בֶּטֶן
𐤁𐤈𐤍
Beten
H991 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A place name designating a locality in the territory apportioned to the tribe of Asher; likely meaning 'Beten' or 'Baten.' The term is a toponym derived from the common Hebrew noun for 'belly' or 'abdomen,' but in this context it functions as a proper place name rather than carrying its lexical sense. There is no indication of metaphorical or figurative use. The semantic range is thus tied strictly to its nature as a toponym in biblical usage.
Semantic Range
(as a place name) locality in the territory of Asher, Beten; (outside toponymic use, not applicable here, but in root usage: belly, abdomen, womb, the innermost part of a body or thing)
Root / Etymology
The term is derived from the root בטן (beten), which means 'belly' or 'abdomen.' As a personal or place name, בֶּטֶן is formed directly from this common noun, though the significance of the meaning in its application as a toponym is not explicit in the biblical text. The application of anatomical terms as place names follows a pattern found elsewhere in Semitic naming traditions. There is insufficient evidence to determine whether the place was so named because of a perceived shape, fertility, or other local characteristic, or if the name preserved a pre-Israelite toponym.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, Beten appears as a town in the tribal inheritance list for Asher (Joshua 19:25). The context does not associate any narrative or descriptive details with the site, nor is the location securely identified archaeologically. The name does not recur in significant historical narratives, nor is there evidence for continued occupation into post-biblical periods. English Bible translations universally transliterate the name as ‘Beten’ or ‘Baten’ without conveying its underlying meaning. The word should be clearly distinguished from its much more common noun usage ('belly, womb'), which is contextually unrelated.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as בֶּטֶן; Beten. a place in Palestine; Beten.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בטן (b-ṭ-n) — to swell, to be rounded, belly, womb
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H991-01 |
וָ/בֶ֥טֶן | vaveten | HC/Np |
and Beten | Beten | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H991-01 |
Joshua 19:25 | וָ/בֶ֥טֶן | vaveten | HC/Np |
and Beten | Beten |