A rare Hebrew word referring to a precious stone — likely alabaster, white marble, or a similar lustrous material. It appears in Esther's description of the royal palace's pavement, evoking wealth, beauty, and royal splendor. The exact identification remains debated among scholars, but it clearly refers to something of great beauty and preciousness.
Though bahat appears only once in Scripture, its context in Esther's description of the Persian royal court is theologically rich. The stunning beauty of Ahasuerus's palace — with its floor of precious stones — forms a backdrop against which God's quiet, unseen providence operates. The most ornate earthly kingdoms remain under divine sovereignty. This reflects the Bible's recurring theme: no earthly splendor rivals God's glory, and beauty itself points upward to the Creator.