בֹּר (bor)
bor
lye
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun bor refers to lye, specifically the alkaline substance known as potash or ash lye. In the ancient world, this was not merely a cleaning agent but a crucial chemical component in metallurgy. It served as a flux during the smelting of metals, helping to separate impurities from ore by lowering the melting point and allowing slag to flow away.
This technical usage gives the word its striking metaphorical power in Isaiah 1:25. The prophet declares that God will turn His hand against the rebels "like lye" (bor). Just as the chemical agent dissolves dross from silver, divine judgment strips away the moral corruption of the people. The image is one of purification through intense heat and chemical action, rather than simple punishment.
Although the term appears only twice in Scripture, its presence in Job and Isaiah highlights a specific aspect of God’s work: refining. It reminds readers that holiness often involves a process where impurities are dissolved and removed, leaving behind something pure and valuable.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word bor describes lye, a powerful alkaline substance used in ancient metallurgy to separate pure metal from waste. When God uses this image in Isaiah, He is not merely punishing but refining. Just as heat and lye dissolve dross from silver, divine action strips away moral corruption to reveal what is genuine.
This process can feel intense, yet it is rooted in care rather than rejection. The Bible shows that holiness often involves a clearing away of what weighs us down. It is an invitation to trust that God’s work in your life aims at purity and value, not destruction.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- with/ potash1×
- like <the>/ potash1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כַּ/בֹּ֖ר1×
- בְּ/בֹ֣ר1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 1:25
I will turn my hand on you, thoroughly purge away your dross, and will take away all your tin.
This verse uses the metaphor of lye to describe God's active removal of moral impurities, framing judgment as a necessary step toward purification.
-
Job 9:30
If I wash myself with snow, and cleanse my hands with lye,
Here the word illustrates human inability to achieve purity through effort, contrasting sharply with God's power to truly cleanse.