Strong's H1104 · Hebrew
בָּלַע
bâlaʻ · /baw-lah'/
Definition
to make away with (specifically by swallowing); generally, to destroy
KJV: cover, destroy, devour, eat up, be at end, spend up, swallow down (up).
Root / derivation: a primitive root;
KJV usage breakdown
How the Authorized (KJV) translators rendered בָּלַע across 48 verses.
Every occurrence (KJV)
48 verses use this word, grouped by book — the translated form is highlighted.
Genesis2 verses
Exodus2 verses
Numbers5 verses
But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.
Numbers 16:30But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD. make: Heb. create a creature
Numbers 16:32And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
Numbers 16:34And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
Numbers 26:10And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men: and they became a sign.
2 Samuel3 verses
Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him.
2 Samuel 20:19I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?
2 Samuel 20:20And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
Job7 verses
And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. to destroy: Heb. to swallow him up
Job 7:19How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
Job 8:18If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.
Job 10:8Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me. have: Heb. took pains about me
Job 20:15He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
Job 20:18That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein. his: Heb. the substance of his exchange
Job 37:20Shall it be told him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up.
Psalms7 verses
Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.
Psalms 35:25Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up. Ah: Heb. Ah, ah, our soul
Psalms 55:9Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
Psalms 69:15Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
Psalms 106:17The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.
Psalms 107:27They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end. are: Heb. all their wisdom is swallowed up
Psalms 124:3Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:
Proverbs3 verses
Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:
Proverbs 19:28An ungodly witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity. An: Heb. A witness of Belial
Proverbs 21:20There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.
Ecclesiastes1 verse
Isaiah8 verses
As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths. lead: or, call thee blessed destroy: Heb. swallow up
Isaiah 9:16For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. the leaders: or, they that call them blessed led of: or, called blessed of destroyed: Heb. swallowed up
Isaiah 19:3And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. fail: Heb. be emptied destroy: Heb. swallow up
Isaiah 25:7And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. destroy: Heb. swallow up cast: Heb. covered
Isaiah 25:8He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.
Isaiah 28:4And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up. eateth: Heb. swalloweth
Isaiah 28:7But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
Isaiah 49:19For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.
Lamentations4 verses
The Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and hath not pitied: he hath thrown down in his wrath the strong holds of the daughter of Judah; he hath brought them down to the ground: he hath polluted the kingdom and the princes thereof. brought: Heb. made to touch
Lamentations 2:5The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.
Lamentations 2:8The LORD hath purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion: he hath stretched out a line, he hath not withdrawn his hand from destroying: therefore he made the rampart and the wall to lament; they languished together. destroying: Heb. swallowing up
Lamentations 2:16All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they hiss and gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it.
Hosea2 verses
For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up. stalk: or, standing corn
Hosea 8:8Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.
Topics that use this word
Frequently asked questions
What does Strong's H1104 (bâlaʻ) mean?
to make away with (specifically by swallowing); generally, to destroy
How many times does H1104 appear in the Bible?
Strong's H1104 (בָּלַע) appears in 48 verses of the King James Version, most often translated “up.”
How is bâlaʻ translated in the KJV?
In the KJV, Strong's H1104 is rendered as “up” (30×), “destroy” (7×), “down” (3×), “devoured” (2×), among other words.
Where does the Hebrew word בָּלַע come from?
a primitive root;