BATH QÓL. – A supernatural voice manifesting a divine warning to man, according to the belief that spread in Judaism around the second century B.C.
The Hebrew expression (literally “daughter of a voice”) means an “echo,” as the tosafists explain in Sanhedhrín, 11: “One does not hear the voice that comes forth from heaven, but another voice deriving from it.” In the Targumim and in the Talmudic and midrashic writings it denotes the fourth and lowest degree of divine revelation (after prophecy, the holy spirit, and the oracle of Urim and tummim) (Tósephitá Sátáh, XIII, 2; Sátáh, 48b). A private oracle, the b. q., which made itself heard to pious and exceptional men between approximately 450 B.C. and A.D. 220, was regarded as a weak substitute for prophecy, which had ceased. Through this “voice,” God spoke only indirectly, by means of angels or Elijah. It was therefore denied authority for settling legal controversies: it could not be set against the authority of the doctors of the Law (Bérákhóth, 52a; Hullín, 44a); hence R. Eliezer Hyrianos “the Great” was excommunicated, despite his “miracles” and a b. q. (Baba mesia, 59).
The b. q. comes from the places in which God dwells: from heaven (as to R. Hillel in Jericho, 20 B.C.; III Enoch ebraico [ed. H. Odeberg, Cambridge 1928] 16,2), from the “holy of holies” in the Temple (John Hyrcanus, high priest, 135–105 B.C., heard an assurance of victory: Sátáh, 33a, and Fl. Josephus, Antiq. Lud., XIII, 10, 3–7), from Horeb or Sinai (Ábhóth, VI, 2; Bérákhóth, 17b). In the first century this charismatic phenomenon was considered commonplace. The long conflict between the schools of Shammai and Hillel was decided by a b. q. in favor of the latter (Érúkhín, 13b).
The task of the b. q. is to convey a divine message. It is therefore usually a short sentence; the longest known b. q. is perhaps that of Apoc. Baruch, 13,1 ff. This message consoles, admonishes, threatens, decides, or foretells; it serves as an omen before beginning an action (Méghilláh, 32a). The most eagerly desired “voice” is that which foretells to someone participation in heavenly happiness and in the world to come (as in the martyrdom of R. 'Aqibá': Bérákhóth, 61b).
The Peshitta of the New Testament (ca. 400) translates the “voice” (of God) by b. q. in Act. 12, 22 (běhót qólé), I Tim. 6,20; Hebr. 3,15 (bat qólé). J. Buxtorf, G. Dalman, B. W. Bacon, and P. Billerbeck connect (without foundation) with the b. q. the “voice from heaven” addressed to Jesus in Mt. 3,17 (Mc. 1, 11; Lc. 3, 22) and Mt. 17,5 (Mc. 9, 7; Lc. 9, 35), and Io. 12, 28; the “voice” addressed to Paul and Peter (Act. 9,4 [22,7]; 26,14]; 10,13, 15); and Apoc. 10, 4–8; 18,4.
Moses Maimonides (Móreh nébhúkhím, II, 42; ed. S. Munk, II, Paris 1861, p. 90) explains the b. q. rationalistically: “When a man has a powerful impression, he believes that he hears a voice outside himself.” The b. q. may be compared with the “voice” (φανή τις) which Socrates claimed to hear, whenever he was perplexed, in his conscience, defining it as θεῖον τι καὶ δαυτόνιον (Plato, Apol., 31d; Eutyphr., 2 b).