עֲטַלֵּף (a.tal.leph)
a.tal.leph
bat
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew word ‘attalleph refers specifically to a bat, an animal that flies but is not a bird. It appears in only three verses in the Old Testament, all within lists of unclean creatures or symbols of desolation. In Leviticus 11:19 and Deuteronomy 14:18, it is grouped with other winged insects and animals deemed unfit for consumption under Mosaic law. Isaiah 2:20 uses the creature as part of a vivid image of idolatry’s end, where people flee to holes and caves to hide from the Lord’s terror.
Its rarity in Scripture gives it a distinct tone. Unlike birds, which often symbolize freedom or divine care, the bat is associated with darkness, ruins, and separation from holy community. The word itself may derive from a root meaning "to cover" or "hide," fitting its nocturnal nature. Translators consistently render it as "bat," preserving its identity as a creature of shadow rather than light.
This limited usage highlights how the biblical authors used familiar animals to convey spiritual truths. The bat’s presence in these texts underscores themes of impurity, judgment, and the consequences of turning away from God.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ‘attalleph appears rarely in Scripture, always in contexts of separation or judgment. In Leviticus and Deuteronomy, it is listed among unclean creatures, marking a boundary for Israel’s holy community. This distinction was not about the animal’s nature but about setting apart a people who belonged to God.
In Isaiah 2:20, the bat takes on a darker role. It inhabits the ruins left by idolatry, hiding in shadows when people flee from the Lord’s presence. The creature becomes a symbol of what remains when false gods are cast aside and true worship is abandoned.
This word reminds us that holiness involves both separation from sin and drawing near to God. While the bat represents darkness and exile, we are called to live in the light of Christ, who brings us out of shadow into His wonderful light.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ bat1×
- and/ to the/ bats1×
- and/ the/ bat1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/לָ/עֲטַלֵּפִֽים\׃1×
- וְ/הָ/עֲטַלֵּֽף\׃1×
- הָ/עֲטַלֵּֽף\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Leviticus 11:19
the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat.
This verse establishes the bat as unclean under Mosaic law, grouping it with other winged creatures unfit for Israel's table.
-
Deuteronomy 14:18
the stork, the heron after its kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.
Repeating the list, this occurrence reinforces the covenant requirement for distinctiveness in diet and identity.
-
Isaiah 2:20
In that day, men shall cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which have been made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats,
Here the bat symbolizes desolation, hiding among discarded idols as people flee from divine judgment.