Word Study for H943 (בּוּךְ) | Strong's Concordance

bûwk /book/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto involve (literally or figuratively)

KJV usagebe entangled, (perplexed).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of bûwk — 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 bûwk, represented by H943, is a primitive root used to describe being involved or entangled, either literally or figuratively. It carries the meaning of being perplexed or confused. It appears 3 times across 3 unique verses in the Bible, making each usage significant.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical occurrences, H943 depicts a state of being trapped or in disarray. Pharaoh, observing the Israelites, concludes they are entangled in the land, with the wilderness shutting them in Exodus 14:3. The word is also used to describe social confusion; after a royal decree is issued by King Ahasuerus and Haman, the entire city of Shushan was perplexed Esther 3:15. Finally, the term extends to the natural world in a prophecy from Joel, where the herds of cattle are perplexed because there is no pasture for them Joel 1:18.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the contexts in which this perplexity occurs:

H5462 çâgar (to shut up): This root, meaning to close up or enclose, is used directly alongside H943 to describe the physical predicament of the Israelites. Pharaoh believes the wilderness "hath shut them in" Exodus 14:3.
H5892 ʻîyr (a city): This term for a city is the subject of the confusion in Esther. It is not just an individual, but "the city Shushan" that was perplexed Esther 3:15 by the king's shocking decree.
H1241 bâqâr (beef cattle or an animal of the ox family): This word for cattle is used to show that the state of perplexity can extend even to animals. In Joel, the "herds of cattle are perplexed" Joel 1:18 due to the lack of food.

Theological Significance

The use of H943 highlights several key themes:

Physical and Mental Entrapment: The word captures both a literal, physical state of being trapped, as with the Israelites in the wilderness Exodus 14:3, and a state of figurative, mental confusion, as seen in the city of Shushan Esther 3:15.
Confusion from Crisis: In each case, perplexity arises from a dire situation. For Israel, it is the apparent dead-end in the wilderness. For Shushan, it is a life-threatening royal decree. For the cattle, it is a devastating lack of pasture Joel 1:18.
Universal Distress: The term is applied to the chosen people of Israel, a Persian city, and even herds of cattle. This demonstrates a shared experience of confusion and distress that can affect all of creation when faced with overwhelming circumstances.

Summary

In summary, H943 bûwk is a potent, though rare, term for being entangled or perplexed. Its three appearances in Scripture paint a vivid picture of distress, whether it is the physical entrapment of a people, the civic confusion of a city, or the desperation of animals in a famine. The word effectively communicates a state of being hopelessly caught, both literally and figuratively.

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 3 occurrences, inflected in 3 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.

נְבֻכִים
נָבֹכוּ
נָבוֹכָה

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 3 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Exodus, Esther, and Joel (1 verse each); never once in the other 36.

Exodus

Esther

Joel

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.