What does בְּלִי (bĕliy) mean in the Bible?
בְּלִי (bĕliy): Negation rooted in absence or failure; expresses lack, deprivation, or non-existence rather than mere prohibition.
Hebrew · H1097
בְּלִי
Properly, failure , i.e. nothing or destruction ; usually (with preposition) without , not yet , because not , as long as , etc.
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בְּלִיH1097
Pronunciationbĕliy
What does בְּלִי (bĕliy) mean in the Bible?
בְּלִי (bĕliy): Negation rooted in absence or failure; expresses lack, deprivation, or non-existence rather than mere prohibition.
Full entry for בְּלִי (H1097) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H1097?
The BSB source-word alignment has 59 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include without (15), for lack (3), . . . (2), accidentally (2), for lack of (2).
Where does בְּלִי (bĕliy) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 31:20. Its strongest book concentrations include Job (22), Isaiah (6), Deuteronomy (4), Hosea (4).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itwithout15×Job 6:6, Job 8:11, Job 24:7, Job 24:10
for lack3×Job 4:11, Job 31:19, Hosea 4:6
. . .2×Psalms 19:3, Hosea 9:16
accidentally2×Deuteronomy 19:4, Joshua 20:5
for lack of2×Job 38:41, Ezekiel 34:5
so no2×Jeremiah 9:10, Jeremiah 9:12
vvv2×Job 30:8, Hosea 7:8
with no2×Job 39:16, Zephaniah 3:6
[Is it] because1×2 Kings 1:3
because he has nothing1×Deuteronomy 28:55
because no one1×Lamentations 1:4
by not1×Genesis 31:20
devoid of1×Job 41:33
fails1×Hosea 8:7
Fire1×Job 18:15
For no1×Psalms 59:4
for their lack1×Isaiah 5:13
for want1×Job 24:8
has no1×Job 41:26
Is it because1×2 Kings 1:6
is no more1×Psalms 72:7
Is there really no1×2 Kings 1:16
no longer1×2 Samuel 1:21
nothing1×Job 26:7
of oblivion1×Isaiah 38:17
or accidentally1×Joshua 20:3
there were no1×Exodus 14:11
though I am without1×Job 34:6
unintentionally1×Deuteronomy 4:42
unnoticed1×Job 4:20
was not1×Deuteronomy 9:28
wide its enormous1×Isaiah 5:14
will not1×Isaiah 32:10
with no man1×Ezekiel 14:15
with no one1×Zephaniah 3:6
with relentless1×Isaiah 14:6
yet1×Ecclesiastes 3:11
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 31:20בְּלִי֙toby notAdverbExodus 14:11הַֽמִבְּלִ֤יtothere were noPreposition | AdverbDeuteronomy 4:42בִּבְלִי־tounintentionallyPreposition-b | AdverbDeuteronomy 9:28מִבְּלִי֙towas notPreposition-m | AdverbDeuteronomy 19:4בִּבְלִי־toaccidentallyPreposition-b | AdverbDeuteronomy 28:55מִבְּלִ֥יtobecause he has nothingPreposition-m | AdverbJoshua 20:3בִּבְלִי־toor accidentallyPreposition-b | AdverbJoshua 20:5בִבְלִי־toaccidentallyPreposition-b | Adverb2 Samuel 1:21בְּלִ֖יtono longerAdverb2 Kings 1:3הַֽמִבְּלִ֤יto[Is it] becausePreposition | Adverb
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 31:20
Aligned rows59
Books represented16
Genesis1Exodus1Deuteronomy4Joshua22 Samuel12 Kings3Job22Psalms4Ecclesiastes1Isaiah6Jeremiah4Lamentations1Ezekiel2Hosea4Zephaniah2Malachi1
Source forms
מִבְּלִ֣י6xmib·bə·lîJob 24:7, Job 31:19, Ezekiel 14:15, Ezekiel 34:5
מִבְּלִי־6xmib·bə·lî-Job 4:11, Job 6:6, Job 18:15, Isaiah 5:13
בִּבְלִי־4xbiḇ·lî-Deuteronomy 4:42, Deuteronomy 19:4, Joshua 20:3, Job 35:16
בְּלִ֥י4xbə·lîPsalms 72:7, Isaiah 14:6, Isaiah 32:10, Hosea 7:8
בְלִי־4xḇə·lî-Job 8:11, Job 30:8, Job 31:39, Job 34:6
בְּלִי־4xbə·lî-Job 26:7, Job 39:16, Psalms 63:1, Malachi 3:10
הַֽמִבְּלִ֤י4xha·mib·bə·lîExodus 14:11, 2 Kings 1:3, 2 Kings 1:6, 2 Kings 1:16
בְּלִ֣י3xbə·lîJob 24:10, Job 41:26, Hosea 8:7
Parsing patterns
Adverb22xGenesis 31:20, 2 Samuel 1:21, Job 8:11, Job 24:10
Preposition-m | Adverb20xDeuteronomy 9:28, Deuteronomy 28:55, Job 4:11, Job 4:20
Preposition | Adverb5xExodus 14:11, 2 Kings 1:3, 2 Kings 1:6, 2 Kings 1:16
Preposition-b | Adverb5xDeuteronomy 4:42, Deuteronomy 19:4, Joshua 20:3, Joshua 20:5
Noun - masculine singular construct2xPsalms 72:7, Malachi 3:10
Preposition-l | Adverb2xJob 38:41, Isaiah 5:14
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Adverb1xJob 24:8
Noun - masculine singular1xIsaiah 38:17
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Negation rooted in absence or failure; expresses lack, deprivation, or non-existence rather than mere prohibition.
Source Gloss
properly, failure , i.e. nothing or destruction ; usually (with preposition) without , not yet , because not , as long as , etc.
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Negation rooted in absence or failure; expresses lack, deprivation, or non-existence rather than mere prohibition.
properly, failure, i.e. nothing or destruction; usually (with preposition) without, not yet, because not, as long as, etc. BDB: wearing out Usage: corruption, ig(norantly), for lack of, where no...is, so that no, none, not, un(awares), without.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Word Origins
בְּלִי 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.