Lexical Definition

‎בָּחַן‎ bâchan (baw-khan') to test ^H:V
a primitive root

examine, prove, tempt, try (trial).

• to test (especially metals)
• generally and figuratively, to investigate

1) to examine, try, prove
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to examine, scrutinise
1a2) to test, prove, try (of gold, persons, the heart, man of God)
1b) (Niphal) to be tried, proved
1c) (Pual) to make a trial

See Greek: ἀνθίστημι · διακρίνω · δικαιόω · δοκιμάζω · ἐκλεκτός · ἐξετάζω · ἐπισκέπτομαι · ἐπιστρέφω · φαίνω · φανερός

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[‎בָּחַן‎] verb examine, try (compare Aramaic ‎בְּחַן‎, Syriac , try, examine; Arabic I. VIII. test, compare W^{SG 65}) —

Qal Perfect suffix ‎בְּחָנַ֫נִי‎ Job 23:10, ‎בָּחַנְתָּ‎ Ps 17:3 + 7 t.; Imperfect ‎יִבְחָ֑ן‎ Ps 11:5 + 5 t.; Imperative suffix ‎בְּחָנֵנִי‎ Ps 26:2 + 2 t.; Infinitive ‎בְּחֹן‎ Zech 13:9 Participle ‎בֹּחֵן‎ Jer 11:20 + 5 t. (|| ‎צרף‎, ‎נסה‎); —

1. examine, scrutinize, try Ps 11:5; Ps 139:23; Job 7:18 ‎עַפְעַפָּיו יִבְחֲנוּ בְנֵי אָדָם‎ His eyelids try the children of men (search them through and through) Ps 11:4.

2. prove, test, try.
a. with the metaphor of gold Job 23:10 ‎וּבְחַנְתִּים כִּבְחֹן‎ ‎אֶתהַֿזָּהָב‎ and I will try them as one tries gold Zech 13:9.
b. without metaphor, of God testing persons Psalm Zech 26:2; Zech 66:10; Zech 81:8; Jer 9:6* their ways Jer 6:27 the ‎לֵב‎ Ps 17:3; Jer 12:3; Prov 17:3; 1Chr 29:17 reins Jer 17:10 heart and reins Ps 7:10*; Jer 11:20 (= Jer 20:12).
c. of man testing or tempting God Psalm Jer 95:9; Mal 3:10; Mal 3:15.
d. the ear trying words Job 12:11 = Job 34:3. Niph`al Imperfect ‎יִבָּחֵן‎ Job 34:36; Gen 42:15; Gen 42:16, to be tried, proved. Pu`al ‎בֹּחַן‎ Ezek 21:18* the trial has been made (ᵐ5 ᵑ6 ᵑ9 Ges MV Ew Ke, but noun ‎בֹּ֫חַן‎ ᵑ0 Symm HaEv.; read ‎בְּחֵן‎ with grace, favour, Hi Co).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References