בֶ֫לַע (be.la)
be.la
swallowing
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun be.la refers to the act of swallowing or devouring, and by extension, the object that is consumed. In the Bible, it carries a dual sense: it can describe something literally swallowed, but more often it serves as a vivid metaphor for total destruction or ruin. The imagery suggests being overwhelmed and absorbed completely, leaving nothing behind.
This word appears only once in Scripture, in Jeremiah 51:34. There, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar complains that he has been "swallowed up" like a monster. This usage highlights the word’s power to describe a sudden, overwhelming force that consumes its target entirely. It is not merely eating; it is being engulfed by a greater power.
The strength of be.la lies in its concrete imagery. It turns abstract concepts of defeat or loss into a physical experience of being swallowed. This makes the description of judgment or disaster more immediate and visceral for the reader. The word reminds us that some forms of ruin are not just losses, but complete absorptions by something larger and uncontrollable.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we face overwhelming opposition or feel consumed by circumstances beyond our control, the image of being swallowed up can feel terrifying. In Jeremiah 51:44, God promises to bring out from Bel’s mouth what he has swallowed. This word captures the finality of destruction, yet it also points to a greater power that reverses such loss.
For your faith, this offers profound comfort. No matter how thoroughly evil or chaos may seem to absorb you, God retains sovereignty over what is taken. He is able to recover and restore what was lost, turning total defeat into vindication. This truth anchors us when we feel small against larger forces.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- swallowed thing/ his1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בִּלְע/וֹ֙1×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 51:44
I will execute judgment on Bel in Babylon, and I will bring out of his mouth that which he has swallowed up. The nations will not flow any more to him. Yes, the wall of Babylon will fall.
This verse uses the word to describe what Bel has swallowed, highlighting God's promise to reverse that destruction and restore what was taken.