BATH QÖL. – A supernatural voice manifesting to man a divine warning, according to a belief that spread in Judaism around the 2nd century B.C.
The Hebrew expression (literally “daughter of a voice”) signifies an “echo,” as the Tosafists explain in *Sanhedrin*, 11a: “One does not hear the voice that comes from heaven, but another voice derived from it.” In the Targums, in Talmudic and Midrashic writings, it denotes the fourth (after prophecy, the Holy Spirit, and the oracles of *’ûrîm* and *tummîm*) and lowest degree of divine revelation (*Tosephot* to *Sôqah*, XIII, 2; *Sôqah*, 48b). A private oracle, the bath qol, heard by the most learned men between ca. 450 B.C. and A.D. 220, was considered a weak substitute for prophecy, which had ceased. Through this “voice,” God spoke only mediately, by means of angels or Elijah. Hence it was denied authority to settle legal disputes: it could not be opposed to the authority of the doctors of the Law (*Bérakhôth*, 52a; *Hullin*, 44a); thus R. Eliezer Hyrkanos “the Great” was excommunicated despite his “miracles” and a bath qol (*Baba meşia*, 59).
The bath qol comes from the places where God dwells: from heaven (as to R. Hillel in Jericho, 20 B.C.; *Hebrew 3 Enoch* [ed. H. Odeberg, Cambridge 1928] 16,2), from the “Holy of Holies” in the Temple (John Hyrcanus, high priest, 135–105 B.C., was assured of victory: *Sôqah*, 33a, and Flavius Josephus, *Antiquitates Judaicae*, XIII, 10, 3,7), or from Horeb or Sinai (*Abhôth*, VI, 2; *Bérakhôth*, 17b). In the 1st century, this charismatic phenomenon was believed to be common. The long conflict between the schools of Shammai and Hillel was decided by a bath qol in favor of the latter (*’Erûbhîn*, 13b).
The function of the bath qol is to convey a divine message. It is usually brief; the longest known bath qol is perhaps that in *Apocalypse of Baruch*, 13,1; 3,5. This message consoles, admonishes, threatens, decides, or predicts; it serves as an omen before undertaking an action (*Meghillah*, 32a). The most desired “voice” is one that predicts a person’s share in heavenly bliss and the world to come (as in the martyrdom of R. ’Aqibah: *Bérakhôth*, 61b).
The *Peshitta* of the New Testament (ca. 400) renders with bath qol the “voice” (of God) in *Acts* 12,22 (*bênôt qôlê*), *1 Timothy* 6,20; *Hebrews* 3,15 (*bat qôl*). J. Buxtorf, G. Dalman, B. W. Bacon, and P. Billerbeck (without foundation) connect with the bath qol the “voice from heaven” to Jesus in *Matthew* 3,17 (*Mark* 1,11; *Luke* 3,22) and *Matthew* 17,5 (*Mark* 9,7; *Luke* 9,35), and *John* 12,28, the “voice” to Paul and Peter (*Acts* 9,4 [22,7; 26,14]; *John* 13,15), and *Revelation* 10,4–8; 18,4.
Moses Maimonides (*Moreh Nebukhim*, II, 42; ed. S. Munk, II, Paris 1861, p. 90) explains the bath qol rationally: “When a man has a strong impression, he believes he hears a voice outside himself.” The bath qol may be compared to the “voice” (*qôwîq tîq*) that Socrates claimed to hear, though perplexed, in his conscience, calling it *to daimonion* (*Plato, Apology*, 31d; *Euthyphro*, 2b).