בַּלְעִי
𐤁𐤋𐤏𐤉
Balei
H1108 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A collective or gentilic noun referring to descendants or members of the clan of Bela, functioning as a patronymic designation for those identified with Bela, a personal and clan name in the tribal lineages of the Israelite confederation. Most often denotes a subgroup within a larger tribal structure.
Semantic Range
descendant of Bela, member of the Bela clan, Belaite; collective reference to the clan of Bela within the tribe of Benjamin
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root בלע (B-L-‘), 'to swallow, devour, engulf'. The noun בַּלְעִי (Balʿî) is formed as a patronymic or gentilic from בֶּלַע (Bela), meaning 'belonging to Bela' or 'descendant of Bela'. It carries the -י suffix indicating affiliation. The root meaning is 'to swallow, devour', but the nominal form here denotes lineage or attachment, not the root's base action.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the context of the Hebrew Bible, בַּלְעִי refers specifically to a group or individuals descended from Bela, who is identified as a son of Benjamin (Genesis 46:21; 1 Chronicles 7:6). The term is used in genealogical lists (e.g., Numbers 26:40; 1 Chronicles 7:7), signifying clan identity. It is not an ethnic or geographic term broadly, but a marker of patrilineal descent within the tribe of Benjamin. The English designation 'Belaites' is a transliteration rather than a translation, and the term is only encountered in lists of tribal organization. In post-biblical or later periods, the clan identity expressed by the term faded, and it has no direct equivalent in later Israelite or Judean identity. Compared with related terms such as בֶּנְיָמִיני (Benjaminite), which denotes all members of the tribe of Benjamin regardless of lineage, בַּלְעִי is more specific and narrower in scope.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
patronymically from בֶּלַע; a Belaite (collectively) or descendants of Bela; Belaites.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בלע (b-l-ʿ) — swallowing, devouring, engulfing
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1104 | בָּלַע | I will utterly engulf |
| H1105 | בֶּלַע | his swallowed-portion |
| H1106 | בֶּלַע | Bela |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1108-01 |
הַ/בַּלְעִ֔י | habalei | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Belaites | the Belaite | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1108-01 |
Numbers 26:38 | הַ/בַּלְעִ֔י | habalei | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Belaites | the Belaite |