Original Word: בְּעִיר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: b`iyr
Pronunciation: beh-ayr'
Phonetic Spelling: (beh-ere')
NASB: beasts, animal, cattle
Word Origin: [from H1197 (בָּעַר - To burn) (in the sense of eating)]

1. beast, cattle

beast, cattle

From ba'ar (in the sense of eating): cattle -- beast, cattle.

see HEBREW ba'ar

Word Origin
from baar
Definition
beasts, cattle
NASB Translation
animal (1), beasts (4), cattle (1).

[בְּעִיר] noun masculine^{Ex 22:4} beasts, cattle, collective (Late Hebrew id., Aramaic id., , Ethiopic etc., Sabean בער DHM^{ZMG 1876, 674; 1883, 329}; Arabic of camel; also ass, etc., compare Lane^227a; connection with above √ obscure) — suffix בְּעִירֹה Exodus 22:4, בְּעִירֵנוּ Numbers 20:4, בְּעִירְכָם Genesis 45:17, כְּעִירָם Numbers 20:8 2t.; — beasts of burden Genesis 45:17 (i.e. asses Genesis 44:3,13); elsewhere General, cattle Exodus 22:4; Numbers 20:4,8,11; Psalm 78:48

Biblical Distribution

Genesis 45:17; Exodus 22:5; Numbers 20:4; Numbers 20:8; Numbers 20:11; Psalm 78:48.

Patterns of Usage

The word consistently denotes domesticated, herd-type animals that serve human households as beasts of burden, sources of food, and measures of wealth. In every occurrence the welfare of these creatures is inseparably tied to that of their owners, highlighting a shared destiny between people and their animals within God’s providential order.

Agrarian Economy and Covenant Blessing

Genesis 45:17 reflects Egypt’s advanced agrarian infrastructure: “Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Tell your brothers, “Do this: Load your beasts and return to the land of Canaan.”’”. Livestock enabled Jacob’s family to make the long journey that preserved the covenant line during famine. Possessing healthy animals was a concrete sign of God’s blessing upon the patriarchal household (compare Genesis 24:35; 30:43).

Ethical Stewardship and Restitution

Exodus 22:5 places livestock at the heart of Israel’s civil legislation: “If a man grazes his livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in another man’s field, he must make restitution from the best of his own field or vineyard.”. The verse assumes that animals, once unleashed, naturally seek sustenance; therefore the onus lies on the owner to prevent damage to a neighbor’s livelihood. The law protects both property and social harmony, teaching that stewardship includes responsibility for the conduct of one’s animals.

Divine Provision in the Wilderness

Three occurrences cluster in Numbers 20, where the community faces deadly thirst. The people protest, “Why have you brought the LORD’s assembly into this wilderness, for us and our livestock to die here?” (Numbers 20:4). God answers not only for the congregation but for their herds: “You will bring out water from the rock and provide drink for the congregation and their livestock.” (Numbers 20:8). Moses’ subsequent striking of the rock (verse 11) still supplies water, underscoring the Lord’s compassion even when human leaders falter. The passage reveals a God who values every living creature dependent on His covenant people (cf. Psalm 36:6).

Instrument of Judgment

Psalm 78:48 recalls the seventh plague: “He abandoned their cattle to the hail and their livestock to bolts of lightning.”. Livestock represent Egypt’s economic strength; their loss demonstrates the impotence of false gods and the supremacy of the LORD. By contrasting Egypt’s devastation with Israel’s preservation, the psalmist reinforces trust in God’s redeeming power.

Pastoral and Prophetic Symbolism

Because livestock embodied sustenance and wealth, prophets used them to depict future blessing (Ezekiel 34:25–31) or impending desolation (Jeremiah 14:5–6). In messianic expectation, abundance of pastures and thriving herds foreshadow the restoration of creation under the reign of the coming King (Isaiah 30:23–26).

Theological Themes

1. Providence: God attends to the needs of both humans and animals (Psalm 104:14; Matthew 6:26), reinforcing His comprehensive care.
2. Accountability: Owners are answerable for harm done by their animals, reflecting the broader biblical ethic of loving one’s neighbor.
3. Judgement and Mercy: Livestock can become the object of divine wrath or blessing, teaching that material resources are never morally neutral but serve God’s redemptive purposes.

Ministry Application

• Stewardship: Congregations engaged in agriculture or modern business can glean principles of responsible management, restitution, and neighbor love.
• Compassion: The Lord’s concern for livestock argues against careless exploitation of creation; humane treatment is a witness to the Creator’s character.
• Dependence: As Israel learned in the wilderness, daily provision—whether water in arid lands or means of livelihood today—ultimately flows from God. Prayer and worship rightly acknowledge Him as the source of every good gift.

Summary

Across its six appearances, בְּעִיר anchors narratives of deliverance, legislation, wilderness sustenance, and judgment. Livestock function as tangible reminders that the God of Scripture rules over every facet of life, providing, protecting, and calling His people to faithful stewardship until the consummation when “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.”

בְּעִ֣ירְכֶ֔ם בְּעִירָ֑ם בְּעִירָֽם׃ בְּעִירֹ֔ו בעירו בעירכם בעירם בעירם׃ וּבְעִירֵֽנוּ׃ וּבְעִירָֽם׃ ובעירם׃ ובעירנו׃ bə‘îrām bə‘îrəḵem bə‘îrōw bə·‘î·rām bə·‘î·rə·ḵem bə·‘î·rōw beiRam beIreChem beiRo ū·ḇə·‘î·rām ū·ḇə·‘î·rê·nū ūḇə‘îrām ūḇə‘îrênū uveiRam uveiRenuInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts