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).
H1104. bala
בָּלַע verb 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 בָּלַע Job 20:15, suffix בְּלָעַנִי Jeremiah 51:34 (Qr, compare ᵐ5 Kt נוּ-); 3 feminine singular בָּֽלְעָה Numbers 16:30; 3plural suffix בְּלָעוּנוּ Psalm 124:3; Imperfect יִבְלָ֑ע Job 20:18, וַיִּבְלַע Exodus 7:12, suffix יִבְלָעֶנָּה Isaiah 28:4; 3feminine singular וַתִּבְלַע Numbers 16:32 2t.; suffix תִּבְלָעֵנִי Psalm 69:16, תִּבְלָעֵנוּ Numbers 16:34, וַתִּבְלָעֵם Deuteronomy 11:6, תִּבְלָעֵמוֺ Exodus 15:12; 3masculine plural suffix יִבְלָעֻהוּ Hosea 8:7; 3feminine plural וַתִּבְלַעְנָה Genesis 41:7, וַתִּבְלַעְןָ 41:24; 1plural suffix נִבְלָעֵם Proverbs 1:12; Infinitive לִבְלֹעַ Jonah 2:1; suffix בִּלְעִי Job 7:19; —
1 swallow down, with accusative Job 7:19; Isaiah 28:4, subject דָּג Jonah 2:1; subject שִׁבֳּלִים Genesis 41:7, 24; מַטֶּה Exodus 7:12.
2 swallow up, engulf, subject אֶרֶץ Exodus 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 קיא vomit); 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 נִבְלַע Hosea 8:8, נִבְלְעוּ Isaiah 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 בִּלַּע Isaiah 25:8 3t.; וּבִלַּע consecutive 25:7; 3plural בִּלֵּ֑עוּ 3:12; 1plural בִּלָּ֑עְנוּ Lamentations 2:16, suffix בִּלַּעֲנוּהוּ Psalm 35:25; Imperfect יְבַלַּעֿ Proverbs 19:28, suffix 3masculine singular יְבַלְּעֶנּוּ Job 8:18; Proverbs 21:20; יְבַלְּעֵם Psalm 21:10; 3feminine singular suffix 3 masculine singular תְּבַלְּעֶנּוּ Ecclesiastes 10:12; 2masculine singular תְּבַלַּע 2 Samuel 20:19, suffix וַתְּבַלְּעֵנִי Job 10:8; 1singular אֲבַלַּע 2 Samuel 20:20, אֲבַלֵּ֑עַ Isaiah 19:3; Imperative בַּלַּע Psalm 55:10; Infinitive בַּלַּע Numbers 4:20; Habakkuk 1:13, בַּלֵּ֑עַ Lamentations 2:8, suffix בַּלְּעוֺ Job 2:3; Participle suffix מְבַלְּעָ֑יִךְ Isaiah 49:19; —
1 swallow Numbers 4:20 (כְּבַלַּע as 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. בלע confound, compare Di; see also 9:15; 19:3; 28:7; Psalm 55:10; 107:27); subject ׳י Lamentations 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 בַּלַּע confuse, Lord, divide their speech (compare בלל Genesis 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 יְבֻלַּע 2 Samuel 17:16, יְבֻלָּ֑ע Job 37:20; Participle מְבֻלָּעִים Isaiah 9:15; — be swallowed up, i.e. destroyed Job 37:20; compare לַמֶּלֶךְ מֶּןיְֿבֻלַּע 2 Samuel 17:16 (impersonal); ruined Isaiah 9:15 (yet compare below Pi`el)
Hithpa`el Imperfect3feminine singular תִּתְבַּלָּ֑ע Psalm 107:27 (subject חכמה) their wisdom is all gone, 'they are at their wit's end' (compare below Pi`el)