בָּלַם
𐤁𐤋𐤌
bâlam
H1102 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To muzzle, specifically to place a restraint or covering over the mouth of an animal to prevent it from eating or biting; by extension, to restrain, hold back, or suppress (sometimes in a figurative sense, e.g., restraining speech or action).
Semantic Range
to muzzle (an animal), to place a restraint over the mouth, to hold back (in speech or action, figuratively), to suppress, to repress
Root / Etymology
The root בָּלַם (B-L-M) is a verbal root in Biblical Hebrew. The primary root meaning is 'to bind tightly, restrain,' from which the piel form is often used to mean 'to muzzle.' The noun form deriving from this root refers to a 'muzzle' or 'halter.' The root is attested primarily in the piel (intensive) stem in biblical usage.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The verb בָּלַם appears a limited number of times in the Hebrew Bible, most notably in legal contexts (e.g., Deuteronomy 25:4) where Israelite law prohibits muzzling an ox (restricting its mouth) while it treads grain, to protect the animal's right to eat. In its literal sense, the term directly addresses the physical act of restraining or covering the mouth, primarily of domesticated animals. In later or broader usage, especially in post-biblical Hebrew, it can extend metaphorically to restraining a person (e.g., suppressing speech or action). Standard English translations often render it simply as 'to muzzle,' which accurately follows its dominant biblical usage but may overlook figurative senses. The root is relatively rare and not interchangeable with other verbs meaning general restraint or suppression, which helps delimit its meaning chiefly to physical mouth restraint in the First Temple period.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to muzzle; be held in.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בלם (b-l-m) — to restrain, to bind the mouth, to muzzle
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1102-01 |
לִ/בְל֑וֹם | livelom | HR/Vqc |
to hold them in | to muzzle | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1102-01 |
Psalms 32:9 | לִ/בְל֑וֹם | livelom | HR/Vqc |
to hold them in | to muzzle |