בַּל

𐤁𐤋

bal

but

from בָּלָה; properly, a failure; by implication nothing; usually (adverb) not at all; also lest; lest, neither, no, none (that...), not (any), nothing.

H1077

Proverbs 23:35 · Word #5

Lexicon H1077

Lemmaבַּל
Lemma (Paleo)𐤁𐤋
Transliterationbal
Strong'sH1077
In-contextbut

Morphology HTn All morphology codes

Part of Speech T — Particle — Function word
Subtype n — Negative — Negative particle

SIBI-P1 H1077-01

utterly-not

Rootבלה (b-l-h)
Core Meaningswearing out, decay, failure, coming to nothing
Semantic Rangenot at all, never, none, nothing, neither, lest (in prohibitive or preventative nuance)
Conceptual Significanceבַּל expresses emphatic negation, often underscoring the impossibility or absolute denial of an action or state. Its connection to the idea of "coming to nothing" intensifies the theological force of denial in covenantal warnings, affirmations of YHWH’s uniqueness, or declarations of what will never occur under divine decree.
Morphological NotesHebrew negative particle (HTn); indeclinable; functions adverbially to negate verbs or clauses; no gender, number, or person marking.
Rendering RationaleThe particle בַּל derives from the root בלה, which conveys wearing out or coming to nothing. Rendering it as "utterly-not" preserves the underlying sense of complete failure or non-existence while reflecting its function as an absolute negation. As an indeclinable negative particle (HTn), it carries no gender or number distinctions.

AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)

Words from Root בלה (wearing out, decay, failure, coming to nothing)

SILEX Code Transliteration SIBI-P1
H1087-01 balim worn-out ones
H1087-02 balot worn-out (feminine plural)
H1086-01 balu they have worn out
H1097-01 beli in lack of
H1090-01 bilehah Troubled-One (fem.)
H1092-01 bilehan Timid-One
H1115-01 biletekha apart-from-you
H1115-02 bileti in lack of
H1097-02 biveli in lack-of
H1097-03 hamibeli Is-it-from-lack-of…?
H1086-02 levaloto to wear him away
H1115-03 levileti to lack-of
H1097-04 liveli for lack (of)
H1097-05 mibeli from lack of
H1115-04 mibileti from lack of
H1115-05 ulevileti and to the lack of
umibeli and from absence-of
H1077-02 uval and no-thing
H1077-03 val to-no-effect
H1091-02 valahot consuming terrors
H1086-03 valetah she has worn away
H1086-04 valu they have grown worn-out
H1086-05 veloti I have grown worn-out
H1090-02 vilehah Trembling-Woman
H1097-07 vly lacks of / without
H1086-06 yivelu they will wear away

Word Usage (72 occurrences of H1077)

Location Form Transliteration Meaning
Isaiah 14:21 בַּל bal lest
Isaiah 26:10 בַּל bal not
Isaiah 26:10 וּ/בַל uval and not
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