What does בָּרָא · אֱלֹהִים · אָדָם mean in the Bible?
בָּרָא · אֱלֹהִים · אָדָם is a Hebrew phrase meaning "God created humankind".
Hebrew · H1254, H430, H120
בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אָדָם
(Absolutely) to create ; (qualified) to cut down (a wood), select , feed (as formative processes) · gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God ; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates ; and sometimes as a superlative · ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind , etc.)
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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant
בָּרָאH1254(absolutely) to create ; (qualified) to cut down (a wood), select , feed (as formative processes)
Pronunciationbārāʾ
Create by divine fiat; God's exclusive prerogative to bring into being from nothing or formlessness.
Open lexicon entry →אֱלֹהִיםH430gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God ; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates ; and sometimes as a superlative
Pronunciationʾĕlōhiym
Plural form persistently denotes the singular God of Israel; signals transcendent power and authority in every application.
Open lexicon entry →אָדָםH120ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind , etc.)
Pronunciationʾādām
Humanity defined by earthly origin: from dust (ʾădāmâ), emphasizing creatureliness and mortality rather than divinity.
Open lexicon entry →What does בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אָדָם (baraʾ ʾelohim ʾadam) mean in the Bible?
בָּרָא · אֱלֹהִים · אָדָם is a Hebrew phrase meaning "God created humankind".
Full entry for בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אָדָם (H1254, H430, H120) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How many biblical occurrences are listed for H1254, H430, H120?
H1254, H430, H120 is connected to 3,206 lexical occurrence verses in the lexicon data.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew phrase. God created humankind
Source Gloss
God created humankind
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups3Aligned forms29
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense23×
PerfectDeut 4:32 · Gen 1:1 · Gen 1:27 · Gen 2:3 · Isa 40:26 · Jer 31:22 · Gen 6:7 · Isa 45:12 · Isa 54:16 · Ps 89:4812×
Participle activeIsa 40:28 · Isa 42:5 · Isa 43:15 · Isa 45:18 · Isa 57:19 · Isa 65:17 · Isa 65:188×
Infinitive constructGen 5:11×
ImperfectNum 16:301×
Sequential imperfectPs 51:121×
Niphalpassive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action4×
PerfectExod 34:10 · Isa 48:7 · Ezek 21:353×
Participle activePs 102:191×
Pielintensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action2×
Infinitive absoluteEzek 21:242×
Word Origins
בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אָדָם is a primitive root - no further derivation.