Word Study · Strong's H974 · Hebrew
בָּחַן
bachan
baw-khan'
Strong's 1890 spelling: bâchan
“to test (especially metals)”
Strong's Dictionary · 1890 · public domain
to test (especially metals); generally and figuratively, to investigate
Rendered in the KJV as
examine, prove, tempt, try (trial).
- 29occurrencesin the Old Testament
- 9 of 39Old Testament bookswhere the word stands
- 26inflected formsdistinct spellings
Across 29 occurrences
The word itself
Inflected forms · 26
- בֹּחֵ֣ן3
- תִּבְחָ֑ן2
- אֶבְחָֽנְךָ֨1
- בֹ֔חַן1
- בֹּחֵ֥ן1
- בָּחֲנ֛וּ1
- בְּ֝חָנ֗וּנִי1
- בְּחָנֵ֣נִי1
- בְּ֝חָנֵ֗נִי1
- בְּ֝חָנַ֗נִי1
- בָּ֘חַ֤נְתָּ1
- בְחַנְתָּ֥נוּ1
and 14 more spellings in the ledger below.
How it is rendered · 26
- [who] tests2
- and I will test them2
- test me2
- [am] testing1
- [are] testing1
- and [is] testing1
- and [who] tests1
- and test me1
- and you test1
- and you will test1
- as tests1
- does it test1
The sense the word carries at each spot — how the translators read it there, not a fixed translation.
How it parses · 20
- verb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singular4
- verb · simple (qal), command · 2nd person masculine singular + pronoun suffix · 1st person masculine or feminine singular3
- Hc/Vqq1cs/Sp3mp2
- Hc/Vqq2ms2
- conjunction (“and”) + verb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singular2
- verb · simple (qal), ongoing or future action · 3rd person feminine singular2
- HC/VNu3mp1
- conjunction (“and”) + verb · simple (qal), command · 2nd person masculine plural + pronoun suffix · 1st person masculine or feminine singular1
- preposition + verb · simple (qal), infinitive (“to…”)1
- verb · passive or reflexive (niphal), ongoing or future action · 2nd person masculine plural1
- verb · passive or reflexive (niphal), ongoing or future action · 3rd person masculine singular1
- verb · intensive passive (pual), completed action · 3rd person masculine singular1
Show the grammar codes as tagged
- HVqrmsa · 4
- HVqv2ms/Sp1bs · 3
- Hc/Vqq1cs/Sp3mp · 2
- Hc/Vqq2ms · 2
- HC/Vqrmsa · 2
- HVqi3fs · 2
- HC/VNu3mp · 1
- HC/Vqv2mp/Sp1bs · 1
- HR/Vqcc · 1
- HVNi2mp · 1
- HVNi3ms · 1
- HVPp3ms · 1
All 29, in canonical order
The ledger of occurrences
Where this word lives
Psalms carries the most and opens below; every other book is one click.
Genesis2 occurrences
- Genesis 42:15תִּבָּחֵ֑נוּtibachenuverb · passive or reflexive (niphal), ongoing or future action · 2nd person masculine pluralAnd this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.here: you will be tested
- Genesis 42:16וְיִבָּֽחֲנוּ֙veyibachanuHC/VNu3mpSend one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be confined so that the truth of your words may be tested. If they are untrue, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!”here: so they may be tested
Job5 occurrences
- Job 7:18תִּבְחָנֶֽנּוּ׃tivchanenuverb · simple (qal), ongoing or future action · 2nd person masculine singular + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singularthat You attend to him every morning, and test him every moment?here: you test him
- Job 12:11תִּבְחָ֑ןtivchanverb · simple (qal), ongoing or future action · 3rd person feminine singularDoes not the ear test words as the tongue tastes its food?here: does it test
- Job 23:10בְּ֝חָנַ֗נִיbechananiverb · simple (qal), command · 2nd person masculine singular + pronoun suffix · 1st person masculine or feminine singularYet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.here: he has tested me
- Job 34:3תִּבְחָ֑ןtivchanverb · simple (qal), ongoing or future action · 3rd person feminine singularFor the ear tests words as the mouth tastes food.here: it tests
- Job 34:36יִבָּחֵ֣ןyibachenverb · passive or reflexive (niphal), ongoing or future action · 3rd person masculine singularIf only Job were tried to the utmost for answering like a wicked man.here: he will be tested
Psalms9 occurrences
- Psalms 7:9וּבֹחֵ֣ןuvochenconjunction (“and”) + verb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singularPut an end to the evil of the wicked, but establish the righteous, O righteous God who searches hearts and minds.here: and [who] tests
- Psalms 11:4יִ֝בְחֲנ֗וּyivchanuverb · simple (qal), ongoing or future action · 3rd person masculine pluralThe LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD is on His heavenly throne. His eyes are watching closely; they examine the sons of men.here: they test
