בַּל (bal)
bal
not
H:NegQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 46 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:Neg
Word Overview
The Hebrew word bal functions as a strong negative adverb, meaning "not," "nothing," or "lest." It appears in forty-six verses, with significant usage in Psalms, Proverbs, and Isaiah. Unlike the common negation lo, bal often carries a poetic intensity or absolute finality, emphasizing that something is entirely absent or will certainly not happen.
Its etymology traces back to a root meaning "to fail" or "to be empty," which explains its frequent translation as "nothing." In Psalm 17:3, David asks God to examine him and find no evil in him, using bal to assert that nothing of wrongdoing exists. This sense of emptiness or failure underpins its use for negation.
Translators sometimes render bal as "lest" when it introduces a warning, such as in Psalm 32:9 where God advises against being like a horse that needs restraint. The word’s force lies in its stark denial, making it a powerful tool for poets and prophets to declare the absence of something or to prevent a future outcome.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word bal carries a weight of finality that goes beyond a simple 'no.' It often translates to 'nothing' or 'not at all,' emphasizing total absence or absolute certainty that something will not happen. When the biblical writers use this term, they are drawing a sharp line in the sand, declaring that certain things simply do not exist in God's realm or that specific outcomes are impossible.
For your faith, this word offers profound comfort. In Psalm 16:2, the psalmist declares, 'Apart from you I have no good thing.' Here, bal affirms that without God, there is truly nothing of lasting value. It reminds us that our hope does not rest in shifting circumstances but in the One who is unshakable. When life feels unstable, this absolute negation points to the stability found only in the Lord.
We can also find peace in the assurance that evil has no permanent home. Psalm 10:6 describes the wicked person who claims, 'I shall not be shaken,' yet the broader context of Scripture uses bal to show that such arrogance is empty. The righteous, by contrast, are established forever. This word helps us release our anxiety about control, trusting instead in God's sovereign order.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 46 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- not48×
- and/ not9×
- [which] not3×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בַּל\־45×
- וּ/בַל\־7×
- בַל\־3×
- וּֽ/בַל\־1×
- וּ/בַֽל\־1×
- בַּֽל\־1×
- בַּ֝֗ל1×
- בַֽל1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 16:2
My soul, you have said to Yahweh, “You are my Lord. Apart from you I have no good thing.”
This verse uses bal to assert the total absence of any good thing apart from Yahweh, defining the source of true satisfaction.
-
Psalms 10:6
He says in his heart, “I shall not be shaken. For generations I shall have no trouble.”
Here bal emphasizes the wicked person's arrogant belief in their own unshakable security, which Scripture ultimately contradicts.
-
Psalms 17:3
You have proved my heart. You have visited me in the night. You have tried me, and found nothing. I have resolved that my mouth shall not disobey.
David uses bal to declare that God has searched his heart and found nothing wrong, highlighting the value of sincere integrity.
-
Proverbs 12:3
A man shall not be established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.
This proverb contrasts the temporary nature of wickedness with the enduring stability of the righteous using bal to negate establishment by evil.