Bible Geek Word Nerd - Say #6 - BATA

Say #6 - THINK before SPEAK

July 18, 2022

If you do an Internet search of the phrase “think before you speak”, you will turn up almost 2 billion hits in less than one second. Many of the first hits are for various forms of an acronym that is supposed to help you refrain from speaking without thinking (i.e., THINK or THANK). Some of the hits are articles on why it’s important to think before speaking (e.g., “Ten Reasons Why You Should…” or “Thirteen Reasons Why You Should…”). Throw in some explainer videors and recorded sermons, and you have a significant wave pushing back against speaking rashly.

 

Which leads us to today’s post in our soon-to-be-ended mini-series on Bible words that mean “speak” or “say”. Today’s Hebrew word is BATA (בָּטָא), which means to speak rashly or thoughtlessly. It occurs only four times in the Hebrew Bible, but it packs a powerful punch each time. You will find it twice in Leviticus 5:4 (HCSB) in the matter of rashly swearing an oath:

 

“Or if someone SWEARS RASHLY to do what is good or evil—concerning anything a person may SPEAK RASHLY in an oath—without being aware of it, but later recognizes it, he incurs guilt in such an instance.”

 

If you’re familiar with the Jewish Scriptures, you can recount some clear instances when rash vows led to horrifying consequences. There is the story of Jephthah’s rash vow in Judges 11, and the awful fate of his only daughter. You can also read about King Saul’s rash vow in 1 Samuel 14, which nearly cost the life of his son Jonathan.

 

The implications of speaking rashly in the Scriptures also relate to relational damage, as rash words can hurt another person. Proverbs 12:18 likens them to a cutting blade:

 

“There is ONE WHO SPEAKS like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health.”

 

And rashly speaking can not only hurt others, it can also hurt the speaker, as Moses learned in the Exodus. Psalm 106:33 tells us that Moses spoke rashly to his rebellious Tribes:

 

“By the waters of Meribah they angered the LORD, and trouble came to Moses because of them; for they rebelled against the Spirit of God, and RASH WORDS CAME from Moses’ lips.”

 

It is no wonder that the advice from the writer James is so often cited: Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.” Rash words lead to huge consequences. In other words, THINK before you speak.