Original Word: בִּלְתִּי
Part of Speech: substantive; particle of negation; adverb; conjunction
Transliteration: biltiy
Pronunciation: bil-tee
Phonetic Spelling: (bil-tee')
KJV: because un(satiable), beside, but, + continual, except, from, lest, neither, no more, none, not, nothing, save, that no, without
NASB: no, without, except, nothing, so, unless, besides
Word Origin: [constructive feminine of H1086 (בָּלָה - wear) (equivalent to H1097 (בְּלִי - without))]

1. (properly) a failure of
2. (used only as a negative particle, usually with a prepositional prefix) not, except, without, unless, besides, because not, until, etc

beside, but, continual, except, from, lest, neither,

Constructive feminine of balah (equivalent to bliy); properly, a failure of, i.e. (used only as a negative particle, usually with a prepositional prefix) not, except, without, unless, besides, because not, until, etc. -- because un(satiable), beside, but, + continual, except, from, lest, neither, no more, none, not, nothing, save, that no, without.

see HEBREW balah

see HEBREW bliy

Word Origin
from balah
Definition
not, except
NASB Translation
besides (2), except (3), except* (1), less than* (1), moreover (1), neither (1), no (15), no longer (1), no* (1), nor (2), nothing (3), other than (1), prevent* (2), so (3), stop (1), unceasing* (1), unless (3), unless* (1), until (1), without (4).

[בֵּ֫לֶת] substantive (from בָּלָה, of the form דֶּלֶת Ol^{§ 146 b}) properly failure, hence used as

particle of negation, not, except (compare בְּלִי, אֶפֶס), twice with suffix (see below), elsewhere always בִּלְתִּי (with binding vowel יִ֯, as mark of construct state: Sta^{§ 343} Ges^{§ 90}, 3), (Phoenician בלת only: Tabnith-Inscription⁵) —

1. adverb not, with an adjective 1 Samuel 20:26 בִּלְתִּי טָהוֺר not clean, with a substantive Isaiah 14:6 מַכַּת בִּלְתִּי סָרָה a stroke of non#NAME? verb (si vera lectio) Ezekiel 13:3 (RVm: but see Dr^{§ 41 Obs}.).

2 after a preceding negation, not = except (synonym זוּלָתִי), Genesis 21:26 I have not heard בִּלְתִּי הַיּוֺם except to-day, Exodus 22:19 he that sacrificeth ׳בִּלְתִּי לי except unto ׳י, Numbers 32:12; Joshua 11:19: so בִּלְתִּי אִם Genesis 47:18; Judges 7:14 (compare כִּי אִם Genesis 28:17; Nehemiah 2:2). With suffix (attached to the ground-form בֵּלֶת) בִּלְתִּי except me Hosea 13:4, בִּלְתֶּ֑ךָ expect thee 1 Samuel 2:2.

3. conjunction (likewise after a negative, expressed or implied) Genesis 43:3 בִּלְתִּי אֲחִיכֶם אִתְּכֶם except your brother (be) with you, Genesis 43:5; Numbers 11:6 our soul is dry, there is nothing at all; save that our eyes are toward the manna, Isaiah 10:4 (and where will ye leave your glory ?) save that they bow down under the prisoners, and fall under the slain! i.e. (iron.) their only refuge will be among the corpses of a battle-field. So בִּלְתִּי אִם Amos 3:3,4. — Daniel 11:18, where no negative precedes, it is difficult to extract a sense consistent with the General usage of בִּלְתִּי: Ges besides that his reproach he will return unto him, Ew only, nothing but, Hi certainly, Drechsler (on Isaiah 10:4) nay, even (compare RV).

