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בַּת (bat)

bat

daughter

H1323 · Hebrew · Old Testament · 443 verses

H:N-F

Quick Reference

Language
Biblical Hebrew
Testament
Old Testament
Occurrences
443 verses
Root
—
Part of speech
H:N-F

Word Overview

The Hebrew noun bat primarily means daughter, referring to a female child or young woman. While it denotes literal biological offspring in genealogies like Genesis, its usage extends far beyond immediate family ties. It can describe adopted daughters, daughters-in-law, or even sisters and cousins within broader kinship networks.

Translators often render bat as "daughter" when describing the inhabitants of a city or nation, such as the "daughters of Zion" in Isaiah. This personification treats communities as female figures, allowing the text to speak of their character or fate through feminine imagery. In poetic passages, it also appears in compound phrases like "the apple of the eye," where it conveys something precious and closely guarded.

Its etymological link to ben (son) highlights a structural symmetry in Hebrew thought, marking gender within relational categories. The word’s flexibility allows it to shift seamlessly from individual identity to collective representation, reflecting how ancient Israelite culture viewed women both as individuals and as symbols of their communities.

Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).

What This Word Means for Your Faith

The word bat simply means daughter, yet it carries a warmth that connects generations. When Genesis lists Adam’s sons and daughters, it reminds us that every family line is part of God’s ongoing story. This ordinary term grounds our faith in real human relationships, showing that God cares about the everyday lives of mothers, fathers, and children.

It also expands to describe communities, like the daughters of Zion, linking individual identity to collective hope. In moments of danger, such as Lot offering his daughters for protection, the word highlights the fierce loyalty families feel toward one another. This imagery invites us to see our own lives as part of a larger narrative where we are valued and protected.

Ultimately, bat reflects God’s design for kinship and care. Whether in genealogies or poetic metaphors, it points to a world where relationships matter deeply. We can find comfort in knowing that we are known and loved within this divine family structure.

How it's translated

How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 443 verses where it appears, by frequency.

  • [the] daughter of154×
  • and/ daughters29×
  • and/ daughters/ its27×
  • [the] daughters of26×
  • daughters21×
  • daughter/ his20×
  • O daughter of17×
  • daughters/ its14×
  • daughters/ your13×
  • daughters/ his13×
  • and/ daughters/ your12×
  • daughters/ their10×

Forms in the text

The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.

  • בַּת\־140×
  • בַת\־25×
  • בְּנ֣וֹת21×
  • וּ/בָנֽוֹת\׃12×
  • וּ/בָנֽוֹת\׃\ \ס8×
  • וּ/בְנֹתֶ֔י/הָ6×
  • בָּנ֑וֹת6×
  • בַּ֖ת6×
  • בְּנ֥וֹת6×
  • לְ/בַת\־5×
  • וּ/בְנֹתֶֽי/הָ\׃5×
  • בַּֽת\־5×

Key Verses

  • Genesis 5:4
    The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he became the father of other sons and daughters.

    This verse establishes the foundational pattern of human lineage, showing that daughters are included from the very beginning in God's record of creation.

  • Genesis 19:8
    See now, I have two virgin daughters. Please let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them what seems good to you. Only don’t do anything to these men, because they have come under the shadow of my roof.”

    Lot’s desperate offer reveals the extreme cultural value placed on protecting female family members during times of crisis.

  • Genesis 19:14
    Lot went out, and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters, and said, “Get up! Get out of this place, for Yahweh will destroy the city!” But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be joking.

    The mention of daughters pledged to marriage underscores the urgency of Lot's warning and the social bonds at stake in Sodom's destruction.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Hebrew word bat mean?

Bat is the standard Hebrew noun for daughter. It refers to a female child or young woman and appears frequently in genealogies and family narratives throughout the Old Testament.

How is bat different from other words for women?

While mar'ah generally means woman or wife, bat specifically denotes the relationship to a parent. It emphasizes familial connection rather than just gender or marital status.

Where does bat appear most often in the Bible?

