בָּתַק
𐤁𐤕𐤒
bâthaq
H1333 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
A verbal root meaning to cut, cleave, or split apart violently, usually into pieces. In biblical usage, the root designates the action of dividing or dismembering something, particularly in contexts of violence (such as piercing, slashing, or thrusting through). It can refer to the act of forcibly splitting or lacerating material objects or living beings.
Semantic Range
to cut in pieces, to dismember, to cleave or split violently, to thrust through, to break into pieces
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root בתק, whose core meaning is to split, cleave, or cut apart. The root is relatively rare and is not clearly connected to more widely attested semitic cognates. The derived verb בָּתַק denotes the act of breaking or dividing into pieces, extending metaphorically to any forceful rending or thrusting action.
Historical & Contextual Notes
בָּתַק appears rarely in biblical Hebrew, found only in highly descriptive, violent contexts (e.g., Judges 19:29) where it refers to literal dismemberment of a body. The usage is direct and literal with few metaphorical extensions. Other roots such as קטל (to kill), חצה (to divide), and פצל (to split) offer related but distinct nuances: בָּתַק specifically emphasizes the act of forcefully cutting or breaking into pieces, particularly with reference to flesh or material objects. In later periods, the term did not survive widely and is not used with theological significance. Modern translations may use phrases such as 'cut in pieces', 'dismember', or 'divide', but these may lose the violent, forceful connotation implicit in the Hebrew verb. No significant semantic development is noted across periods; the term remains rare and highly specific.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to cut in pieces; thrust through.
Bantu Hebrew
| Language | Bantu Word | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bemba | kata | to cut | |
| Chokwe | kata | to cut | |
| Kikongo | kata | to cut | |
| Kikuyu | gata | to cut | |
| Kimbundu | kakata | to cut | |
| Kinyarwanda | gaca | to cut (especially in the sense of 'prune', 'trim') | |
| Kirundi | gaca | to cut, to sever | |
| Lingala | kata | to cut | |
| Lozi | kata | to cut | |
| Luganda | gata | to cut, to split | |
| Lunda | kata | to cut | |
| Luvale | kata | to cut | |
| Swahili | kata | to cut | |
| Tonga (Zambia) | kata | to cut | |
| Umbundu | kata | to cut | |
| Xhosa | sika | to cut | |
| Zulu | sika | to cut |
Root Family
בתק (b-t-q) — cutting, splitting, cleaving, breaking apart
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1333-01 |
וּ/בִתְּק֖וּ/ךְ | uvitequkhe | HC/Vpq3cp/Sp2fs |
and they will thrust through you | and they cut you to pieces | and they cut you to pieces | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1333-01 |
Ezekiel 16:40 | וּ/בִתְּק֖וּ/ךְ | uvitequkhe | HC/Vpq3cp/Sp2fs |
and they will thrust through you | and they cut you to pieces | and they cut you to pieces |