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G943 · Greek · New Testament
βάτος
Batos
Noun, masculine/feminine
Bath (liquid measure) / bramble bush

Definition

Batos (βάτος) has two distinct usages in the New Testament. As a masculine noun (G942), it refers to a bramble bush or thorn bush — the burning bush of Moses' encounter in Luke 20:37 and Acts 7:35. As a feminine noun (G943), it is a liquid measure equal to the Hebrew bath (בַּת), approximately 8–9 gallons, appearing in Luke 16:6 in the parable of the dishonest manager.

Usage & Theological Significance

The batos as thorn bush carries immense theological weight — it was the site of God's first self-revelation to Moses as "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14). Fire without consumption speaks of God's eternal, holy, self-sustaining nature. Jesus referenced this burning bush when arguing for the resurrection: "He is not the God of the dead, but of the living" (Luke 20:38). The measure usage in the parable raises questions about stewardship and shrewd management of earthly resources for eternal purposes.

Key Bible Verses

Luke 20:37 But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord 'the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'
Luke 16:6 'Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,' he replied. The manager told him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty gallons.'
Acts 7:35 This is the same Moses they had rejected with the words, 'Who made you ruler and judge?' He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
Exodus 3:2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush.
Luke 20:38 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.

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