Original Word: בַּת
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: bath
Pronunciation: baht
Phonetic Spelling: (bath)
NASB: baths
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H1324 (בַּת - baths)]

1. bath

bath

(Aramaic) corresponding to bath -- bath.

see HEBREW bath

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to bath
Definition
a bath (a liquid measure)
NASB Translation
baths (2).

[בַּת] noun [masculine] bath, liquid measure (ᵑ7; perhaps loan-word from Biblical Hebrew II. בַּת, √ בתת); — plural absolute בַּתִּין Ezra 7:22 (twice in verse).

בָּתַר see below אֲתַר.

Measurement Definition

A “bath” denotes an ancient Hebrew capacity measure for liquids, roughly one-tenth of a “homer” and generally calculated at about twenty-two to twenty-four liters (5½–6 gallons). It serves as the liquid counterpart to the dry measure “ephah,” providing a convenient standard for trade, taxation, sacrificial provisions, and royal administration.

Textual Occurrences

Within the Masoretic Text the specific Aramaic form recorded under Strong’s 1325 appears twice, both in the royal decree preserved in Ezra 7:22. King Artaxerxes authorizes “up to one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of oil”, illustrating the unit’s acceptance in Persian-period economic policy. While 1325 itself is limited to these occurrences, the Hebrew spelling of the same term (Strong’s 1324) surfaces in earlier books such as 1 Kings 7:26; 2 Chronicles 2:10; Isaiah 5:10; and Ezekiel 45:14, showing that the measure was well established from the monarchic era onward.

Historical Background

Archaeological finds—including inscribed jar handles reading “bath” or its abbreviated sign—confirm the measure’s use in the late Iron Age and Persian periods. Standardization allowed Judah to integrate commercially with surrounding empires while maintaining its distinctive cultic system. During Solomon’s reign, temple furnishings like the “Sea” are described in terms of thousands of baths (1 Kings 7:26), attesting both to the grandeur of the sanctuary and to the administrative precision of the kingdom.

Cultic and Domestic Usage

1. Temple worship: Oil, wine, and water quantified by baths were essential for grain offerings, drink offerings, and lamp maintenance (Ezekiel 45:14). Accurate measurement ensured conformity to the divine pattern revealed to Moses and later elaborated by Ezekiel.
2. Royal provisioning: Solomon pledged “twenty thousand baths of wine” and “twenty thousand baths of pressed oil” to Hiram for cedar and cypress (2 Chronicles 2:10), reflecting covenantal partnership in building the temple.
3. Agricultural output: Isaiah 5:10 warns that disobedient Judah would reap only “one bath” from a vineyard expected to yield much more, demonstrating that the bath could symbolize divine blessing or judgment on production.

Comparison with Other Measures

Liquid: 1 bath ≈ 6 gallons (22–24 liters)

Dry: 1 ephah ≈ 1 bath (by volume)

Greater: 10 baths = 1 homer

Smaller: 1 bath = 6 seahs; 1 seah ≈ 2.9 liters

Theological and Ministry Implications

The bath embodies God’s concern for integrity in daily life. Laws against dishonest weights and measures (Leviticus 19:35–36; Ezekiel 45:10) protect social justice and reflect His holy character. When Artaxerxes stipulates precise baths for temple service, he unwittingly participates in God’s plan to restore worship in Jerusalem, affirming Proverbs 21:1 that “The king’s heart is a watercourse in the hand of the LORD.”

Christological Foreshadowing and Spiritual Lessons

The abundance of liquid offerings measured in baths prefigures the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17). Just as the bath supplied sufficient oil for continual light, so Christ gives the Spirit “without measure” (John 3:34). Moreover, the bath’s exactness reminds believers that the Lord “measures the waters in the hollow of His hand” (Isaiah 40:12), assuring them of His meticulous care.

Practical Application for Contemporary Ministry

• Teach stewardship: Encourage believers to handle resources transparently, mirroring the bath’s standardized honesty.
• Illustrate generosity: Use Solomon’s lavish bath-gifts to model sacrificial giving toward gospel work.
• Highlight restoration: Point to Ezra 7 as evidence that God provides precise, sufficient supply for every revival He ordains.

Key References

Ezra 7:22; 1 Kings 7:26; 2 Chronicles 2:10; Isaiah 5:10; Ezekiel 45:10-14

בַּתִּ֣ין בַּתִּ֥ין בתין bat·tîn batTin battînInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts