Word study
Bear
15 Hebrew and 11 Greek words behind this English word
The original-language words that the Berean Standard Bible translates with one of these: bear, bore, bears, bearing, borne, bored. English often uses one word where Hebrew or Greek has several, each with its own shade of meaning. Under each word are verses where it is translated this way; choose the word itself for its full study: every verse, how else it is translated, the forms it takes and what the dictionaries say.
At a glance
How often each original word is translated “bear” or one of its forms.
Compare the Hebrew words side by side Compare the Greek words side by side
Hebrew and Aramaic words (Old Testament)
- יָלַד yâladbear, bring forth, begettranslated this way 84 times of its 484 uses · Strong’s H3205Verb · Translated: father 111, born 57, bore 52, gave birth 44Full study and all 395 verses →
Genesis 6:4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days— and afterward as well— when the sons of God had relations with the daughters of men. And they bore them children who became the mighty men of old, men of renown.
Exodus 6:20 And Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years.
- נָשָׂא nâsâlift, take, carrytranslated this way 74 times of its 642 uses · Strong’s H5375Verb · Translated: bear 49, lift 45, lifted 41, carried 38Full study and all 601 verses →
Genesis 4:13 But Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.
Exodus 28:12 Fasten both stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear their names on his two shoulders as a memorial before the LORD.
- דֹּב dôbbeartranslated this way 12 times of its 12 uses · Strong’s H1677Noun · Translated: bear 8, bears 1, female bears 1, like bears 1Full study and all 12 verses →
1 Samuel 17:34 David replied, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep, and whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock,
2 Samuel 17:8 He continued, “You know your father and his men. They are mighty men, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Moreover, your father is a man of war who will not spend the night with the troops.
- קָרָא qârâcall, proclaim, readtranslated this way 11 times of its 709 uses · Strong’s H7121Verb · Translated: called 211, call 104, named 58, summoned 50Full study and all 663 verses →
Jeremiah 7:10 and then come and stand before Me in this house, which bears My Name, and say, ‘We are delivered, so we can continue with all these abominations’?
Daniel 9:18 Incline Your ear, O my God, and hear; open Your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears Your name. For we are not presenting our petitions before You because of our righteous acts, but because of Your great compassion.
- עָשָׂה âsâhdo, maketranslated this way 5 times of its 2,478 uses · Strong’s H6213Verb · Translated: done 292, made 265, make 143, did 112Full study and all 2,206 verses →
Genesis 1:11 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth vegetation: seed-bearing plants and fruit trees, each bearing fruit with seed according to its kind.” And it was so.
Genesis 1:12 The earth produced vegetation: seed-bearing plants according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
- עָנָה ânâhanswer, respondtranslated this way 4 times of its 317 uses · Strong’s H6030Verb · Translated: answered 79, answer 75, replied 47, respond 14Full study and all 308 verses →
Exodus 20:16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Deuteronomy 5:20 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
- סָבַל sâbalbeartranslated this way 4 times of its 9 uses · Strong’s H5445Verb · Translated: bear 3Full study and all 8 verses →
Psalm 144:14 Our oxen will bear great loads. There will be no breach in the walls, no going into captivity, and no cry of lament in our streets.
Isaiah 46:4 Even to your old age, I will be the same, and I will bear you up when you turn gray. I have made you, and I will carry you; I will sustain you and deliver you.
- אָשַׁם âshamoffend, be guiltytranslated this way 4 times of its 33 uses · Strong’s H816Verb · Translated: guilty 8, incur guilt 3, incurs guilt 2, guilt 2Full study and all 32 verses →
Proverbs 30:10 Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will bear the guilt.
Isaiah 24:6 Therefore a curse has consumed the earth, and its inhabitants must bear the guilt; the earth’s dwellers have been burned, and only a few survive.
- חָטָא châṭâmisstranslated this way 3 times of its 233 uses · Strong’s H2398Verb · Translated: sinned 73, sin 33, committed 26, sins 21Full study and all 217 verses →
Genesis 31:39 I did not bring you anything torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for what was stolen by day or night.
Genesis 43:9 I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life.
- נָתַן nâthangive, put, settranslated this way 3 times of its 1,957 uses · Strong’s H5414Verb · Translated: give 326, gave 206, given 187, put 135Full study and all 1,785 verses →
Genesis 49:21 Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.
Leviticus 26:4 I will give you rains in their season, and the land will yield its produce, and the trees of the field will bear their fruit.
- חָגַר châgargird, gird on, gird oneselftranslated this way 2 times of its 42 uses · Strong’s H2296Verb · Translated: put 8, around 3, strapped 3, armed 3Full study and all 40 verses →
2 Samuel 21:16 Then Ishbi-benob, a descendant of Rapha, whose bronze spear weighed three hundred shekels and who was bearing a new sword, resolved to kill David.
2 Kings 3:21 Now all the Moabites had heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. So all who could bear arms, young and old, were summoned and stationed at the border.
- בָּכַר bâkargive the birthrighttranslated this way 2 times of its 3 uses · Strong’s H1069Verb · Translated: firstborn 1, like one bearing her first child 1, bear fruit 1Full study and all 3 verses →
Jeremiah 4:31 For I hear a cry like a woman in labor, a cry of anguish like one bearing her first child — the cry of the Daughter of Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands to say, “Woe is me, for my soul faints before the murderers!”
Ezekiel 47:12 Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of all kinds will grow. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. Each month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will be used for food and their leaves for healing.”
- יָכֹל yâkôlbe able, have power, prevail, enduretranslated this way 2 times of its 116 uses · Strong’s H3201Verb · Translated: able 17, could 11, prevail 10, can 9Full study and all 113 verses →
Esther 8:6 For how could I bear to see the disaster that would befall my people? How could I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?”
