Word Study for H1105 (בֶּלַע)

belaʻ /beh'-lah/ Ask about this word

Meaninga gulp; figuratively, destruction

KJV usagedevouring, that which he hath swallowed up.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of belaʻ — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word belaʻ, represented by H1105, means a gulp and is used figuratively for destruction or devouring. Based on the root word for "to swallow up," it appears only 2 times in 2 unique verses. It conveys a sense of complete consumption, whether by a false god or by destructive language.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The two uses of H1105 appear in distinct contexts. In Jeremiah's prophecy against Babylon, God declares He will punish the idol Bel and "bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up" Jeremiah 51:44. This signifies the reversal of Babylon's conquests, forcing its god to release the nations it had consumed. In Psalms, the term describes malicious speech, condemning a deceitful tongue that loves "all devouring words" Psalms 52:4, highlighting the destructive power of language.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the contexts in which H1105 is found:

H1078 Bêl: This name refers to the chief idol of Babylon. As the one who does the "swallowing," Bel represents the consuming power of the Babylonian empire that God judges Jeremiah 51:44.
H3956 lâshôwn: Meaning tongue, this is the instrument of the "devouring words" in Psalms. The verse specifies a "deceitful tongue," linking physical speech with moral corruption Psalms 52:4.
H4820 mirmâh: Defined as fraud or deceit, this word characterizes the nature of the "devouring words." It shows that the destruction is accomplished through guile and treachery Psalms 52:4.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H1105 is concentrated in its imagery of consumption and reversal.

Judgment on False Gods: The term is used to show God's ultimate power over idols. The promise to make Bel disgorge what he has "swallowed up" is a direct judgment on the powerlessness of false gods and the empires they represent Jeremiah 51:44.
The Destructive Power of Words: By describing words as "devouring," the psalmist gives them a tangible, destructive force. This underscores the biblical principle that speech, particularly from a deceitful tongue, is not neutral but can cause ruin Psalms 52:4.
Divine Restoration: God's action in Jeremiah 51:44 is one of restoration. He reverses the act of swallowing up, bringing forth what was consumed and causing the nations to cease flowing to the fallen idol, demonstrating His power to undo destruction.

Summary

In summary, H1105 is a rare but powerful term illustrating destruction as an act of being swallowed up. Though used only twice, it effectively portrays both the judgment against the consuming greed of an empire's idol Jeremiah 51:44 and the ruinous impact of deceitful words Psalms 52:4. It demonstrates a theology where God confronts and reverses destructive forces, whether they are political or personal.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

בָלַע
בִּלְע

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Psalms and Jeremiah (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

Psalms

Jeremiah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.