בָּעַט
𐤁𐤏𐤈
bâʻaṭ
H1163 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To strike out forcefully with the foot, to kick, often used both in literal contexts (trampling with the foot) and metaphorically for rejecting, rebelling against, or despising authority or instruction. The primary usage is physical, but it features prominently in figurative speech, expressing contempt, rejection, or spurning of something or someone.
Semantic Range
to kick physically, to strike or trample with the foot, to reject authority, to spurn or despise with insolence, to rebel against discipline or instruction
Root / Etymology
From the root בָּעַט (בעט), a verbal root in Hebrew denoting striking or kicking. The root meaning is 'to kick' or 'to strike with the foot.' The verb form used in Biblical Hebrew expresses the act of kicking, from which the more abstract sense of despising or rejecting arises through metaphorical extension. Cognates are not attested in related Semitic languages, making the root distinctive to Hebrew.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Biblical usage, בָּעַט occurs chiefly in figurative contexts describing Israelite rebellion against YHWH, as in Deut 32:15, where Yeshurun (a poetic name for Israel) 'kicks' in the sense of growing fat, complacent, and rejecting the divine. The word thus connotes a willful or contemptuous rejection or rebellion, not just a physical act but a metaphor for prideful resistance. In other ancient Near Eastern texts, the physical act of kicking is associated with domesticated animals (e.g., oxen) resisting restraint, which further colors the metaphorical use in the Hebrew Bible. Standard English translations often render the term as 'kick,' but frequently add clarifying phrases such as 'rebel,' 'spurn,' or 'reject' to capture the full figurative import. Across periods, its usage is relatively rare and poetic; it does not denote general enmity but a specific, scornful response to authority or discipline. Unlike terms such as מאס (ma'as, 'to reject'), which has a broader semantic range, בעט distinctly evokes physical rebellion and a sense of insolent force.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to trample down, i.e. (figuratively) despise; kick.
Bantu Hebrew
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בעט (b-ʿ-ṭ) — to kick, to strike with the foot, to trample, to spurn
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1163-02 |
וַ/יִּבְעָ֔ט | vayiveat | HC/Vqw3ms |
and kicked | and he kicked | 1 | |
H1163-01 |
תִבְעֲט֗וּ | tiveatu | HVqi2mp |
do you kick | you kick | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1163-02 |
Deuteronomy 32:15 | וַ/יִּבְעָ֔ט | vayiveat | HC/Vqw3ms |
and kicked | and he kicked | |
H1163-01 |
1 Samuel 2:29 | תִבְעֲט֗וּ | tiveatu | HVqi2mp |
do you kick | you kick |