ba.tach describes relying on a person, God, strength, or possession, and can also portray a condition of felt security.

The verb most often marks reliance directed toward a named support—especially the LORD, but also Egypt, human strength, wealth, images, or deceptive claims. In several participial contexts it portrays people as secure or unsuspecting, while Hiphil occurrences describe causing others to place such reliance.

1. Reliance placed in a support · dominant

   The Qal forms occur where reliance is directed toward a support or source of help. In 2 Kings 18:21 the APB renders reliance on Egypt, whose support is compared to a crushed reed; in Isaiah 50:10 it renders the call to rely on the name of the LORD while walking in darkness. Other clauses extend the same pattern to the LORD, a person, righteousness, wealth, or an image.

   2 Kings 18:212 Kings 18:22Isaiah 50:10Jeremiah 17:5Ezekiel 33:13Habakkuk 2:18
2. Being secure or unsuspecting · occasional

   Active participles can describe a condition of security rather than naming an object of reliance. In Judges 18:7 the APB renders the people of Laish as dwelling “securely,” “quiet and unsuspecting”; Judges 18:10 and Judges 18:27 again characterize the people as unsuspecting before the attack. In Job 11:18, the clause joins this condition to hope and lying down in security.

   Judges 18:7Judges 18:10Judges 18:27Job 11:18Jeremiah 12:5
3. Causing people to rely · rare

   Hiphil forms describe one person leading others into reliance. In Jeremiah 28:15 the APB renders Hananiah as having made the people rely on deception; in Jeremiah 29:31, Shemaiah’s uncommissioned prophecy has caused the exiles to rely on a lie.

   Jeremiah 28:15Jeremiah 29:31

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB commonly renders the relevant clauses with “trust” or “rely,” while in the Laish passages it uses “securely” and “unsuspecting.” Because the APB is a whole-verse translation, these renderings indicate the clauses’ presentation rather than fixed English equivalents.