בִּתְיָה
𐤁𐤕𐤉𐤄
Biteyah
H1332 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Bithyâh is a proper feminine personal name meaning 'Yah(weh) is daughter' or 'Daughter of Yah(weh).' The name is borne by a single individual in the Hebrew Bible, identified as an Egyptian woman who became the wife of a Judahite, Mered. As with other theophoric names, the term connects a familial element (daughter) with the divine name Yah(weh).
Semantic Range
proper personal name; theophoric name (daughter of Yahweh); refers specifically to an Egyptian woman integrated into Israelite lineage
Root / Etymology
Compound of בַּת (bat, 'daughter') and יָהּ (Yah, shortened form of the divine name YHWH). The structure is typical for Hebrew theophoric names, where a kinship term is joined to a divine element. The semantic relation in the compound is read either as a direct genitive ('daughter of Yah') or with a theologically motivated meaning, as in 'Yah has made her a daughter' or 'Yah’s daughter.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
בִּתְיָה (Bithyâh) appears only in 1 Chronicles 4:18, where she is described as the Egyptian wife of Mered, a Judahite. Her name, formed as a theophoric construction, highlights the blending of Israelite and non-Israelite identities, suggesting either her conversion or integration into the Israelite community. In post-biblical tradition, Bithyah is sometimes associated with Pharaoh’s daughter; however, this identification is not stated within the text itself. The name type ('daughter of [deity]') is paralleled in Northwest Semitic onomastics, although 'son of [deity]' constructions are more frequent. The translation 'worshipper' for 'daughter' (as in Strong's) is interpretive and does not represent the direct lexical meaning. English translations transliterate the name; none attempt to render its etymology. Unlike titles or ethnonyms, this is not a term that shifts in meaning across periods, but the appearance of an Egyptian bearing a Yahwistic name in an Israelite genealogy is significant for the study of religious and cultural assimilation in the later biblical period.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from בַּת and יָהּ; daughter (i.e. worshipper) of Jah; Bithjah, an Egyptian woman; Bithiah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בת (b-t) — daughter, female child
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1324 | בַּת | the apportioned measure |
| H1325 | בַּת | liquid-measure baths |
| H935 | בּוֹא | daughter of |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1332-01 |
בִּתְיָ֣ה | biteyah | HNp |
Bithiah | Daughter of Yah | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1332-01 |
1 Chronicles 4:18 | בִּתְיָ֣ה | biteyah | HNp |
Bithiah | Daughter of Yah |