The Hebrew verb בוא (bōʾ) means "to come," "enter," or "to go." As a descriptor of travel, בוא (bōʾ) appears regularly in the Hebrew Bible. For example, when Genesis 7:15–16 describes the loading of the ark, it states, "They went into (ויבאו) the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. And those that entered (והבאים), male and female of all flesh, went in (באו) as God had commanded him." The verb בוא (bōʾ) can also be used to describe the transportation of an object as can be seen in 2 Samuel 6:16–17: "As the ark of the LORD came (בא) into the city of David, … They brought (ויבאו) in the ark of the LORD, and set it in its place."

The word בוא (bōʾ) is also used as a euphemism for sex. In such instances בוא (bōʾ) is translated as "going in to" someone as occurs in Genesis 16:2: "Sarai said to Abram, 'You see that the LORD has prevented me from bearing children; go in (בא) to my slave-girl; it may be that I shall obtain children by her'."