Batith

The Heb. and cognate word in Sem. for the general term 'house.' Its etymology is doubtful, though referred (by Ges. Thes.) to a root ni3. Cf. Assyr. bitu, house ; Sab. n-D, na, a foTtrai, temple ; Palmyr. Kmapo da, is sepulchre (de Vogiid, Syrie centntle, 32, 64). In Aram, no is rendered spend tlie nii/ht. This word is found with construct relation (Beth) in freq. combination in proper names of places : Beth-el, Beth-barah, etc (see sep. artt.)

It is also used as inclusive of a country or condition ; e.g. house of bondage (Dt 6), hoxise of meeting (in Sheol, Job 30^) ; also in fig. expressions which do not appear in the Eng. version, for example Is 3", Ex 36'". It also desig- nates 'family 'in such passages bs house of Pharaoh (Gn 50), fujuse of Lem (Ex 2'), house of Israel (Ru 4"). A few times it refers to the land of Israel as house of J' (Hos 8').

Its principal meanings seem to be (1) a place for halting, resting, or living ; (2) a family or tribe not nece.s.sarUy con- nected with any spot or place ; (3) a place and a family as closely related under the one term. Bayith (AV Bajlth) occurs as a proper name in Is 15" ' He is cone up to B.' or (marg.) ' B. is gone up to the high places.' LXX gives us no help, reading \wfuj6e i^ iauroiij diroXelra yb.p cai Ari^utv.

It is not improbable that n:z here is to be taken in it« common sense, and not as a projicr name. In that case we should render, with Delitzsch, ' They go up to the temple house.' Iba M. Price. BAZLITH (n:Ss3 Neh 7**), Bazluth (reSsj Ezr 2" 'stripping ' = Basaloth, 1 Es 5"). — Founder of a family of Kethinim who returned with Zerubbabel.