It appears over 400 times, particularly in Genesis for genealogies and in poetic books like Isaiah where it personifies cities like Jerusalem as daughters.

Every Occurrence (443 verses across 32 books)

Genesis 89 verses
Genesis 5:4

The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he became the father of other sons…

Genesis 5:7

Seth lived after he became the father of Enosh eight hundred seven years, and became the father of other sons and…

Genesis 5:10

Enosh lived after he became the father of Kenan eight hundred fifteen years, and became the father of other sons and…

Genesis 5:13

Kenan lived after he became the father of Mahalalel eight hundred forty years, and became the father of other sons and…

Genesis 5:16

Mahalalel lived after he became the father of Jared eight hundred thirty years, and became the father of other sons and…

Genesis 5:19

Jared lived after he became the father of Enoch eight hundred years, and became the father of other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:22

After Methuselah’s birth, Enoch walked with God for three hundred years, and became the father of more sons and…

Genesis 5:26

Methuselah lived after he became the father of Lamech seven hundred eighty-two years, and became the father of other…

Genesis 5:30

Lamech lived after he became the father of Noah five hundred ninety-five years, and became the father of other sons and…

Genesis 6:1

When men began to multiply on the surface of the ground, and daughters were born to them,

Genesis 6:2

God’s sons saw that men’s daughters were beautiful, and they took any that they wanted for themselves as wives.

Genesis 6:4

The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when God’s sons came in to men’s daughters and had…

Genesis 11:11

Shem lived five hundred years after he became the father of Arpachshad, and became the father of more sons and…

Genesis 11:13

Arpachshad lived four hundred three years after he became the father of Shelah, and became the father of more sons and…

Genesis 11:15

Shelah lived four hundred three years after he became the father of Eber, and became the father of more sons and…

Genesis 11:17

Eber lived four hundred thirty years after he became the father of Peleg, and became the father of more sons and…

Genesis 11:19

Peleg lived two hundred nine years after he became the father of Reu, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

Genesis 11:21

Reu lived two hundred seven years after he became the father of Serug, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

Genesis 11:23

Serug lived two hundred years after he became the father of Nahor, and became the father of more sons and daughters.

Genesis 11:25

Nahor lived one hundred nineteen years after he became the father of Terah, and became the father of more sons and…

Genesis 11:29

Abram and Nahor married wives. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah, the…

Genesis 17:17

Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to him who is one hundred…

Genesis 19:8

See now, I have two virgin daughters. Please let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them what seems good to…

Genesis 19:12

The men said to Lot, “Do you have anybody else here? Sons-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in…

Genesis 19:14

Lot went out, and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters, and said, “Get up! Get out of this…

Genesis 19:15

When the morning came, then the angels hurried Lot, saying, “Get up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are…

Genesis 19:16

But he lingered; and the men grabbed his hand, his wife’s hand, and his two daughters’ hands, Yahweh being merciful to…

Genesis 19:30

Lot went up out of Zoar, and lived in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he was afraid to live in Zoar.…

Genesis 19:36

Thus both of Lot’s daughters were with child by their father.

Genesis 20:12

Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

Genesis 24:3

I will make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son…

Genesis 24:13

Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. The daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.

Genesis 24:23

and said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there room in your father’s house for us to stay?”

Genesis 24:24

She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.”

Genesis 24:37

My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose…

Genesis 24:47

I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to…

Genesis 24:48

I bowed my head, and worshiped Yahweh, and blessed Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right…

Genesis 25:20

Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Paddan Aram, the sister of Laban…

Genesis 26:34

When Esau was forty years old, he took as wife Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of…

Genesis 27:46

Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob takes a wife of the daughters…

Genesis 28:1

Isaac called Jacob, blessed him, and commanded him, “You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.

Genesis 28:2

Arise, go to Paddan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father. Take a wife from there from the daughters of…

Genesis 28:6

Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan Aram, to take him a wife from there, and that as…

Genesis 28:8

Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan didn’t please Isaac, his father.

Genesis 28:9

So Esau went to Ishmael, and took, in addition to the wives that he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s…

Genesis 29:6

He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well. See, Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep.”