- עַיִשׁ AyishGreat Beartranslated this way 2 times of its 2 uses · Strong’s H5906Noun · Translated: Bear 2Full study and all 2 verses →
Job 9:9 He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, of the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
Job 38:32 Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear and her cubs?
- פָּרָה pârâhbear fruit, be fruitfultranslated this way 2 times of its 29 uses · Strong’s H6509Verb · Translated: fruitful 17, make you fruitful 3Full study and all 28 verses →
Deuteronomy 29:18 Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the LORD our God to go and worship the gods of those nations. Make sure there is no root among you that bears such poisonous and bitter fruit,
Isaiah 11:1 Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.
Greek words (New Testament)
- φέρω phérōI carry, bear, bring, leadtranslated this way 11 times of its 64 uses · Strong’s G5342Verb · Translated: brought 17, Bring 11, bear 6, bringing 3Full study and all 58 verses →
Mark 4:8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it sprouted, grew up, and produced a crop — one bearing thirtyfold, another sixtyfold, and another a hundredfold.”
John 12:24 Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.
- ποιέω poiéōI do, maketranslated this way 10 times of its 544 uses · Strong’s G4160Verb · Translated: do 50, done 44, doing 40, made 34Full study and all 494 verses →
Matthew 7:17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
Luke 6:43 No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.
- βαστάζω bastázōI carry, carry away, beartranslated this way 7 times of its 27 uses · Strong’s G941Verb · Translated: carry 6, bear 5, carried 4, carrying 4Full study and all 27 verses →
Matthew 20:12 ‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.’
Luke 11:27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and blessed are the breasts that nursed You!”
- καρποφορέω karpophoréōI bear fruittranslated this way 5 times of its 8 uses · Strong’s G2592Verb · Translated: bearing fruit 3, produce a crop 2, bears fruit 1, produces a crop 1Full study and all 8 verses →
Matthew 13:23 But the seed sown on good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and produces a crop — a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.”
Romans 7:4 Therefore, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.
- ψευδομαρτυρέω pseudomartyréōI testify falselytranslated this way 4 times of its 5 uses · Strong’s G5576Verb · Translated: bear false witness 3, bore false witness 1, testified falsely 1Full study and all 5 verses →
Matthew 19:18 “Which ones?” the man asked. Jesus answered, “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness,
Mark 10:19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not cheat others, honor your father and mother.’”
- ἀνέχομαι anéchomaiI endure, bear withtranslated this way 3 times of its 14 uses · Strong’s G430Verb · Translated: put 5, Bear 2Full study and all 14 verses →
Ephesians 4:2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
Colossians 3:13 Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
- στέγω stégōI cover, conceal, bear withtranslated this way 3 times of its 4 uses · Strong’s G4722Verb · Translated: bear 2, put 1, bears 1Full study and all 4 verses →
1 Corinthians 13:7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Thessalonians 3:1 So when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left on our own in Athens.
- ὁράω horáōI see, look upon, experiencetranslated this way 2 times of its 445 uses · Strong’s G3708Verb · Translated: saw 183, see 121, seen 60, appeared 18Full study and all 424 verses →
Matthew 27:4 “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said. “What is that to us?” they replied. “You bear the responsibility.”
Matthew 27:24 When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.”
- γεννάω gennáōI beget, bring forth, give birth totranslated this way 2 times of its 96 uses · Strong’s G1080Verb · Translated: father 39, born 37, become your father 3Full study and all 65 verses →
Luke 1:13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.
Luke 23:29 Look, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed!’
- φορέω phoréōI carry, weartranslated this way 2 times of its 6 uses · Strong’s G5409Verb · Translated: wear 1, wearing 1, carry 1, borne 1Full study and all 5 verses →
1 Corinthians 15:49 And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so also shall we bear the likeness of the heavenly man.
- ἀναφέρω anaphérōI carry up, lead up, offer uptranslated this way 2 times of its 10 uses · Strong’s G399Verb · Translated: led 2, offered 2Full study and all 9 verses →
Hebrews 9:28 so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.
1 Peter 2:24 He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”
How to study a word well
- Start from the verse, not the dictionary. Find which Hebrew or Greek word stands in the verse you are studying. One English word often translates several different original words.
- Read every place the word is used. A word means what its writers used it to mean. The list of verses and the count by book show its range, and who uses it most.
- Look at how it is translated. A word rendered five different ways has a wider meaning than any one English word can carry.
- Notice the form. A command is not a statement, and a passive verb is something done to the subject. The form in your verse is part of the meaning.
- See what it keeps company with. The words that appear beside it again and again show how the Bible itself connects ideas.
- Then read the dictionaries. They give the considered view of scholars, with their evidence.
- Come back to the verse. Context decides. A word does not carry every one of its meanings into every verse, and where a word came from does not settle what it means in a sentence written centuries later.
What the Bible says about bear: passages by topic →
Scripture text and translation counts: Berean Standard Bible. Full entry: Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906, public domain), in the digital edition Brown-Driver-Briggs Enhanced by unfoldingWord (Joel Ruark, J. de Joode), based on data by Eliran Wong and Stephen Ku; its additions are used under CC BY 4.0. Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary: Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project, CC BY 4.0. Hebrew-to-English verse numbering: original work of the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible available at https://github.com/openscriptures/morphhb, CC BY 4.0. We reformatted the data, linked the references to this site’s Bible text and left out words in other scripts that the source holds only as images. These are historical reference works; an entry gives its authors’ view, and a word’s meaning in any verse depends on how it is used there.