- Psalms 11:5יִ֫בְחָ֥ןyivchanverb · simple (qal), ongoing or future action · 3rd person masculine singularThe LORD tests the righteous and the wicked; His soul hates the lover of violence.here: he tests
- Psalms 17:3בָּ֘חַ֤נְתָּbachantaverb · simple (qal), completed action · 2nd person masculine singularYou have tried my heart; You have visited me in the night. You have tested me and found no evil; I have resolved not to sin with my mouth.here: you have tested
- Psalms 26:2בְּחָנֵ֣נִיbechaneniverb · simple (qal), command · 2nd person masculine singular + pronoun suffix · 1st person masculine or feminine singularTest me, O LORD, and try me; examine my heart and mind.here: test me
- Psalms 66:10בְחַנְתָּ֥נוּvechantanuverb · simple (qal), completed action · 2nd person masculine singular + pronoun suffix · 1st person masculine or feminine pluralFor You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us like silver.here: you have tested us
- Psalms 81:7אֶבְחָֽנְךָ֨ʾevchanekhaverb · simple (qal), ongoing or future action · 1st person common singular + pronoun suffix · 2nd person masculine singularYou called out in distress, and I rescued you; I answered you from the cloud of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selahhere: I tested you
- Psalms 95:9בְּ֝חָנ֗וּנִיbechanuniverb · simple (qal), completed action · 3rd person common plural + pronoun suffix · 1st person masculine or feminine singularwhere your fathers tested and tried Me, though they had seen My work.here: they tested me
- Psalms 139:23בְּ֝חָנֵ֗נִיbechaneniverb · simple (qal), command · 2nd person masculine singular + pronoun suffix · 1st person masculine or feminine singularSearch me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns.here: test me
Jeremiah6 occurrences
- Jeremiah 6:27וּבָחַנְתָּ֖uvachantaHc/Vqq2ms“I have appointed you to examine My people like ore, so you may know and try their ways.here: and you will test
- Jeremiah 9:7וּבְחַנְתִּ֑יםuvechantimHc/Vqq1cs/Sp3mpTherefore this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Behold, I will refine them and test them, for what else can I do because of the daughter of My people?here: and I will test them
- Jeremiah 11:20בֹּחֵ֥ןbochenverb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singularO LORD of Hosts, who judges righteously, who examines the heart and mind, let me see Your vengeance upon them, for to You I have committed my cause.here: [who] tests
- Jeremiah 12:3וּבָחַנְתָּ֥uvachantaHc/Vqq2msBut You know me, O LORD; You see me and test my heart toward You. Drag away the wicked like sheep to the slaughter and set them apart for the day of carnage.here: and you test
- Jeremiah 17:10בֹּחֵ֣ןbochenverb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singularI, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve.here: [am] testing
- Jeremiah 20:12בֹּחֵ֣ןbochenverb · simple (qal), participle (“the one who…”) · masculine singularO LORD of Hosts, who examines the righteous, who sees the heart and mind, let me see Your vengeance upon them, for to You I have committed my cause.here: [who] tests
Zechariah2 occurrences
- Zechariah 13:9וּבְחַנְתִּ֖יםuvechantimHc/Vqq1cs/Sp3mpThis third I will bring through the fire;I will refine them like silverand test them like gold.They will call on My name,and I will answer them.I will say, ‘They are My people,’and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’”here: and I will test them
- Zechariah 13:9כִּבְחֹ֣ןkivchonpreposition + verb · simple (qal), infinitive (“to…”)This third I will bring through the fire;I will refine them like silverand test them like gold.They will call on My name,and I will answer them.I will say, ‘They are My people,’and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’”here: as tests
Malachi2 occurrences
- Malachi 3:10וּבְחָנ֤וּנִיuvechanuniconjunction (“and”) + verb · simple (qal), command · 2nd person masculine plural + pronoun suffix · 1st person masculine or feminine singularBring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,” says the LORD of Hosts. “See if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out for you blessing without measure.here: and test me
- Malachi 3:15בָּחֲנ֛וּbachanuverb · simple (qal), completed action · 3rd person common pluralSo now we call the arrogant blessed. Not only do evildoers prosper, they even test God and escape.’”here: they have tested