song of Solomon, the beloved is described as a "well of living waters," a source of life and delight [[Song of Solomon 4:15]].
* **Danger and Entrapment:** In a negative context, a pit or well represents a snare. A strange woman is likened to a "narrow pit" [[Proverbs 23:27]], and the wicked are destined for the "pit of destruction" [[Psalms 55:23]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H875}}` is far more than a hole in the ground. It is a cornerstone of survival in patriarchal narratives, a place of social gathering, and a source of conflict. Symbolically, it carries the dual meaning of divine provision and life on one hand, and mortal danger and entrapment on the other. The word **bᵉʼêr** powerfully illustrates how a single, essential feature of the ancient landscape can represent the fundamental biblical contrast between life and death.
TRV