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בֶּתֶר

𐤁𐤕𐤓

bether

H1335 noun

SILEX Entry

Root בתר to cut, sever, divide

Definition

A piece, segment, or portion, especially a cut or separated part, most notably of flesh or carcass. The term primarily refers to an object that has been divided from a larger whole, often by cutting or splitting, as in the context of dividing animal parts for covenant rituals or sacrificial procedures. The semantic range extends from the physical (cut-up pieces of meat or animal) to the metaphorical (a section or part of something larger).

Semantic Range

piece (particularly from dividing an animal), portion, section, segment cut from a larger whole, divided part (especially of flesh or carcass)

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root בָּתַר (batar), meaning 'to cut in two, divide, sever.' The noun בֶּתֶר (bether) thus designates the result of such cutting: a piece or portion taken from a larger entity, typically through dividing or severing.

Historical & Contextual Notes

בֶּתֶר occurs infrequently in the Hebrew Bible, most notably in Genesis 15:10, where it refers to animal pieces divided in a covenant ceremony. The primary context is the ancient Near Eastern ritual of covenant-making, where divided animals signified a solemn agreement. The term always carries the idea of division through cutting, differing from other words for 'portion' (such as חֵלֶק, cheleq, which can denote an allotted share without the implication of severing). In later Hebrew, בֶּתֶר is less common and its meaning remains rooted in the physical act of division. English translations may simply render the term as 'pieces' or 'parts,' but the Hebrew more specifically connotes these are the result of a deliberate cutting apart. It is not a general term for any 'section,' but specifically for a divided piece, often in ritual or solemn contexts.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from בָּתַר; a section; part, piece.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

בתר (b-t-r) — cut, sever, divide

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1334 בָּתַר he cut in two
H1336 בֶּתֶר cleft crags
H1338 בִּתְרוֹן the Split-Gorge

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1335-01 בְּתָרָֽי/ו betarayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms its-parts his severed pieces 1
H1335-02 בִּתְרֵ֥י biterey HNcmpc the pieces of cut pieces of 1
H1335-03 בִּתְר֖/וֹ bitero HNcmsc/Sp3ms piece his cut-piece 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1335-03 Genesis 15:10 בִּתְר֖/וֹ bitero HNcmsc/Sp3ms piece his cut-piece
H1335-01 Jeremiah 34:18 בְּתָרָֽי/ו betarayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms its-parts his severed pieces
H1335-02 Jeremiah 34:19 בִּתְרֵ֥י biterey HNcmpc the pieces of cut pieces of
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