בֶּהָלָה
𐤁𐤄𐤋𐤄
behâlâh
H928 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Sudden intense fear or alarm, typically triggered by unexpected danger, disaster, or upheaval. In biblical usage, it may refer to terror or panic that overtakes individuals or groups, often in the context of warfare, judgment, or catastrophe. May also extend to the resulting turmoil or confused distress produced by such fear.
Semantic Range
panic, sudden terror, alarm, confusion from fear, turmoil brought by fear, (secondarily) disaster resulting from such panic
Root / Etymology
From the root בָּהַל (bāhal), meaning 'to terrify,' 'to hasten due to fear,' or 'to alarm.' בֶּהָלָה (behâlâh) is a feminine noun formation denoting the state or experience produced by the action of the root.
Historical & Contextual Notes
בֶּהָלָה appears primarily in poetic and prophetic literature, depicting situations of abrupt and overwhelming alarm or terror, often as a result of divine judgment or invading forces (e.g., Isa 65:23, Jer 15:8, Ezek 26:21). In post-exilic and later Hebrew, its usage becomes less common, with other terms such as מוֹרָא (môrāʾ, 'fear') or פַּחַד (paḥad, 'dread') being more prevalent for generic fear or awe. Standard English translations often render בֶּהָלָה as 'terror,' 'panic,' or 'sudden calamity,' though the Hebrew nuance emphasizes not only the fear itself but also the rapid, shocking disruption caused by the event. Unlike some terms for destruction (e.g., חָרָבָה ḥārābāh), בֶּהָלָה focuses more on the psychological impact than on physical ruin. In later translation tradition, especially KJV and older English versions, the sense of 'destruction' is sometimes included, though this is secondary to the primary meaning of panic or terror.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from בָּהַל; panic, destruction; terror, trouble.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
בהל (b-h-l) — to terrify, to startle, to alarm
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H924 | בְּהִילוּ | in agitated haste |
| H926 | בָּהַל | I will be alarmed |
| H927 | בְּהַל | in alarmed agitation |
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H928-02 |
בֶּֽהָלָה֙ | behalah | HNcfsa |
terror | sudden terror | 1 |
H928-01 |
בַּ/בֶּהָלָֽה | babehalah | HRd/Ncfsa |
in terror | in sudden panic | 1 |
H928-03 |
לַ/בֶּהָלָ֑ה | labehalah | HRd/Ncfsa |
for calamity | for sudden panic | 1 |
H928-04 |
וּ/בֶהָלֽוֹת | uvehalot | HC/Ncfpa |
and terrors | and sudden terrors | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H928-02 |
Leviticus 26:16 | בֶּֽהָלָה֙ | behalah | HNcfsa |
terror | sudden terror |
H928-03 |
Isaiah 65:23 | לַ/בֶּהָלָ֑ה | labehalah | HRd/Ncfsa |
for calamity | for sudden panic |
H928-04 |
Jeremiah 15:8 | וּ/בֶהָלֽוֹת | uvehalot | HC/Ncfpa |
and terrors | and sudden terrors |
H928-01 |
Psalms 78:33 | בַּ/בֶּהָלָֽה | babehalah | HRd/Ncfsa |
in terror | in sudden panic |