Bible Word Study
בֶּלַע
belaʻ · a gulp; figuratively, destruction
בֶּלַע
a gulp; figuratively, destruction
Definition
The Hebrew noun בֶּלַע (belaʻ) primarily means 'a gulp' or 'a swallowing,' referring to the physical act of consuming something quickly. Figuratively, it extends to mean 'destruction' or 'devouring,' portraying something being utterly consumed or ruined. In Psalm 52:4, it describes deceitful speech as a 'devouring' tongue, emphasizing its destructive power. In Jeremiah 51:44, it refers to 'that which he has swallowed up,' symbolizing the wealth and idols of Babylon that will be forcibly disgorged or destroyed.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only twice in the Old Testament, both in poetic or prophetic contexts. In Psalm 52:4, it is used metaphorically for the destructive words of a deceitful person. In Jeremiah 51:44, it is part of a prophecy against Babylon, referring to the plunder it had consumed being taken away. The usage consistently carries a negative connotation of something being violently taken in or annihilated.
Etymology
בֶּלַע (belaʻ) is a noun derived from the root verb בָּלַע (balaʻ, H1104), meaning 'to swallow down' or 'to devour.' This root conveys the sense of something being engulfed or consumed completely, whether literally or figuratively. Cognates in other Semitic languages share similar meanings of swallowing or destruction.
Semantic Range
This word highlights biblical themes of divine judgment and the consequences of evil. In Psalm 52:4, it underscores the destructive power of deceit, contrasting human wickedness with God's justice. In Jeremiah 51:44, it illustrates God's sovereignty in reversing the fortunes of oppressive empires, forcing them to disgorge what they unjustly consumed. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches reading by emphasizing the vivid imagery of consumption and reversal in prophetic literature. In ancient Near Eastern culture, the act of swallowing or devouring was a potent metaphor for conquest, greed, and irreversible loss. It conveyed a sense of total absorption or annihilation, resonating in contexts of war, plunder, and moral corruption. This differs from a modern, more clinical understanding of swallowing, as it carried strong emotional and symbolic weight. אָכַל (ʼakal, H398) — a more general term for 'to eat' or 'consume,' often used for literal eating or broader destruction. כָּלָה (kalah, H3615) — means 'to finish' or 'consume completely,' frequently in contexts of complete destruction or consumption. לָעַע (laʻaʻ, H3937) — means 'to swallow' or 'gulp down,' used in similar literal and figurative senses.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]