בְּלָא (be.la)
be.la
to wear out
A:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb bēlā̱ appears only once in the Old Testament, in Daniel 7:25. In its Pael stem, it literally means to wear away or erode through constant friction. The context describes a powerful king who attempts to change times and laws, suggesting his rule is not just oppressive but actively grinding down the stability of those under his authority.
This word offers a vivid picture of persistent harassment rather than a single act of violence. Just as water slowly wears away stone, this ruler’s actions are depicted as a continuous pressure intended to exhaust and diminish the people. The imagery shifts the focus from sudden destruction to the cumulative effect of relentless oppression on the community’s endurance.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
In Daniel 7:25, the Hebrew word bēlā̱ paints a picture of relentless pressure. It describes a ruler who does not just oppose God’s people with sudden force, but seeks to wear them down through constant friction. This is the slow erosion of faith under persistent harassment, where the goal is to exhaust the spirit rather than destroy the body in one moment.
When you face situations that feel like they are grinding away your hope or stability, this word reminds you that such oppression has a limit. The text notes that this weariness lasts only "a time and times and half a time." Your endurance is seen, and the pressure will not continue forever. God’s sovereignty remains intact even when human authorities try to change laws and times.
May you find comfort in knowing that your faithfulness is not wasted by these slow trials. The same God who limits the power of oppressors also sustains those who remain steadfast. You are held securely, even when the weight feels heavy.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- he will wear out1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יְבַלֵּ֑א1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 7:25
He will speak words against the Most High, and will wear out the saints of the Most High. He will plan to change the times and the law; and they will be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.
This verse uniquely uses bēlā̱ to describe how a tyrannical king actively erodes the spiritual endurance of God's people through continuous pressure rather than immediate destruction.