בָּחַר bâchar — properly, to try, i.e. (by implication) select
Translated in the KJV as acceptable, appoint, choose, excellent, join, be rather, require.
a primitive root; properly, to try, i.e. (by implication) select.
bâchar in each stem
Qal (Pa'al)
Perfect (qatal) 64Imperfect (yiqtol) 42Wayyiqtol 19Participle (passive) 16Imperative 5Sequential perfect (weqatal) 5Infinitive absolute 3Participle (active) 2Cohortative 2Jussive 2Infinitive construct 1
That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
Niph'al
Participle (active) 6Sequential perfect (weqatal) 1
Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.
Qal passive
Participle (passive) 1
Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan against the habitation of the strong: but I will suddenly make him run away from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?
What the stems mean
A Hebrew verb is its root letters set into a pattern. The pattern — the binyan — is the grammar's way of saying three things at once: whether the action is simple, intensive or causative, and whether its subject is active, passive or reflexive. That is why one Hebrew word can need six English ones. All seven binyanim, explained ›