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בָּלַהּ

𐤁𐤋𐤄

bâlahh

H1089 verb

SILEX Entry

Root בלה to wear out, decay, become old or consumed

Definition

To become worn out, decayed, or consumed; to waste away or deteriorate over time, whether of material things, flesh, or vitality. The verb emphasizes the process of exhaustion, destruction through use, or natural decline rather than a sudden fright or terror.

Semantic Range

to wear out (of clothing), to decay (of flesh, strength, or life), to be consumed with age, to waste away, to become old or exhausted

Root / Etymology

Root: בלה. The root generally carries the sense of wearing out, decaying, or being consumed with age or use. The lexical form בָּלַהּ derives directly from this root, conveying the process of being worn away, deteriorated, or failing due to time or use. Though Strong's suggested a connection with 'palpitate' and 'terrify,' modern lexicography confirms its primary semantic range is firmly associated with wearing out and decay rather than with alarm (which belongs to בהל).

Historical & Contextual Notes

בָּלַהּ occurs in biblical passages describing garments (e.g., Deut 8:4, Neh 9:21: 'your clothes did not wear out'), the decay of flesh (Job 13:28; Ps 49:15), or the wasting of strength or life. In liturgical and poetic texts, it appears metaphorically to speak of mortality or the passage of time. Early translations sometimes render it as 'destroy' or 'consume,' but the emphasis is on gradual wearing, not sudden destruction. It is distinct in meaning from בָּהַל (bahal), 'to terrify, to alarm,' which belongs to a different root. Standard English translations sometimes obscure the gradual, process-oriented character of בָּלַהּ, favoring 'destroy' or 'consume;' however, the nuance is properly that of deterioration, consumption with age, or exhaustion. The verb does not refer to a specific cultural or religious concept, but its use in the context of Israelite wandering in the wilderness underscores a miraculous exemption from the normal effects of wear. Usage remains relatively stable across the First Temple and postexilic periods.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root (rather by transposition for בָּהַל); to palpitate; hence, (causatively) to terrify; trouble.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

בלה (b-l-h) — to wear out, decay, become consumed, waste away

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1077 בַּל not at all
H1079 בָּל not at all
H1080 בְּלָא he will wear down
H1086 בָּלָה they wore out
H1087 בָּלֶה worn-out ones

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1089-01 ו/מבלהים vmvlhym HC/Vprmpa and troubling those who wear out 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1089-01 Ezra 4:4 ו/מבלהים vmvlhym HC/Vprmpa and troubling those who wear out
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