BIBLE HEBREW WORD STUDY
Boker (H1242) — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
The Hebrew noun בֹּקֶר (bōqer) refers to the break of day — properly dawn — and by extension the morning hour that follows.
Meaning of the word
Bōqer denotes the transition from night to day — the moment of dawn. The lexicon entry stresses this primary sense ('properly, dawn') and then extends it to the broader span of morning once the sun has risen.
In the day-age framework of Genesis 1, bōqer regularly follows 'evening' (עֶרֶב) to mark the completion of each creative day, making the word a structural marker of divine order rather than merely a time-of-day term.
Usage in Scripture
In Genesis 1:5, 1:8, 1:13, 1:19, 1:23, and 1:31, bōqer closes the refrain 'there was evening and there was morning, the Nth day,' tying each day of creation to the rhythm of light succeeding darkness.
In Exodus 14:24 and 14:27, bōqer marks the 'morning watch' and the moment 'when the morning appeared' — the precise hour when the sea returns and the Egyptians are overthrown, so that dawn becomes the stage for Israel's deliverance.
The word in detail
- H1242 Hebrew noun בֹּקֶר (bōqer), 'morning/dawn.' Properly indicates the break of day and is used for the morning hour that follows. The lexicon highlights dawn as the primary sense, while Scripture usage includes the fuller morning period (cf. Exod 14:27, 'when the morning appeared').
Example verses
- Genesis 1:5 First appearance of bōqer, paired with 'evening' (erev) to frame day one of creation and define the diurnal cycle.
- Exodus 14:24 Phrases 'in the morning watch,' locating YHWH's decisive intervention at dawn during Israel's crossing of the sea.
- Exodus 14:27 States 'when the morning appeared,' using bōqer as the visible sign that marks the sea's return and Egypt's defeat.
- Genesis 1:31 Closes the creation refrain for day six, applying bōqer to the day that brings forth humanity and the completion of God's 'very good' work.
Common questions
Is bōqer strictly 'dawn' or 'morning'?
Both. The lexicon gives 'dawn (as the break of day)' as the proper sense, and Scripture then uses it for the morning that follows — e.g., Exodus 14:27, 'when the morning appeared.'
Why does bōqer always follow 'evening' in Genesis 1?
The phrase 'evening and morning' structures each day, and placing bōqer after erev shows that the day is counted from evening to its completion at the next morning, marking the close of God's ordered work.