בְּחִיר (Bachir)

MEANINGThe chosen one. Nominal form of bachar. Always refers to a corporate entity in the OT --- Israel as the chosen servant, the servant of Isaiah's songs. Never used for individual pre-elected persons.

GRAMMARQal passive participle used as noun. In Isaiah's servant songs, ha-bachir (the chosen one) refers to the servant figure who represents and recapitulates Israel.

SIGNIFICANCEThe corporate nature of bachir in the OT supports Thread 2's corporate election doctrine. The chosen one is never an individual selected for eternal salvation but a corporate figure representing the people. This carries through to NT eklektos language --- the elect are the community in Christ.

KEY VERSE / SCRIPTURESIsaiah 42:1 (my servant, my chosen/bachir); Isaiah 45:4 (for the sake of Israel my chosen/bachiri); Psalm 89:3 (David my chosen/bachir).

CROSS-REFERENCESIsaiah 42:1 · Isaiah 45:4 · ἐκλεκτός eklektos (NT equivalent) · בָּחַר bachar