בָּטַל (ba.tel)
ba.tel
to cease
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb baṭel means simply to stop or come to an end. It describes a cessation of activity, whether that is work, noise, or existence itself. In the Bible, it carries no inherent moral judgment; it is a neutral term for something finishing its course.
This word appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Ecclesiastes 10:10. There, the teacher observes that if an axe becomes dull, one must sharpen it to save effort. The context suggests that without this maintenance, work would cease or become impossible. It highlights a practical reality: things stop working when they are not cared for.
Its rarity makes its single usage stand out. Unlike other words for rest or Sabbath, baṭel does not imply peace or divine blessing. It merely marks the point where action halts. Translators often render it as "cease" to keep this simple, factual tone intact.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word baṭel simply means to stop or come to an end. It describes a natural cessation of activity without any moral judgment attached. In Ecclesiastes, it marks the point where action halts because resources are exhausted or maintenance is neglected.
This reality reminds us that our physical bodies and earthly efforts have limits. When strength fades or tools grow dull, work ceases not as a failure, but as a natural conclusion to a season of labor. Recognising these boundaries can bring peace rather than frustration.
Instead of fighting the inevitable end of certain seasons, we can find comfort in knowing that rest is part of the created order. God sustains us even when our own strength runs out, inviting us to trust His provision beyond our limited capacity.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ they will cease1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וּ/בָטְל֤וּ1×
Key Verses
-
Ecclesiastes 12:3
in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look out of the windows are darkened,
The verb describes the physical grinding ceasing due to age and weakness, illustrating how bodily functions naturally stop as part of human mortality.