בָּתָה
𐤁𐤕𐤄
bâthâh
H1326 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A place or state of devastation, ruin, or emptiness—typically referring to land left desolate by destruction or abandonment. In context, signals an area rendered uninhabited, barren, or unproductive, often as a result of divine judgment or warfare. The primary lexical meaning is 'desolation,' but may refer to both the condition and the resulting place.
Semantic Range
desolation, state of devastation, ruined place, waste, uninhabited land
Root / Etymology
Root: בָּתָּה (battāh), likely from the root בתה, meaning 'to be deserted, desolate.' בָּתָה (bâthâh) is generally considered a variant or orthographic form of בַּתָּה (battāh), sharing the same root and semantic field. The root holds the sense of emptiness or devastation, from which the noun derives as 'a desolated place.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
בָּתָה (bâthâh) is attested only in Isaiah 6:11, functioning poetically alongside other terms for ruin (e.g., חָרְבָּה, מִשְׁמָמָה). The term does not occur in early Israelite sources and is rare even in exilic or post-exilic usage. Its limited attestation suggests it belonged to a poetic or formal register. The semantic overlap with other ruin/desolation words can lead to broad translation as 'waste' or 'desolation,' but the original nuance may refer specifically to land so devastated as to be no longer suitable for habitation or cultivation. Later translations sometimes render the word as 'wilderness' or 'ruins,' reflecting the broad semantic range of terms for devastated land in Hebrew. The term should be distinguished from other Hebrew words for wasteland or desert (e.g., מִדְבָּר, שְׁמָמָה), as it emphasizes the aftermath of devastation rather than natural barrenness.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably an orthographical variation for בַּתָּה; desolation; waste.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בתה (b-t-h) — to be deserted, to become desolate, to devastate
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1327 | בַּתָּה | the ruined places |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1326-01 |
בָתָ֗ה | vatah | HNcfsa |
waste | desolated place | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1326-01 |
Isaiah 5:6 | בָתָ֗ה | vatah | HNcfsa |
waste | desolated place |