STRONGS NUMBER H1104


Word Summary
bala: to swallow down, swallow up, engulf
Original Word: בָּלַע
Transliteration: bala
Phonetic Spelling: (baw-lah')
Part of Speech: Verb
Short Definition: to swallow down, swallow up, engulf
Meaning: to swallow down, swallow up, engulf
Strong's Concordance
cover, destroy, devour, eat up, be at end, spend up, swallow down up

A primitive root; to make away with (specifically by swallowing); generally, to destroy -- cover, destroy, devour, eat up, be at end, spend up, swallow down (up).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

H1104. bala

בָּלַעverb swallow down, swallow up, engulf (idea of quickness, suddenness) (Late Hebrew id., Arabic swallow, Ethiopic eat, Aramaic בְּלַע‎, ; Assyrian bêlû, Pi`el destroy ZimBP 27) —

Qal Perfect בָּלַעJob 20:15, suffix בְּלָעַנִיJeremiah 51:34 (Qr, compare ᵐ5‎ Kt נוּ‎-); 3 feminine singular בָּֽלְעָהNumbers 16:30; 3plural suffix בְּלָעוּנוּPsalm 124:3; Imperfect יִבְלָ֑עJob 20:18, וַיִּבְלַעExodus 7:12, suffix יִבְלָעֶנָּהIsaiah 28:4; 3feminine singular וַתִּבְלַעNumbers 16:32 2t.; suffix תִּבְלָעֵנִיPsalm 69:16, תִּבְלָעֵנוּNumbers 16:34, וַתִּבְלָעֵםDeuteronomy 11:6, תִּבְלָעֵמוֺExodus 15:12; 3masculine plural suffix יִבְלָעֻהוּHosea 8:7; 3feminine plural וַתִּבְלַעְנָהGenesis 41:7, וַתִּבְלַעְןָ41:24; 1plural suffix נִבְלָעֵםProverbs 1:12; Infinitive לִבְלֹעַJonah 2:1; suffix בִּלְעִיJob 7:19; —

1 swallow down, with accusative Job 7:19; Isaiah 28:4, subject דָּגJonah 2:1; subject שִׁבֳּלִיםGenesis 41:7, 24; מַטֶּהExodus 7:12.

2 swallow up, engulf, subject אֶרֶץExodus 15:12; Numbers 16:30, 32, 34; 26:10; Deuteronomy 11:6; Psalm 106:17; figurative of greed Job 20:15 (object חַיִל‎; opposed to קיאvomit); of violence, extortion Proverbs 1:12 (כִּשְׁאוֺל‎); of devastation by enemy Hosea 8:7; Jeremiah 51:34; Psalm 124:3; over-whelming by calamity 69:16 (subject מצולה‎); of full enjoyment, profit Job 20:18 (no object)

Niph`al Perfect נִבְלַעHosea 8:8, נִבְלְעוּIsaiah 28:7; — swallowed up, i.e. devastated Hosea 8:8; engulfed by wine (yet compare

Pi`el Isaiah 3:12) 28:7 (׳נ מןהֿיין‎, "" בַשֵּׁכָר שָׁגוּ‎).

Pi`el Perfect בִּלַּעIsaiah 25:8 3t.; וּבִלַּע‎ consecutive 25:7; 3plural בִּלֵּ֑עוּ3:12; 1plural בִּלָּ֑עְנוּLamentations 2:16, suffix בִּלַּעֲנוּהוּPsalm 35:25; Imperfect יְבַלַּעֿProverbs 19:28, suffix 3masculine singular יְבַלְּעֶנּוּJob 8:18; Proverbs 21:20; יְבַלְּעֵםPsalm 21:10; 3feminine singular suffix 3 masculine singular תְּבַלְּעֶנּוּEcclesiastes 10:12; 2masculine singular תְּבַלַּע2 Samuel 20:19, suffix וַתְּבַלְּעֵנִיJob 10:8; 1singular אֲבַלַּע2 Samuel 20:20, אֲבַלֵּ֑עַIsaiah 19:3; Imperative בַּלַּעPsalm 55:10; Infinitive בַּלַּעNumbers 4:20; Habakkuk 1:13, בַּלֵּ֑עַLamentations 2:8, suffix בַּלְּעוֺJob 2:3; Participle suffix מְבַלְּעָ֑יִךְIsaiah 49:19; —

1 swallow Numbers 4:20 (כְּבַלַּעas a swallowing = for an instant); elsewhere

2 swallow up, engulf, usually with accusative,

a. figurative of destruction, ruin, Isaiah 3:12 (object דֶּרֶךְ‎); (Ba from a √ II. בלעconfound, compare Di; see also 9:15; 19:3; 28:7; Psalm 55:10; 107:27); subject ׳יLamentations 2:2, 5 (twice in verse); 2:8; Job 2:3; 10:8; Psalm 21:10 ("" אכל‎), Isaiah 19:3 (object עֵצָה‎), i.e. confuse, confound; so Psalm 55:10 לְשׁוֺנָם מַּלַּג אֲדֹנָי בַּלַּעconfuse, Lord, divide their speech (compare בללGenesis 11:7, 9 & see De Che); subject wicked men, enemies Psalm 35:25; Isaiah 49:19 compare Lamentations 2:16 (absolute) Habakkuk 1:13; object reflexive in sense Ecclesiastes 10:12; = annihilate Isaiah 25:7-8,

b. literally = destroy 2 Samuel 20:19-20, ("" הִשְׁחִית‎); indefinite subject Job 8:18 ׳יב ממקמו‎;

c. figurative for greedily (seize, adopt) practise Proverbs 19:28, for extravagance, squandering 21:20.

Pu`al Imperfect יְבֻלַּע2 Samuel 17:16, יְבֻלָּ֑עJob 37:20; Participle מְבֻלָּעִיםIsaiah 9:15; — be swallowed up, i.e. destroyed Job 37:20; compare לַמֶּלֶךְ מֶּןיְֿבֻלַּע2 Samuel 17:16 (impersonal); ruined Isaiah 9:15 (yet compare below Pi`el)

Hithpa`el Imperfect3feminine singular תִּתְבַּלָּ֑עPsalm 107:27 (subject חכמה‎) their wisdom is all gone, 'they are at their wit's end' (compare below Pi`el)