Genesis 29:10

When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother, Jacob…

Genesis 29:16

Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

Genesis 29:18

Jacob loved Rachel. He said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”

Genesis 29:23

In the evening, he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to Jacob. He went in to her.

Genesis 29:24

Laban gave Zilpah his servant to his daughter Leah for a servant.

Genesis 29:28

Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife.

Genesis 29:29

Laban gave Bilhah, his servant, to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.

Genesis 30:13

Leah said, “Happy am I, for the daughters will call me happy.” She named him Asher.

Genesis 30:21

Afterwards, she bore a daughter, and named her Dinah.

Genesis 31:26

Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done, that you have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the…

Genesis 31:28

and didn’t allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now you have done foolishly.

Genesis 31:31

Jacob answered Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Lest you should take your daughters from me by force.’

Genesis 31:41

These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for…

Genesis 31:43

Laban answered Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all…

Genesis 31:50

If you afflict my daughters, or if you take wives in addition to my daughters, no man is with us; behold, God is…

Genesis 34:1

Dinah, the daughter of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.

Genesis 34:3

His soul joined to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young lady, and spoke kindly to the young lady.

Genesis 34:5

Now Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah, his daughter; and his sons were with his livestock in the field. Jacob held…

Genesis 34:7

The sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it. The men were grieved, and they were very angry, because he…

Genesis 34:8

Hamor talked with them, saying, “The soul of my son, Shechem, longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife.

Genesis 34:9

Make marriages with us. Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves.

Genesis 34:16

then will we give our daughters to you; and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will…

Genesis 34:17

But if you will not listen to us and be circumcised, then we will take our sister, and we will be gone.”

Genesis 34:19

The young man didn’t wait to do this thing, because he had delight in Jacob’s daughter, and he was honored above all…

Genesis 34:21

“These men are peaceful with us. Therefore let them live in the land and trade in it. For behold, the land is large…

Genesis 36:2

Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon, the Hittite; and Oholibamah the daughter…

Genesis 36:3

and Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebaioth.

Genesis 36:6

Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, with his livestock, all his…

Genesis 36:14

These were the sons of Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon, Esau’s wife: she bore to Esau Jeush,…

Genesis 36:18

These are the sons of Oholibamah, Esau’s wife: chief Jeush, chief Jalam, chief Korah. These are the chiefs who came of…

Genesis 36:25

These are the children of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.

Genesis 36:39

Baal Hanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his place. The name of his city was Pau. His wife’s name was…

Genesis 37:35

All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, “For I will go down…

Genesis 38:2

There, Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite man named Shua. He took her, and went in to her.

Genesis 38:12

After many days, Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died. Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheep shearers to…

Genesis 41:45

Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-Paneah. He gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On as a wife.…

Genesis 41:50

To Joseph were born two sons before the year of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore…

Genesis 46:7

his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters, and he brought all his offspring with…

Genesis 46:15

These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, with his daughter Dinah. All the souls of his sons…

Genesis 46:18

These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah, his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob, even sixteen souls.

Genesis 46:20

To Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On,…

Genesis 46:25

These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel, his daughter, and these she bore to Jacob: all the souls were…

Genesis 49:22

“Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine by a spring. His branches run over the wall.

Exodus 22 verses
Leviticus 16 verses
Numbers 23 verses
Deuteronomy 17 verses
Joshua 9 verses
Judges 17 verses
Ruth 11 verses
I Samuel 16 verses
II Samuel 17 verses
I Kings 11 verses
II Kings 16 verses
I Chronicles 22 verses
II Chronicles 19 verses
Ezra 3 verses
Nehemiah 11 verses
Esther 3 verses
Job 6 verses
Psalms 6 verses
Proverbs 2 verses
Ecclesiastes 1 verse
Song of Solomon 10 verses
Isaiah 24 verses
Jeremiah 36 verses
Lamentations 19 verses
Daniel 2 verses
Hosea 4 verses
Amos 1 verse
Micah 6 verses
Zephaniah 2 verses
Zechariah 1 verse
Malachi 1 verse