Lexical Summary bata or batah: speak thoughtlessly, speaks rashly, spoke rashly Original Word: בָּטָא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance pronounce, speak unadvisedly Or batah {baw-taw'}; a primitive root; to babble; hence, to vociferate angrily -- pronounce, speak (unadvisedly). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition to speak rashly or thoughtlessly NASB Translation speak thoughtlessly (1), speaks rashly (1), spoke rashly (1), thoughtlessly (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [בָּטָה, בָּטָא] verb speak rashly, thoughtlessly (Late Hebrew id., בטי) — Qal Participle בּוֺטֶה Proverbs 12:18 one that babbleth (opposed to לְשׁוֺן חֲכָמִים). Pi`el Imperfect יְבַטֵּא בִשְׁבוּעָה Leviticus 5:4 speak rashly, unadvisedly; so וַיְבַטֵּא בִשְׂפָתָיו (of Moses) Psalm 106:33; Infinitive לְבַטֵּא בִשְׂפָתַיִם Leviticus 5:4 (P). Topical Lexicon Overview בָּטָא (bata) portrays speech that breaks out impulsively—words released without self-control, often with damaging moral or covenantal consequences. Canonical Occurrences Leviticus 5:4 twice frames the term within Israel’s sacrificial law. A person who “rashly utters an oath” incurs guilt even if the vow concerns something trivial (“for evil or for good”). The same word appears in Psalm 106:33 where Moses, provoked by the people, “spoke rashly with his lips,” and in Proverbs 12:18 where “rash words are like sword thrusts.” Historical and Cultural Background In the ancient Near East, oaths and formal statements carried legal weight; words could enact transactions, commitments, or curses. Israel’s covenant structure heightened this seriousness. A careless declaration could place the speaker under obligation before God, requiring atonement if violated (Leviticus 5:4–6). Thus bata belongs to a legal-cultic milieu where speech functions as a deed. Theological Significance 1. Sanctity of Speech. Because God’s own speech brings creation and covenant into being (Genesis 1; Exodus 20), human speech is measured against divine truthfulness. Bata exposes the discord between holy speech and corrupted human utterance. Wisdom Tradition Proverbs 12:18 contrasts bata with “the tongue of the wise” that “brings healing.” The simile of sword thrusts pictures speech as a weapon that wounds relationships, reputations, and community cohesion. Wisdom literature therefore calls for deliberate, life-giving conversation (see also Proverbs 15:1; 18:21). Practical and Ministry Implications • Personal Devotion: Confession should include honest appraisal of reckless promises, jokes, or criticisms that violate the law of love. New Testament Resonance Although בָּטָא itself does not occur in the Greek Scriptures, its concept underlies Jesus’ warning, “I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken” (Matthew 12:36). James likewise admonishes, “Let your ‘Yes’ be yes and your ‘No,’ no” (James 5:12), echoing Leviticus 5:4’s concern for integrity in speech. Homiletical Insight Bata challenges believers to cultivate Christ-like speech: slow to speak, quick to listen (James 1:19). The gospel not only forgives rash words through the atoning sacrifice foreshadowed in Leviticus but also transforms hearts so that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). Forms and Transliterations בּ֭וֹטֶה בוטה וַ֝יְבַטֵּ֗א ויבטא יְבַטֵּ֧א יבטא לְבַטֵּ֨א לבטא bō·w·ṭeh Boteh bōwṭeh lə·ḇaṭ·ṭê ləḇaṭṭê levatTe vayvatTe way·ḇaṭ·ṭê wayḇaṭṭê yə·ḇaṭ·ṭê yəḇaṭṭê yevatTeLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Leviticus 5:4 HEB: כִּ֣י תִשָּׁבַע֩ לְבַטֵּ֨א בִשְׂפָתַ֜יִם לְהָרַ֣ע ׀ NAS: swears thoughtlessly with his lips KJV: swear, pronouncing with [his] lips INT: if swears thoughtlessly his lips to do Leviticus 5:4 Psalm 106:33 Proverbs 12:18 4 Occurrences |
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