לִ/בְלִי
𐤋/𐤁𐤋𐤉
bᵉlîy
for lack of
Negative particle or prepositional element meaning 'without,' 'lack of,' or 'not.' In construct, often used to form phrases indicating absence, lack, or negation (e.g., 'without knowledge,' 'without sons,' etc.). It can mark deficiency or non-existence of an attribute, quality, or object, and in combination with other terms conveys the sense of lack, destruction, or nothingness. Less commonly, it can connote failure, ruin, or utter absence.
Job 38:41 · Word #12
Lexicon H1097
| Lemma | בְּלִי |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤁𐤋𐤉 |
| Transliteration | bᵉlîy |
| Strong's | H1097 |
| Definition | Negative particle or prepositional element meaning 'without,' 'lack of,' or 'not.' In construct, often used to form phrases indicating absence, lack, or negation (e.g., 'without knowledge,' 'without sons,' etc.). It can mark deficiency or non-existence of an attribute, quality, or object, and in combination with other terms conveys the sense of lack, destruction, or nothingness. Less commonly, it can connote failure, ruin, or utter absence. |
Morphology HR/Tn
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | T — Particle — Function word |
| Subtype | n — Negative — Negative particle |
Common Translation
| Phrase | for lack of |
SIBI-P1 Translation H1097-05
without
| Morphological Notes | Negative particle (Tn); functions prepositionally to express absence or lack; no gender, number, or person inflection. |
| Rendering Rationale | As a negative particle, בְּלִי marks the absence or lack of something. The rendering "without" preserves its core sense of deficiency or non-existence, reflecting the morphological function of a negative/prepositional particle indicating absence. |
View full lexicon entry for H1097 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
for lack of
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | 'Without' is general, 'for lack of' is the precise construct reading in this context and more directly matches the Hebrew expression. |