What does בָּלַע (bala) mean in the Bible?
בָּלַע (bala): Swallowing as annihilation: physical ingestion metaphor for total obliteration, often divine judgment consuming the wicked.
Hebrew · H1104
בָּלַע
To make away with (specifically by swallowing ); generally, to destroy
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בָּלַעH1104
Pronunciationbala
What does בָּלַע (bala) mean in the Bible?
בָּלַע (bala): Swallowing as annihilation: physical ingestion metaphor for total obliteration, often divine judgment consuming the wicked.
Full entry for בָּלַע (H1104) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H1104?
The BSB source-word alignment has 49 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include and swallowed (3), He has swallowed up (2), He will swallow up (2), swallow up (2), swallowed up (2).
Where does בָּלַע (bala) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 41:7. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (8), Job (7), Psalms (7), Lamentations (5).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itand swallowed3×Numbers 16:32, Numbers 26:10, Psalms 106:17
He has swallowed up2×Lamentations 2:5
He will swallow up2×Isaiah 25:7, Isaiah 25:8
swallow up2×2 Samuel 20:20, Habakkuk 1:13
swallowed up2×Genesis 41:7, Exodus 7:12
[and] swallow it1×Isaiah 28:4
and are befuddled1×Isaiah 28:7
and destroy me1×Job 10:8
and I will frustrate1×Isaiah 19:3
and swallowed them1×Deuteronomy 11:6
and swallows1×Numbers 16:30
and those who devoured you1×Isaiah 49:19
are swallowed up1×Isaiah 9:16
confuse1×Psalms 55:9
consume him1×Ecclesiastes 10:12
consumes them1×Proverbs 21:20
consuming it1×Job 20:18
even for a moment1×Numbers 4:20
from destroying1×Lamentations 2:8
has swallowed up1×Lamentations 2:2
he has swallowed me1×Jeremiah 51:34
he is uprooted1×Job 8:18
He swallows1×Job 20:15
is swallowed up1×Hosea 8:8
let us swallow them1×Proverbs 1:12
swallow1×Job 7:19
swallow me up1×Psalms 69:15
swallow us too1×Numbers 16:34
swallowed1×Genesis 41:24
swallowed them up1×Exodus 15:12
swallows1×Proverbs 19:28
they turn you1×Isaiah 3:12
they would have swallowed us1×Psalms 124:3
to be swallowed up1×Job 37:20
to ruin him1×Job 2:3
to swallow1×Jonah 1:17
was useless1×Psalms 107:27
We have swallowed her up1×Lamentations 2:16
We have swallowed him up1×Psalms 35:25
will be swallowed up1×2 Samuel 17:16
will engulf them1×Psalms 21:9
would swallow it up1×Hosea 8:7
would you swallow up1×2 Samuel 20:19
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 41:7וַתִּבְלַ֙עְנָה֙toswallowed upConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine pluralGenesis 41:24וַתִּבְלַ֙עְןָ֙toswallowedConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine pluralExodus 7:12וַיִּבְלַ֥עtoswallowed upConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularExodus 15:12תִּבְלָעֵ֖מוֹtoswallowed them upVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine pluralNumbers 4:20כְּבַלַּ֥עtoeven for a momentPreposition-k | Verb - Piel - Infinitive constructNumbers 16:30וּבָלְעָ֤הtoand swallowsConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singularNumbers 16:32וַתִּבְלַ֥עtoand swallowedConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularNumbers 16:34תִּבְלָעֵ֖נוּtoswallow us tooVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | first person common pluralNumbers 26:10וַתִּבְלַ֥עtoand swallowedConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularDeuteronomy 11:6וַתִּבְלָעֵ֥םtoand swallowed themConjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 41:7
Aligned rows49
Books represented15
Genesis2Exodus2Numbers5Deuteronomy12 Samuel3Job7Psalms7Proverbs3Ecclesiastes1Isaiah8Jeremiah1Lamentations5Hosea2Jonah1Habakkuk1
Source forms
וַתִּבְלַ֥ע2xwat·tiḇ·la‘Numbers 16:32, Numbers 26:10
אֲבַלֵּ֑עַ1x’ă·ḇal·lê·a‘Isaiah 19:3
אֲבַלַּ֖ע1x’ă·ḇal·la‘2 Samuel 20:20
בְּבַלַּ֥ע1xbə·ḇal·la‘Habakkuk 1:13
בִּלַּ֤ע1xbil·la‘Isaiah 25:8
בִּלַּ֨ע1xbil·la‘Lamentations 2:2
בִּלַּ֣ע1xbil·la‘Lamentations 2:5
בִּלַּע֙1xbil·la‘Lamentations 2:5
Parsing patterns
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular4xIsaiah 25:8, Lamentations 2:2, Lamentations 2:5
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular3xNumbers 16:32, Numbers 26:10, Psalms 106:17
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine plural2xGenesis 41:7, Genesis 41:24
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular2x2 Samuel 20:20, Isaiah 19:3
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular2xJob 8:18, Proverbs 21:20
Verb - Pual - Imperfect - third person masculine singular2x2 Samuel 17:16, Job 37:20
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular1xIsaiah 25:7
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular | first person common singular1xJob 10:8
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Swallowing as annihilation: physical ingestion metaphor for total obliteration, often divine judgment consuming the wicked.
Strong'sH1104
Lexical occurrences50 versesWord forms5 forms19 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkHosea 8:8-14Source Gloss
to make away with (specifically by swallowing ); generally, to destroy
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Swallowing as annihilation: physical ingestion metaphor for total obliteration, often divine judgment consuming the wicked.
to make away with (specifically by swallowing); generally, to destroy BDB: swallow down Usage: cover, destroy, devour, eat up, be at end, spend up, swallow down (up).
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 groups5Aligned forms19
Pielintensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action11×
PerfectIsa 25:8 · Lam 2:2 · Lam 2:5 · Isa 3:12 · Lam 2:166×
Imperfect2Sam 20:20 · Isa 19:3 · 2Sam 20:19 · Prov 19:284×
Sequential imperfectPs 55:101×
Pualintensive passive — intensive action received by the subject3×
Imperfect2Sam 17:16 · Job 37:202×
Participle passiveIsa 9:151×
Niphalpassive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action2×
PerfectHos 8:8 · Isa 28:72×
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense2×
PerfectJob 20:151×
ImperfectJob 20:181×
Hithpaelreflexive or reciprocal — the subject acts on itself or mutually with others1×
ImperfectPs 107:271×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
to swallow, consume
To swallow up or confuse.
To engulf or consume completely.
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 50 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
בָּלַע is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
The Lord disrupts national wisdom as part of his judgment.Hosea 8:8-14
The verb underscores the total defeat of death.Isaiah 19:1-4
Imagery of exile and disappearance.Isaiah 25:6-12
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.