בַל

𐤁𐤋

val

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 #2

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 H1077-03

to-no-effect

Rootבלה (b-l-h)
Core Meaningswearing out, failing, coming to nothing, decay
Semantic Rangenot at all, never, by no means, lest, neither, nothing, without effect
Conceptual Significanceבַּל expresses more than simple negation; it often conveys emphatic prevention or the nullification of an anticipated action. In poetic and prophetic texts, it underscores the certainty that something will not come to pass or the urgency that it must not occur, reinforcing themes of divine sovereignty and moral consequence.
Morphological NotesNegative particle (HTn); invariable form with no gender, number, or person distinctions; functions adverbially to negate or to express prevention ("lest").
Rendering RationaleThe particle בַּל likely derives from the root בלה ("to wear out, fail"), conveying the sense of something coming to nothing or being rendered ineffective. The rendering "to-no-effect" preserves this underlying idea of failure or nullification while functioning adverbially as a negation. As a particle (HTn), it is grammatically invariable and carries no gender or number distinctions.

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

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

SILEX Code Transliteration SIBI-P1
H1077-01 bal utterly-not
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…?
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
H1077-02 uval and no-thing
H1086-02 valetah she has worn away
H1086-03 valu they have grown worn-out
H1090-02 vilehah Trembling-Woman
H1097-07 vly lacks of / without
H1086-04 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
+ Add Niger-Congo Word
← Back to Proverbs 23:35