Basar (H1320) primarily means flesh — the physical substance of living bodies, particularly muscle. It extends to mean the physical body, 'all flesh' (all living creatures), and by metonymy, human nature in its weakness and mortality. It appears approximately 270 times in the Old Testament. A second homonym basar (H1319) means 'to bring good news' — the root of besorah, 'good news/gospel.'
Basar carries a spectrum of meaning from neutral (physical flesh, food) to theologically freighted (human frailty). The phrase kol-basar — 'all flesh' — describes the totality of mortal life under God's sovereign judgment and mercy. 'All flesh had corrupted their way' (Genesis 6:12) before the flood; yet God makes covenant with 'all flesh' (Genesis 9:15-17) after it.
The contrast between basar and ruach (spirit) is fundamental to Hebrew anthropology: 'The Egyptians are men and not God, and their horses are flesh and not spirit' (Isaiah 31:3). To trust in basar — in human or military strength — is the path of folly. Yet God's great act of redemption is the incarnation: the Word became flesh (John 1:14, using Greek sarx). The divine Spirit takes on human basar — not to validate fleshly weakness but to redeem it from within.