בֶּ֤לַע
𐤁𐤋𐤏
Bela
Belah
Bela‘ is used as a proper noun, primarily designating two different individuals within Israelite genealogies as well as an Edomite leader, and it is also the name of a city, specifically connected with the region of the Jordan Valley. While the etymological root suggests meanings such as 'destruction' or 'swallowing,' the actual lexical function of Bela‘ in the Hebrew Bible is as a personal or place name, not as a common noun or verb. As a name, the original lexical nuance is subordinated to its function as a label for persons or locations.
Genesis 46:21 · Word #3
Lexicon H1106
| Lemma | בֶּלַע |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤁𐤋𐤏 |
| Transliteration | Bela |
| Strong's | H1106 |
| Definition | Bela‘ is used as a proper noun, primarily designating two different individuals within Israelite genealogies as well as an Edomite leader, and it is also the name of a city, specifically connected with the region of the Jordan Valley. While the etymological root suggests meanings such as 'destruction' or 'swallowing,' the actual lexical function of Bela‘ in the Hebrew Bible is as a personal or place name, not as a common noun or verb. As a name, the original lexical nuance is subordinated to its function as a label for persons or locations. |
Morphology HNp
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea |
| Subtype | p — Proper Name — Proper name |
Common Translation
| Phrase | Belah |
SIBI-P1 Translation H1106-02
Belaʿ
| Morphological Notes | Proper noun, masculine singular; personal name and city name; no pronominal suffix or verbal stem. |
| Rendering Rationale | This form is a masculine singular proper name derived from the root בלע (“to swallow, engulf, destroy”), but in biblical usage it functions strictly as a personal or place name. The rendering preserves its status as a conventionalized proper noun while maintaining transliteration tied to the root. |
View full lexicon entry for H1106 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
Bela
| Same as P1 | Yes |
| Rationale | Proper noun transliterated from Hebrew. P1 meaning: Bela |
AI-generated (generate_p2_names)