### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew phrase **Bath Rabbîym**, represented by `{{H1337}}`, is defined as **the daughter (i.e. city) of Rabbah; Bath-rabbim**. This name appears only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in scripture. Its components are derived from the Hebrew words for "daughter" (בַּת) and a masculine plural form of "rab" (רַב), literally pointing to a specific location.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{H1337}}` is in the Song of Solomon, where it serves as a geographical marker within a poetic description. The passage praises a woman's beauty, comparing her eyes to "the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of **Bathrabbim**" [[Song of Solomon 7:4]]. This usage identifies `{{H1337}}` as the location of a city gate, situated near notable pools, likely chosen to evoke an image of clarity and beauty.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several words used alongside `{{H1337}}` in its only scriptural context help build a picture of ancient cityscapes and poetic imagery:
* `{{H8179}}` **shaʻar** (gate): This word means **an opening, i.e. door or gate**. Bathrabbim is explicitly identified as the location of a `{{H8179}}`, a central point of entry, defense, and civic life in a city, where one's seed could possess the `{{H8179}}` of his enemies [[Genesis 22:17]].
* `{{H1295}}` **bᵉrêkâh** (pool): Defined as **a reservoir (at which camels kneel as a resting-place); (fish-) pool**, this word describes the features near the gate of Bathrabbim. Such pools were significant public works, as when King Hezekiah made a `{{H1295}}` to bring water into the city [[2 Kings 20:20]].
* `{{H4026}}` **migdâl** (tower): Meaning **a tower (from its size or height)**, this word appears twice in the same verse as `{{H1337}}`. Towers were key features of defense and prominence, such as the `{{H4026}}` of Babel [[Genesis 11:4]] and as a metaphor for the Lord's name being a "strong tower" [[Proverbs 18:10]].
### Theological Significance
While `{{H1337}}` itself does not carry direct theological weight, its unique usage in Song of Solomon highlights several themes:
* **Grounded Imagery:** The Bible frequently uses specific, real-world places to communicate relational truths. The mention of the "gate of Bathrabbim" anchors the poetic language of love in a tangible, recognizable setting [[Song of Solomon 7:4]].
* **The Sanctity of Beauty:** By employing the image of a civic feature—pools by a city gate—to describe the beauty of the beloved's eyes, the text elevates the appreciation of the created world within a sacred context.
* **Symbolism of Access:** Gates `{{H8179}}` in scripture often symbolize access and entry. The reference to the "gate of Bathrabbim" alongside the beloved's eyes could poetically suggest depth and clarity, an invitation to a deeper relationship, much like the call to "Lift up your heads, O ye gates" for the King to enter [[Psalm 24:7]].
### Summary
In summary, **Bath Rabbîym** `{{H1337}}` is a specific place name, "the gate of Bathrabbim," that appears just once in scripture. Its sole context is a simile in the Song of Solomon, where the beauty of a woman's eyes is compared to the clear fishpools located by this gate [[Song of Solomon 7:4]]. While a minor detail in the biblical landscape, its use demonstrates how scripture anchors poetic expression in real-world geography, employing tangible features like gates, pools, and towers to convey concepts of beauty, access, and prominence.
TRV