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מִבְטָא

𐤌𐤁𐤈𐤀

mibṭâʼ

H4008 noun

SILEX Entry

Root בטא to speak aloud, articulate, pronounce

Definition

Speech, utterance—especially that which is spoken aloud, sometimes with nuance of an explicit or formal verbal statement, pronouncement, or declaration. The term may carry the sense of a spoken vow, promise, or proclamation, but is not restricted to hastily spoken or 'rash' speech. It describes the audible articulation of words, especially in formal or public contexts.

Semantic Range

speech; utterance; verbal declaration; spoken vow; audible pronouncement; articulation (of words)

Root / Etymology

מִבְטָא derives from the root בָּטָא (בטא), which means 'to speak aloud,' 'to pronounce,' or 'to declare.' The noun formation מִבְטָא (with the nominal prefix מִ-) makes the abstract or concrete result of the verbal root, meaning 'utterance' or 'pronouncement.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

מִבְטָא is a rare term, occurring only in specific contexts (notably, Leviticus 5:4), where it refers to the act of verbalizing something aloud, such as making a statement, vow, or oath. The word itself does not inherently contain the sense of haste or rashness; this interpretation arises from context—such as an unconsidered oath that later becomes binding, per the legal contexts in Leviticus. While later translation traditions (including the KJV) reflect this nuance as 'rash utterance' or 'hasty vow,' the Hebrew term itself is more neutral, simply referring to speech made audible or public. In post-biblical Hebrew, terms derived from this root continue to carry the sense of pronunciation and public speech. It should be distinguished from other Hebrew terms for vow (נֶדֶר, שְׁבוּעָה), which refer specifically to the content or type of oath, whereas מִבְטָא emphasizes the act of articulation. In sum, the term highlights the importance and potential consequences of verbal declarations in ancient Israelite legal and religious practice.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from בָּטָא; a rash utterance (hasty vow); (that which...) uttered (out of).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

בטא (b-ṭ-ʾ) — speak aloud, articulate, pronounce, declare

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H981 בָּטָא rash-speaking one

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4008-01 מִבְטָ֣א miveta HNcmsc utterance utterance of 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4008-01 Numbers 30:7 מִבְטָ֣א miveta HNcmsc utterance utterance of
H4008-01 Numbers 30:9 מִבְטָ֣א miveta HNcmsc utterance utterance of
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