Part of Speech: Noun
Strong's Number: H4009
Original Word: mibt?ah?
Usage Notes: "the act of confiding; the object of confidence; the state of confidence or security." This word occurs 15 times. The word refers to "the act of confiding" in Prov 21:22: "A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof." Mibt?ah? means the "object of confidence" in Job 8:14 and the "state of confidence or security" in Prov 14:26.
Usage Number: 2
Strong's Number: H983
Original Word: bet?ah?
Usage Notes:Bet?ah? is a noun meaning "security, trust." One occurrence is in Isa 32:17: "… and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance [bet?ah?] for ever."
Usage Number: 3
Part of Speech: Verb
Strong's Number: H982
Original Word: bat?ah?
Usage Notes: "to be reliant, trust, be unsuspecting." This verb, which occurs 118 times in biblical Hebrew, has a possible Arabic cognate and a cognate in late Aramaic. The word means "to trust" in Deut 28:52: "And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land…"
Usage Number: 4
Part of Speech: Adjective
Strong's Number: H982
Original Word: bat?ah?
Usage Notes: "secure." In two passages this word is used as an adjective suggesting trust and security: "And Gideon went up … and smote the host: for the host was secure [unsuspecting]" (Judg 8:11; cf. Isa 32:17).
Usage Number: 5
Part of Speech: Adverb
Strong's Number: H983
Original Word: bet?ah?
Usage Notes: "securely." The occurrences of this word appear in all periods of biblical Hebrew.
In its first occurrence bet?ah? emphasizes the status of a city which was certain of not being attacked: " … Two of the sons … took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males" (Gen 34:25). Thus the city was unsuspecting regarding the impending attack. In passages such as Prov 10:9 (cf. Prov 1:33) bet?ah? emphasizes a confidence and the absence of impending doom: "He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known [faces certain judgment]." Israel dwells in security apart from any possible doom or danger because God keeps her completely safe (Deut 33:12, 28; cf. Deut 12:10). This condition is contingent on their faithfulness to God (Lev 25:18-19). In the eschaton, however, such absence of danger is guaranteed by the Messiah's presence (Jer 23:5-6).
