בָּלָה (ba.lah)
ba.lah
to become old
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 11 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb bālah describes the process of wearing out or becoming old, capturing the physical reality of decay through use. It appears in eleven verses across the Old Testament, with notable occurrences in Psalms, Nehemiah, and Isaiah. The word conveys more than just the passage of time; it implies a gradual exhaustion of strength or material integrity, as when garments are worn thin or resources are depleted.
Its usage ranges from the simple state of aging to active consumption. In some contexts, it describes items being used up completely, highlighting the finite nature of earthly goods. The sources note a distinct Piel stem form that can mean to enjoy or use to the full, suggesting that the act of using something thoroughly is closely linked to its eventual wear. This duality reflects a worldview where enjoyment and depletion are part of the same natural cycle.
Translators often render bālah as "grow old" or "wear out," depending on whether the subject is a person, an object, or a resource. The word serves as a sober reminder of impermanence, contrasting human frailty with enduring divine stability. By focusing on the tangible effects of time and use, the text grounds theological reflections on mortality in everyday experience.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word bālah paints a vivid picture of life’s natural rhythm. It describes how things wear thin through use, like clothes that have traveled long roads or skins that have faced hard seasons. This is not a story of failure, but of reality. We are created with limits, and acknowledging our fragility helps us stop trying to carry burdens we were never meant to hold alone.
When Scripture speaks of growing old or wearing out, it often points toward something greater than ourselves. The temporary nature of our strength reminds us that God’s faithfulness does not fade. While the world around us may change and weaken, His promises remain steady. This truth invites us to rest in a love that does not exhaust, even when we feel depleted.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 11 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to/ consume/ it1×
- they wore out1×
- they will wear out1×
- they will use to [the] full1×
- they have worn out1×
- they became worn out1×
- it wore out1×
- it will wear out1×
- he wears out1×
- he has made to waste away1×
- am worn out/ I1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תִּבְלֶ֔ה1×
- לְ/בַלֹּת֔/וֹ1×
- יִבְלֶ֑ה1×
- יִבְל֔וּ1×
- יְבַלּ֥וּ1×
- בָּל֣וּ1×
- בָּל֕וּ1×
- בִּלָּ֤ה1×
- בָל֔וּ1×
- בָֽלְתָה֙1×
- בְלֹתִ/י֙1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 51:6
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens will vanish away like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a garment. Its inhabitants will die in the same way, but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will not be abolished.
This verse contrasts the earth wearing out like a garment with God’s salvation remaining forever, highlighting the word's role in emphasizing divine permanence.
-
Deuteronomy 8:4
Your clothing didn’t grow old on you, neither did your foot swell, these forty years.
Here the word describes clothing not growing old during the wilderness journey, serving as a tangible sign of God’s sustained provision.
-
Lamentations 3:4
He has made my flesh and my skin old. He has broken my bones.
The speaker uses this term to describe how grief has made his flesh and skin old, illustrating the physical toll of deep sorrow.