Lexical Summary Bether: Bether Original Word: בֶּתֶר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Bether The same as bether; Bether, a (craggy) place in Palestine -- Bether. see HEBREW bether NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom bathar Definition "cutting," a place of unc. location in Isr. NASB Translation Bether (1). Topical Lexicon Concept and Meaningבֶּתֶר (bether) denotes a portion that has been severed from a larger whole—most graphically, an animal split down the middle. The term evokes an image of sharp division for solemn purposes rather than casual butchery. Although the specific form tied to Strong’s number has no direct Old Testament occurrences, its semantic field is evident in passages that describe covenant-cutting ceremonies and judicial warnings involving “the halves” or “the pieces” of animals. Ancient Near Eastern Covenant Background Cutting an animal and arranging the divided parts created a visible, visceral guarantee of faithfulness. Both parties passed through the blood-lined aisle to declare, in effect, “May I become like these pieces if I break this covenant.” Mesopotamian treaties and Hittite vassal pacts used comparable rites, making the image instantly recognizable to Israel. Thus, בֶּתֶר anchors a practice in which life is staked upon promise. Biblical Allusions to the Divided Pieces 1. Covenant Inauguration with Abram “After Abram had brought all these to Him and cut them in two… a smoking firepot and a flaming torch passed between the pieces” (Genesis 15:10, 17). Though the text uses a related plural, the notion of bether underlies the scene. God alone walks the bloody path, pledging Himself unilaterally to the patriarch’s offspring. The divided carcasses form a corridor of grace in which the Almighty, not Abram, accepts the sanction. 2. Prophetic Indictment in Jeremiah “I will deliver the men who have violated My covenant… who passed between the pieces of the calf” (Jeremiah 34:18). Judah’s nobles had imitated the ancient rite but reneged on their vows of manumission. The threat of becoming like the slaughtered halves underscores the seriousness of covenant breach. 3. Poetic Imagery in Song of Songs “Turn, my beloved… upon the mountains of Bether” (Song of Solomon 2:17). Whether referring to literal hills or metaphorical heights of separation, the name “Bether” (possibly “division”) plays on the idea of something parted that longs to be reunited. The resonance with covenantal halves hints at love’s yearning for consummate union. Theological Significance 1. God’s One-Sided Oath بֶּתֶר illustrates how the Lord binds Himself. When only the divine Presence moves between the pieces, responsibility for fulfillment rests solely with Him. Salvation history flows from that unilateral grace, culminating in the cross where the flesh of the Son is “pierced for our transgressions” (Isaiah 53:5). 2. The Gravity of Covenant Violation Jeremiah’s warning shows that ritual without obedience invites judgment. The visual horror of torn flesh exposes the folly of casual vows. Modern believers, recipients of the New Covenant, are likewise cautioned against “trampling the Son of God underfoot” (Hebrews 10:29). 3. Anticipation of Wholeness Song of Solomon turns the language of division into a metaphor for temporary distance between lovers. In redemption the divided is reunited, the broken made whole. Christ “has broken down the middle wall of hostility” (Ephesians 2:14), healing every bether of separation between God and humanity. Christological Fulfillment Jesus embodies both halves of the ancient rite. As true God, He authorizes the covenant; as true man, He passes through judgment on behalf of humanity. His body, torn yet unbroken in bone, satisfies the penalty symbolized by bether while ensuring the indissolubility of God’s promises: “This cup is the new covenant in My blood” (Luke 22:20). Ministry and Practical Application • Vow Integrity: Church covenants, marriage vows, and ministry commitments should be undertaken with the sobriety bether demands. Summary בֶּתֶר, though absent in its exact form from the canonical text, permeates Scripture’s most solemn moments. It stands as the silent witness of covenants, the threat behind broken promises, and the backdrop against which divine love proves irrevocable. Every severed piece in redemptive history points ultimately to the One whose own body bridges the divide. Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance bə·ṯū·lîm — 2 Occ.ḇə·ṯū·le·hā — 1 Occ. ḇə·ṯū·lîm — 1 Occ. ḇiḇ·ṯū·le·hā — 1 Occ. biṯ·yāh — 1 Occ. ū·ḇit·tə·qūḵ — 1 Occ. ḇā·ṯār — 1 Occ. way·ḇat·têr — 1 Occ. bə·ṯā·rāw — 1 Occ. biṯ·rê — 1 Occ. ḇā·ṯer — 1 Occ. rab·bîm — 1 Occ. hab·biṯ·rō·wn — 1 Occ. šā·ḇa‘ — 2 Occ. še·ḇa‘ — 8 Occ. še·ḇe‘ — 1 Occ. šū·a‘ — 1 Occ. gê — 1 Occ. gā·’āh — 2 Occ. ḡā·’ōh — 2 Occ. |
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