Tag Archives: בטל

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.”… Learn Hebrew