בּוֹקֵר (bo.qer)
bo.qer
herdsman
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun boqer refers to a herdsman, specifically one who tends cattle or large livestock. This word appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Amos 7:14, where the prophet Amos identifies himself by this trade before King Amaziah.
Amos uses the term to ground his authority in practical experience rather than formal prophetic training. By calling himself a boqer, he emphasizes that his message comes from direct observation of rural life and divine calling, not from professional priestly or prophetic schools. This self-description highlights the humble origins of his ministry.
The rarity of this word in Scripture makes its single occurrence significant. It shows how ordinary occupational terms carry theological weight when used by prophets to describe their background. The term reminds readers that God often chooses those with simple, working-class experiences to deliver important messages.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word boqer describes a herdsman, one who tends cattle or large livestock. It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Amos 7:14. The prophet Amos uses it to describe his own background before King Amaziah. He does not claim formal training as a prophet but points to his life working with animals and fig trees.
This single occurrence carries deep meaning for faith today. It shows that God often chooses people from ordinary, working-class backgrounds to deliver important messages. Amos’s authority came not from a school or title but from direct experience and divine calling. His humble origins remind us that our daily work can hold spiritual weight.
When we feel unqualified for a task, this word offers comfort. God does not always look for perfect credentials. He looks for willing hearts. Your ordinary experiences, whether in fields, offices, or homes, are seen and used by Him. Trust that your honest labor matters to Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [was] a herdsman1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בוֹקֵ֥ר1×
Key Verses
-
Amos 7:14
Then Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman, and a farmer of sycamore figs;
Amos uses this term to ground his prophetic authority in practical rural life rather than formal training.