Be'ir is a collective noun referring to cattle or livestock — domesticated beasts used for labor, food, and sacrifice. The word derives from ba'ar (H1197), "to burn" or "to consume," perhaps reflecting the grazing behavior of livestock that strips a field bare. It encompasses oxen, donkeys, and other beasts of burden.
The word appears in contexts where livestock represent livelihood and divine provision. When Rabshakeh taunts Hezekiah, he offers livestock as part of a mocking deal (2 Kings 18:23). In Exodus, the plague on Egypt's be'ir strikes at the agricultural foundation of the empire. Livestock in the Old Testament are not merely economic assets but participants in the covenant community — they rest on the Sabbath (Exodus 23:12) and are included in God's care (Psalm 36:6).