בַּצְלוּת
𐤁𐤑𐤋𐤅𐤕
Batselut
H1213 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name designating a family group returning from exile, likely indicating descent from a common ancestor or head of a family. The term also appears with variant spelling and uncertain etymology; in listed contexts, refers specifically to a post-exilic family or clan among the returning Israelites, not an individual.
Semantic Range
proper name (family, group, clan name); possibly connected to 'shadow' (from the root), but in biblical usage, serves exclusively as a proper noun for a returnee family and not as a common noun or adjective
Root / Etymology
Derived from the same root as בֶּצֶל (betzel), meaning 'shadow,' but the exact derivation and significance of the name are uncertain. The word formation בַּצְלוּת with the י (yod) variant בַּצְלִית suggests a personal or family designation rather than a lexical noun. Etymology uncertain beyond possible connection with the root בצל.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term בַּצְלוּת / בַּצְלִית occurs only in post-exilic lists of returnees (Ezra 2:52; Nehemiah 7:54), identifying a family group rather than an individual. English translations often treat the name as 'Bazluth' or 'Bazlith,' and interpretations differ regarding the significance of the name—whether it points to an occupational, geographic, or ancestral feature remains undetermined, and the link to 'peeling' (as in Strong's gloss) is based on questionable etymological assumptions. There is no evidence in the biblical text for the later theological uses of the English equivalent 'Jew' for this group; the term refers specifically to members of Israelite returnee families. Contrasted with other post-exilic family names, בַּצְלוּת is solely a proper name and does not function as a common noun in biblical Hebrew.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or בַּצְלִית; from the same as בֶּצֶלxlit bᵉtsel corrected to betsel; a peeling; Batsluth or Batslith, an Israelite; Bazlith, Bazluth.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
בצל (b-ṣ-l) — to overshadow, cast shadow, be in shade
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1211 | בֶּצֶל | the onions |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1213-02 |
בַצְל֥וּת | vatselut | HNp |
Bazluth | Shadow-Clan | Batselut | 1 |
H1213-01 |
בַצְלִ֥ית | vatselit | HNp |
Bazlith | Shadow-Clan | Batselut | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1213-02 |
Ezra 2:52 | בַצְל֥וּת | vatselut | HNp |
Bazluth | Shadow-Clan | Batselut |
H1213-01 |
Nehemiah 7:54 | בַצְלִ֥ית | vatselit | HNp |
Bazlith | Shadow-Clan | Batselut |