בַּת
Definition
The Hebrew word בַּת (bath) is a unit of liquid measure used in the Old Testament. It is the standard measurement for liquids like wine, oil, and water. In the Bible, it is used exclusively in Ezra 7:22, where King Artaxerxes grants provisions for the temple service, specifying amounts 'up to a hundred baths of wine.' This corresponds to the more common Hebrew unit בַּת (H1324), used throughout other books. As a measure, it signifies a specific, substantial quantity in an official administrative or religious context.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Ezra 7:22. It appears in a Persian royal decree providing supplies for the Jerusalem temple, specifying a maximum allowance of wine. The context is administrative and cultic, relating to the restoration of temple worship after the exile. Its usage here mirrors the standard Hebrew liquid measure (H1324) found in texts like 1 Kings 7:26 and Isaiah 5:10, but it is presented in its Aramaic form due to the official Aramaic language of the Persian document.
Etymology
This is the Aramaic form of the Hebrew noun בַּת (H1324), both meaning a liquid measure. It is a direct linguistic correspondence, showing the shared vocabulary between Hebrew and Aramaic, especially in administrative and commercial terms during the post-exilic period. The root likely relates to the concept of 'daughter,' possibly indicating a subdivision or a standard 'offspring' of a larger unit, though the precise origin of the measure's name is uncertain.
Semantic Range
A bath was a significant unit of liquid volume in the ancient Near East, estimated to be roughly equivalent to 22 liters (about 6 gallons). Its use in Ezra 7:22 within a Persian imperial decree highlights the practical logistics of state-supported worship. Understanding this measure helps visualize the scale of provisions dedicated to temple service, emphasizing the tangible commitment to restoring proper worship. The use of the Aramaic form also reflects the international administrative language of the Persian Empire.
בַּת (bath, H1324) — The standard Hebrew form of the same liquid measure, used throughout the historical and prophetic books. כֹּר (kor, H3734) — A larger dry and liquid measure, equal to ten baths. הִין (hin, H1969) — A smaller liquid measure, one-sixth of a bath.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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