What does בַּל mean in the Bible?
בַּל is a Hebrew word meaning "properly, a failure ; by implication nothing ; usually (adverb) not at all; also lest".
Hebrew · H1077
בַּל
Properly, a failure ; by implication nothing ; usually (adverb) not at all; also lest
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בַּל H1077
What does בַּל mean in the Bible?
בַּל is a Hebrew word meaning "properly, a failure ; by implication nothing ; usually (adverb) not at all; also lest".
Full entry for בַּל (H1077) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H1077?
The BSB source-word alignment has 72 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include . . . (8), will not (4), I will not (3), it cannot (3), never (3).
Where does בַּל appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at 1 Chronicles 16:30. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (35), Isaiah (24), Proverbs (10), 1 Chronicles (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It . . . 8× Psalms 57:9, Psalms 140:11, Proverbs 10:30, Isaiah 33:23
will not 4× Psalms 21:11, Isaiah 26:14, Isaiah 33:20
I will not 3× Psalms 10:6, Psalms 16:4, Psalms 16:8
it cannot 3× 1 Chronicles 16:30, Psalms 93:1, Psalms 96:10
never 3× Psalms 104:5, Psalms 140:10, Isaiah 43:17
among 2× Psalms 44:14, Psalms 108:3
And no 2× Isaiah 33:24, Isaiah 35:9
cannot 2× Psalms 49:12, Proverbs 12:3
he will not 2× Psalms 21:7, Proverbs 22:29
is not 2× Proverbs 23:7, Proverbs 24:23
no 2× Proverbs 14:7, Isaiah 26:18
nor 2× Isaiah 26:18, Isaiah 33:20
they cannot 2× Psalms 104:9, Isaiah 33:23
[to make] them 1× Psalms 32:9
and fails 1× Isaiah 26:10
and have not 1× Psalms 21:2
and immovable 1× Job 41:23
and never 1× Psalms 10:11
but I did not 1× Proverbs 23:35
but I feel no 1× Proverbs 23:35
but they do not 1× Isaiah 26:11
But they fail to 1× Hosea 7:2
do not 1× Psalms 119:121
does not 1× Psalms 10:4
fail to 1× Isaiah 44:9
have not 1× Psalms 17:5
he does not 1× Isaiah 26:10
I have no 1× Psalms 16:2
I will never 1× Psalms 30:6
let me not 1× Psalms 141:4
may they never 1× Psalms 58:8
no [evil] 1× Psalms 17:3
no more 1× Psalms 10:18
not 1× Psalms 17:3
not one 1× Isaiah 44:8
nothing 1× Proverbs 9:13
on 1× Psalms 149:7
or 1× Psalms 16:4
she will not 1× Psalms 46:5
that does not 1× Isaiah 33:20
that they may never 1× Psalms 104:9
they could not 1× Psalms 78:44
they do not 1× Psalms 147:20
They will never 1× Isaiah 14:21
until none is left 1× Psalms 10:15
vvv 1× Isaiah 44:9
where no 1× Isaiah 33:21
without 1× Proverbs 19:23
Show sample aligned rows
1 Chronicles 16:30 בַּל־ to it cannot Adverb Job 41:23 בַּל־ to and immovable Adverb Psalms 10:4 בַּל־ to does not Adverb Psalms 10:6 בַּל־ to I will not Adverb Psalms 10:11 בַּל־ to and never Adverb Psalms 10:15 בַל־ to until none is left Adverb Psalms 10:18 בַּל־ to no more Adverb Psalms 16:2 בַּל־ to I have no Adverb Psalms 16:4 בַּל־ to I will not Adverb Psalms 16:4 וּֽבַל־ to or Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row 1 Chronicles 16:30
Aligned rows 72
Books represented 6
1 Chronicles 1 Job 1 Psalms 35 Proverbs 10 Isaiah 24 Hosea 1
Source forms
בַּל־ 57x bal- 1 Chronicles 16:30, Job 41:23, Psalms 10:4, Psalms 10:6
וּבַל־ 7x ū·ḇal- Psalms 141:4, Proverbs 9:13, Proverbs 14:7, Isaiah 26:10
בַל־ 3x ḇal- Psalms 10:15, Psalms 17:3, Proverbs 23:35
בַּֽל־ 2x bal- Psalms 140:10, Isaiah 35:9
בַּ֝֗ל 1x bal Psalms 32:9
וּֽבַל־ 1x ū·ḇal- Psalms 16:4
וּבַֽל־ 1x ū·ḇal- Isaiah 26:18
Parsing patterns
Adverb 63x 1 Chronicles 16:30, Job 41:23, Psalms 10:4, Psalms 10:6
Conjunctive waw | Adverb 9x Psalms 16:4, Psalms 141:4, Proverbs 9:13, Proverbs 14:7
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. properly, a failure ; by implication nothing ; usually (adverb) not at all; also lest
Source Gloss
properly, a failure ; by implication nothing ; usually (adverb) not at all; also lest
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
properly, a failure; by implication nothing; usually (adverb) not at all; also lest BDB: not Usage: lest, neither, no, none (that...), not (any), nothing.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Word Origins
בַּל is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain