What does בָּלַל (balal) mean in the Bible?
בָּלַל (balal): Mixing or blending substances; extends figuratively to confusion or bewilderment when elements become indistinguishably combined.
Hebrew · H1101
בָּלַל
To overflow (specifically with oil.); by implication, to mix ; to fodder
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בָּלַל H1101
Pronunciation balal
What does בָּלַל (balal) mean in the Bible?
בָּלַל (balal): Mixing or blending substances; extends figuratively to confusion or bewilderment when elements become indistinguishably combined.
Full entry for בָּלַל (H1101) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H1101?
The BSB source-word alignment has 43 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include mixed (37), and confuse (1), and fed (1), confused (1), I have been anointed (1).
Where does בָּלַל (balal) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 11:7. Its strongest book concentrations include Numbers (27), Leviticus (9), Exodus (2), Genesis (2).
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 mixed 37× Exodus 29:2, Exodus 29:40, Leviticus 2:4, Leviticus 2:5
and confuse 1× Genesis 11:7
and fed 1× Judges 19:21
confused 1× Genesis 11:9
I have been anointed 1× Psalms 92:10
mixes 1× Hosea 7:8
or mixed 1× Leviticus 7:10
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 11:7 וְנָבְלָ֥ה to and confuse Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural Genesis 11:9 בָּלַ֥ל to confused Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Exodus 29:2 בְּלוּלֹ֣ת to mixed Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine plural Exodus 29:40 בָּל֨וּל to mixed Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular Leviticus 2:4 בְּלוּלֹ֣ת to mixed Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine plural Leviticus 2:5 בְּלוּלָ֥ה to mixed Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular Leviticus 7:10 בְלוּלָֽה־ to or mixed Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular Leviticus 7:12 בְּלוּלֹ֣ת to mixed Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine plural Leviticus 7:12 בְּלוּלֹ֥ת to mixed Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine plural Leviticus 9:4 בְּלוּלָ֣ה to mixed Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 11:7
Aligned rows 43
Books represented 7
Genesis 2 Exodus 2 Leviticus 9 Numbers 27 Judges 1 Psalms 1 Hosea 1
Source forms
בְּלוּלָ֥ה 16x bə·lū·lāh Leviticus 2:5, Leviticus 23:13, Numbers 7:13, Numbers 7:19
בְּלוּלָ֣ה 11x bə·lū·lāh Leviticus 9:4, Leviticus 14:10, Numbers 8:8, Numbers 28:12
בְּלוּלֹ֣ת 4x bə·lū·lōṯ Exodus 29:2, Leviticus 2:4, Leviticus 7:12, Numbers 6:15
בָּל֥וּל 2x bā·lūl Leviticus 14:21, Numbers 15:9
בָּל֨וּל 1x bā·lūl Exodus 29:40
בָּל֕וּל 1x bā·lūl Numbers 15:4
בְּלוּלָ֛ה 1x bə·lū·lāh Numbers 28:5
בְלוּלָֽה־ 1x ḇə·lū·lāh- Leviticus 7:10
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular 29x Leviticus 2:5, Leviticus 7:10, Leviticus 9:4, Leviticus 14:10
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine plural 5x Exodus 29:2, Leviticus 2:4, Leviticus 7:12, Numbers 6:15
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular 4x Exodus 29:40, Leviticus 14:21, Numbers 15:4, Numbers 15:9
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural 1x Genesis 11:7
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 1x Judges 19:21
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 1x Hosea 7:8
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular 1x Psalms 92:10
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 1x Genesis 11:9
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Mixing or blending substances; extends figuratively to confusion or bewilderment when elements become indistinguishably combined.
Strong's H1101
Lexical occurrences 43 verses Word forms 2 forms 41 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Hosea 7:8-16 Source Gloss
to overflow (specifically with oil.); by implication, to mix ; to fodder
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Mixing or blending substances; extends figuratively to confusion or bewilderment when elements become indistinguishably combined.
to overflow (specifically with oil.); by implication, to mix; to fodder BDB: to give provender Usage: anoint, confound, × fade, mingle, mix (self), give provender, temper.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 2 Aligned forms 41
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 40×
Participle passive Exod 29:2 · Exod 29:40 · Lev 2:4 · Lev 2:5 · Lev 7:10 · Lev 7:12 · Lev 9:4 · Lev 14:10 · Lev 14:21 · Lev 23:13 · Num 6:15 · Num 7:13 · Num 7:19 · Num 7:25 · Num 7:31 · Num 7:37 38×
Perfect Gen 11:9 · Ps 92:11 2×
Hithpolel 1×
Imperfect Hos 7:8 1×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
to mix, confuse
Showing 1 selected witness from 43 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
בָּלַל is built from this root:
בְּלִיל H1098
Why This Word Matters
Indicates loss of covenant distinctiveness. Hosea 7:8-16
Canonical Themes
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