Original Word: בֶּתֶר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: bether
Pronunciation: beh'-ther
Phonetic Spelling: (beh'-ther)
Definition: Part, piece, section
Meaning: a section

part, piece

From bathar; a section -- part, piece.

see HEBREW bathar

Word Origin
from bathar
Definition
a part, piece
NASB Translation
half (1), parts (2).

[בֶּ֫תֶר] noun masculine^{Genesis 15:10} part, piece.

1 בִּתְרוֺ Genesis 15:10; plural suffix בְּתָרָיו Jeremiah 34:18, בִּתְרֵי הָעֵגֶל Jeremiah 34:19; always of halves of animals cut in two in making covenants.

2 הָרֵי בָּ֑תֶר Songs 2:17 mountains of cutting, i.e. cleft mountains ᵐ5 Thes and others; or of separation (between us) Ew and others; according to We^{Prol. 415, Eng. Tr. 391} ׳ב = malobathron. — Bether as proper name AV RV.

Word Origin: Derived from an unused root meaning to cut or divide.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There is no direct Greek equivalent for בֶּתֶר in the Strong's Greek lexicon, as the concept of dividing animals for covenants is more specific to Hebrew cultural and religious practices. However, the Greek term διαθήκη (diathēkē), meaning "covenant" or "testament," can be related in terms of the broader concept of covenant-making, though it does not specifically refer to the act of dividing.

Usage: The term בֶּתֶר is used in the context of dividing or cutting, particularly in reference to the pieces of animals used in ancient covenant rituals.

Context: The Hebrew word בֶּתֶר (beter) appears in the context of ancient covenant-making practices, where animals were divided into pieces as part of the ritual. This practice is notably described in Genesis 15:10, where Abram prepares a covenant with God by cutting animals into halves and laying them opposite each other. The act of dividing the animals symbolized the seriousness of the covenant, with the implication that the parties involved would face a similar fate if they broke the agreement. The term בֶּתֶר is thus closely associated with the solemnity and binding nature of covenants in the ancient Near Eastern context.

In Genesis 15:10 (BSB), the passage reads: "So Abram brought all these to Him, split each of them down the middle, and laid the halves opposite each other. The birds, however, he did not cut in half." This illustrates the use of בֶּתֶר in the context of covenantal rituals, emphasizing the physical act of dividing as a symbolic gesture of commitment and agreement.

בְּתָרָֽיו׃ בִּתְר֖וֹ בִּתְרֵ֥י בָֽתֶר׃ בתר׃ בתרו בתרי בתריו׃ ḇā·ṯer ḇāṯer bə·ṯā·rāw betaRav bəṯārāw biṯ·rê biṯ·rōw biṯrê bitRei bitRo biṯrōw VaterInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts