בְּלִיל (be.lil)
be.lil
fodder
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun be.lil refers to fodder, specifically the dry stalks and husks left after grain has been harvested. It appears only three times in the Bible, occurring in Job 24:6 and Isaiah 17:10–11. In these contexts, the word describes the leftover plant matter that livestock might graze on in fields.
This term carries a strong sense of worthlessness or insignificance. Fodder is not food for humans but waste material for animals. When Isaiah uses it to describe those who abandon God, he paints a picture of spiritual emptiness and lack of substance. The imagery suggests that without divine connection, human efforts yield nothing of lasting value.
The rarity of this word makes its usage particularly striking. By choosing be.lil instead of more common terms for food or sustenance, the biblical authors emphasize the lowly status of what remains when true nourishment is absent. This concrete image helps readers understand the contrast between spiritual vitality and hollow existence.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word be.lil points to the dry stalks left after harvest—fodder for animals, not food for people. In Job 6:5, it highlights how a beast reacts to basic needs. When grass is present, the donkey brays; when fodder exists, the ox lows. This simple image reminds us that our deepest cries often stem from unmet physical or emotional needs.
Isaiah uses this term to show spiritual emptiness. Those who turn away from God are like fields stripped bare, leaving only worthless husks. Without divine connection, human efforts yield nothing lasting. This word invites us to seek true nourishment rather than settling for what is left over.
May you find rest in knowing that God provides more than mere survival. He offers sustenance that satisfies the soul, turning barren moments into places of grace and hope.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- fodder/ its2×
- fodder1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בְּלִילֽ/וֹ\׃1×
- בְּלִיל֣/וֹ1×
- בְּלִ֥יל1×
Key Verses
-
Job 6:5
Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass? Or does the ox low over his fodder?
This verse uses fodder to illustrate how natural reactions reveal unmet needs, grounding spiritual longing in physical reality.