בְּלוֹא

בְּלוֹא

(only in plural construction) rags

Definition

The Hebrew noun בְּלוֹא (bᵉlôwʼ) refers specifically to 'rags' or 'tattered, worn-out garments.' It appears only in the plural form (בְּלוֹאֵי, bᵉlôwʼê) in the Old Testament, always describing old, torn cloth. In its two biblical occurrences, the word is used literally to denote the actual rags that were used to pad Jeremiah's armpits when he was pulled from a muddy cistern (Jeremiah 38:11-12). There is no extended or metaphorical meaning attested for this word in the biblical text.

Biblical Usage

This word is used exclusively in the book of Jeremiah, in a single narrative context. In Jeremiah 38:11-12, Ebed-melech the Cushite takes 'old rags and worn-out clothes' (בְּלוֹאֵי הַסְּחָבוֹת וְהַמְּלָחִים) to lower down to the prophet Jeremiah, who was sinking in the mud of a dungeon. The rags were placed under Jeremiah's armpits to protect him from the ropes as he was hauled up. The usage is purely descriptive and practical, with no symbolic or poetic function.

Etymology

The noun בְּלוֹא (bᵉlôwʼ) is derived from the root בָּלָה (bālâ, H1086), which means 'to wear out,' 'become old,' or 'use up.' The fuller form of the noun is בְּלוֹי (bᵉlôy). It is a concrete noun that directly expresses the result of the action of its root: something that is worn out. Cognate words in related Semitic languages carry similar meanings of decay or wearing away.

Semantic Range

In the ancient Near East, cloth and clothing were valuable commodities. Old, worn-out garments (rags) still had practical uses, such as for padding, cleaning, or stuffing. The action in Jeremiah 38 illustrates both the poverty of Jeremiah's condition in the cistern and the compassionate ingenuity of Ebed-melech, who used readily available, worthless materials to perform a lifesaving act. The rags themselves were considered of no value, but their use here was critically important. שַׂק (śaq, H8242) — 'sackcloth,' a coarse cloth often worn in mourning, not necessarily worn-out. בֶּגֶד (beged, H899) — a general term for 'garment' or 'clothing,' which could be new or old. סְחָבָה (sᵉḥāḇâ, H5499) — 'rag' or 'torn piece,' a near synonym used in the same phrase in Jeremiah 38:11.

Word Details