The Hebrew verb בָּטֵל (root: ב-ט-ל) means “to cease,” “to be idle,” “to become null,” or “to be ineffective.” It conveys the idea of stopping an action or rendering something void or powerless. In biblical Hebrew, this verb appears both in literal contexts—such as cessation of labor or activities—and in legal or theological contexts—such as nullifying covenants or abolishing ordinances.
בָּטֵל is primarily found in the Niphal (passive/reflexive: “to be nullified”) and Hiphil (causative: “to make void” or “to abolish”) stems, but its Qal form also carries the meaning of “to be idle” or “to cease.”
Qal Binyan Conjugation of בָּטֵל
Past (Perfect) Tense
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| 1st person singular | בָּטַלְתִּי |
| 2nd person masculine singular | בָּטַלְתָּ |
| 2nd person feminine singular | בָּטַלְתְּ |
| 3rd person masculine singular | בָּטַל |
| 3rd person feminine singular | בָּטְלָה |
| 1st person plural | בָּטַלְנוּ |
| 2nd person masculine plural | בְּטַלְתֶּם |
| 2nd person feminine plural | בְּטַלְתֶּן |
| 3rd person plural | בָּטְלוּ |
Present (Participle) Tense
| Gender/Number | Form |
|---|---|
| Masculine singular | בּוֹטֵל |
| Feminine singular | בּוֹטֶלֶת |
| Masculine plural | בּוֹטְלִים |
| Feminine plural | בּוֹטְלוֹת |
Future (Imperfect) Tense
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| 1st person singular | אֶבְטַל |
| 2nd person masculine singular | תִּבְטַל |
| 2nd person feminine singular | תִּבְטְלִי |
| 3rd person masculine singular | יִבְטַל |
| 3rd person feminine singular | תִּבְטַל |
| 1st person plural | נִבְטַל |
| 2nd person masculine plural | תִּבְטְלוּ |
| 2nd person feminine plural | תִּבְטַלְנָה |
| 3rd person plural | יִבְטְלוּ |
Imperative Mood
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| 2nd person masculine singular | בְּטַל |
| 2nd person feminine singular | בִּטְלִי |
| 2nd person masculine plural | בִּטְלוּ |
| 2nd person feminine plural | בְּטַלְנָה |
Usage in Scripture
- Ezra 4:21 – וְעַתָּה הַשְׁמִיתוּ אֶת־הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה וּתְבַטֵּל הָעִיר הַזֹּאת
“Therefore give the order to stop these men, so that this city is not rebuilt.” - Exodus 5:5 – מַדּוּעַ תַּפְרִיעוּ אֶת־הָעָם מִמַּעֲשָׂיו לְכוּ לְסִבְלֹתֵיכֶם
“Why do you cause the people to cease from their work?” – conveying interruption of labor. - Isaiah 14:27 – וְיָדוֹ הַנְּטוּיָה וּמִי יְשִׁיבֶנָּה
“And His hand is stretched out—who can turn it back?” — expressing futility of opposition; similar conceptually to something that cannot be “nullified.”
Summary
The verb בָּטֵל is a powerful expression of cessation, interruption, and nullification. Whether referring to human labor, divine decrees, or legal agreements, it communicates that something has lost its force or validity. It is an especially important term in later Hebrew for legal and halakhic concepts of voiding contracts, but it also appears in foundational biblical contexts to mark the end of activity or authority.
