English · KJV
H973

בָּחַל

bâchal /baw-khal'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto loath
KJV usageabhor, get hastily (from the margin for בָּהַל).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of bâchal — 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 bâchal, represented by H973, is a primitive root. It carries a dual meaning: to loath or abhor, but also to get hastily. It appears 2 times in 2 unique verses, highlighting its specific and rare usage in the scriptures.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its two appearances, H973 is used to convey two distinct concepts. In Proverbs, it describes the acquisition of "An inheritance... gotten hastily at the beginning" Proverbs 20:21. Conversely, in Zechariah, it illustrates a deep-seated emotional rejection, where the prophet speaks of a fractured relationship: "...and their soul also abhorred me" Zechariah 11:8. These examples demonstrate the word's application to both tangible actions and intense feelings.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide contrast and context to the meanings of H973:

  • H1288 bârak: This word means to bless. It stands in direct contrast to the outcome of hasty actions described in Proverbs 20:21, where an inheritance gotten hastily "shall not be blessed".
  • H7114 qâtsar: This primitive root means to dock off, i.e. curtail, and can also mean to lothe. It is used in parallel with H973 in Zechariah 11:8, where the prophet's soul first lothed the shepherds before their soul abhorred him, showing a mutual rejection.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H973 is revealed in its two distinct contexts:

  • The Principle of Process: In Proverbs 20:21, the act of getting something hastily H973 is set against a final state of not being blessed H1288. This establishes a moral and spiritual principle that improperly or impatiently acquired gains lack divine favor in the end.
  • Covenantal Rejection: The use in Zechariah 11:8, where the Lord's representative and the unfaithful shepherds mutually abhor H973 and lothe H7114 one another, signifies a complete breakdown of a covenant relationship. It illustrates the profound nature of spiritual alienation and the consequences of unfaithfulness.

Summary

In summary, H973 bâchal, though appearing only twice, provides powerful insight. It illustrates both the negative outcome of impatient, worldly gain and the emotional depth of spiritual rejection. Through its usage, the word underscores key biblical themes: the value of divinely blessed process over haste, and the severe consequences that arise when a covenant relationship between God and his people is broken.

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 1 occurrence, inflected in 1 grammatical form — 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.

  • בָּחֲלָה

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.

H1288 בָרַךְ a primitive root; to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit); a H7114 קָצַר a primitive root; to dock off, i.e. curtail (transitive or intransitive, literal or figurative); especially to harvest (

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 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Proverbs and Zechariah (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

1
Proverbs
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.