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בִּלְתִּי

𐤁𐤋𐤕𐤉

biltîy

H1115 conjunction

SILEX Entry

Definition

A negational particle meaning 'not, except, without,' typically used to indicate exclusion, limitation, or absence. Functions adverbially or as a conjunction in legal, ritual, and poetic contexts, often paired with prepositions to express phrases such as 'except for,' 'without,' or 'unless.' Can also introduce clauses of exception or condition.

Semantic Range

not, except, without, unless, except that, save, lest, only, unless, save that, apart from, except for, until (in conditional clauses), phrases indicating exception or exclusion

Root / Etymology

From the root בלה (b-l-h), whose main sense is 'to wear out, become old or decay.' However, בלתי (biltîy) does not take this core meaning but arises as an abstract or feminine construct form, which became grammaticalized as a negational or exclusionary particle. The connection to the root is etymological but not semantic in Biblical usage.

Historical & Contextual Notes

בִּלְתִּי was used extensively in legal, ritual, and poetic texts to form idiomatic expressions of negation and exception (e.g., לְבִלְתִּי עֲשׂוֹת 'not to do'; בִּלְתִּי אִם 'except if'). It differs from לא (lo, simple negation) and אין (eyn, existential negation) in that it typically connotes exception or exclusion, not direct denial. Its meanings overlap with but are more nuanced than related expressions like בְּלִי (without); בִּלְתִּי often links to verbs or entire clauses, while בְּלִי is prepositional. Translations often flatten its range to a basic 'not' or 'without,' but in Hebrew, it is more specialized, becoming significantly formal or legalistic in tone, especially in Deuteronomy and legal materials. In later Hebrew (post-biblical), its use diminishes in favor of other particles. English 'except,' 'unless,' or 'without' sometimes render its distinction in context, but not always fully representing the idiomatic range.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

constructive feminine of בָּלָה (equivalent to בְּלִי); properly, a failure of, i.e. (used only as a negative particle, usually with a prepositional prefix) not, except, without, unless, besides, because not, until, etc.; because un(satiable), beside, but, [phrase] continual, except, from, lest, neither, no more, none, not, nothing, save, that no, without.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

בלה (Balah) — to wear out, decay, fail

Root בלה to wear out, use up, decay
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1077 בַּל not at all
H1080 בְּלָא he will wear down
H1086 בָּלָה they wore out
H1087 בָּלֶה worn-out ones
H1088 בָּלָה and Balah

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1115-03 לְ/בִלְתִּ֣י levileti HR/C not so as not to so as not to 78
H1115-02 בִּלְתִּ֥י bileti HC except except except 23
H1115-05 וּ/לְ/בִלְתִּ֥י ulevileti HC/R/Tn nor and without and so as not to 8
H1115-04 מִ/בִּלְתִּ֖י mibileti HR/Tn because of not apart from because of not 2
H1115-01 בִּלְתֶּ֑/ךָ biletekha HC/Sp2ms besides you apart from you besides you 1

Occurrences in Scripture

112 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1115-02 Hosea 13:4 בִּלְתִּֽ/י bileti HR/Sp1cs besides me except except me
H1115-02 Amos 3:3 בִּלְתִּ֖י bileti HC without except except
H1115-02 Amos 3:4 בִּלְתִּ֖י bileti HC unless except except
H1115-02 Job 14:12 בִּלְתִּ֣י bileti HC no more except without
H1115-03 Job 42:8 לְ/בִלְתִּ֞י levileti HR/C lest so as not to lest
H1115-03 Ruth 1:13 לְ/בִלְתִּ֖י levileti HR/C from so as not to so as not to
H1115-03 Ruth 2:9 לְ/בִלְתִּ֣י levileti HR/C not to so as not to so as not to
H1115-03 Ruth 3:10 לְ/בִלְתִּי levileti HR/C not to so as not to so as not to
H1115-03 Daniel 9:11 לְ/בִלְתִּ֖י levileti HR/C so as not so as not to so as not to
H1115-02 Daniel 11:18 בִּלְתִּ֥י bileti HC without except except
H1115-03 1 Chronicles 4:10 לְ/בִלְתִּ֣י levileti HR/C that not so as not to so that not
H1115-03 2 Chronicles 16:1 לְ/בִלְתִּ֗י levileti HR/C to not so as not to so as not to
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