4 With prepositions

a. לְבִלְתִּי₈₆ so as not..., in order not... negation of לְ followed by infinitive), usually followed by infinitive construct, as Genesis 4:15 gave a sign to Cain לְבִלְתִּי הַכּוֺתאֹֿתוֺ in order that any finding him should not smite him, Genesis 19:21; Genesis 38:9; Exodus 8:18; Exodus 8:25; Exodus 9:17; Leviticus 18:30; Leviticus 20:4; Leviticus 26:15; Deuteronomy 8:11; Deuteronomy 17:12 the man that doeth presumptuously לְבִלְתִּי שְׁמֹעַ so as not to hearken etc. (compare Jeremiah 16:12; Jeremiah 17:23; Jeremiah 18:10; Jeremiah 42:13; Daniel 9:11) Daniel 9:20; Judges 2:23 +; לְבִלְתִּי הוֺעִיל in order not to profit (the result represented forcibly as the design; compare below לְמַעַן) Isaiah 44:10; Jeremiah 7:8; after verbs of commanding Genesis 3:11 which I commanded thee לְבִלְתִּי אֲכָלמִֿמֶּנּוּ not to eat thereof, 2 Kings 17:15; Jeremiah 35:8f.; Jeremiah 35:14; Ruth 2:9, swearing Deuteronomy 4:21; Joshua 5:6; Judges 21:7; Ezekiel 20:15, agreeing 2 Kings 12:9, interceding Jeremiah 36:25. Once לְבִלְתִּי לְ 2 Kings 23:10 (compare לְמַעַן לְ Ezekiel 21:20, בַּעֲבוּר לְ 1 Chronicles 19:3). Twice as conjunction with the imperfect, Exodus 20:20; 2 Samuel 14:14 (compare בַּעֲבוּר, & מִן Deuteronomy 33:11). In Jeremiah 23:14; Jeremiah 27:18 followed by perfect, which is inconsistent with the nature of a final conjunction: read either יָשׁוּבוּ, יָבאֹוּ, or שׁוּב, בוֺא (compare Dr^{§ 41 Obs}.). On Ezekiel 13:3 see above

b. מִבִּלְתִּי an account of not... (negation of מִן followed by infinitive): followed by infinitive Numbers 14:16 ׳מִבִּלְתִּי יְכֹלֶת י; a verbal noun Ezekiel 16:28 מִבִּלְתִּי שָׂבְעָתֵךְ.

c. עַדבִּֿלְתִּי until not..., followed by a perf. (Ges; RS^{JPh xvi. 72}), or an infinitive (Ew^{§ 238 d}), in the phrase (לָהֶם) עַדבִּֿלְתִּי הִשְׁאִירלֿוֺ שָׂרִיד until one left him (them) not a remnant, Numbers 21:35; Deuteronomy 3:3; Joshua 8:22; Joshua 10:33; Joshua 11:8; 2 Kings 10:11. — Job 14:12 עַדבִּֿלְתִּי שָׁמַיִם till there be no heaven (compare עַדבְּֿלִי Psalm 72:7).

Scope and Thematic Range

בִּלְתִּי (bilti) appears roughly one hundred and twelve times, functioning as a strong particle of negation and exclusion. It frames what cannot, must not, or does not happen, and highlights what stands alone as uniquely belonging to the LORD. Whether translated “not,” “except,” “without,” “apart from,” or “only,” bilti consistently sharpens the line between the holy and the profane, covenant obedience and rebellion, faith and folly.

Emphatic Negation of Idolatry

The particle frequently forbids the worship of any deity other than YHWH.
• Exodus 20:3: “You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Literally, “not” other gods.)
• Deuteronomy 4:35: “The LORD, He is God; there is no other besides Him.”
• 2 Kings 17:35-39 records the Assyrian resettlements: four times bilti underscores that Israel “shall fear no other gods.” The insistence is covenantal: the LORD alone is worthy of fear and service.

Exclusive Devotion and Covenant Loyalty

Bilti tightens the Shema’s demand for wholehearted love.
• Deuteronomy 6:14-15 warns, “Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you—for the LORD your God in your midst is a jealous God.”
• Joshua 23:7-8 urges Israel to cling to the LORD “without turning aside” (bilti sigûr). The word fences the people inside the covenant, forbidding any compromise.

Conditional Clauses in Law and Prophetic Warning

In the Torah bilti often appears with infinitives to create “lest” or “so that…not” constructions, marking moral boundaries.
• Deuteronomy 8:11 “Be careful lest you forget the LORD your God.”
• Leviticus 22:9 cautions priests to guard the holy things “so that they do not bear sin.”

Prophets pick up the same grammar:
• Jeremiah 26:3 “Perhaps they will listen and turn, each from his evil way, so that I may relent.” Negation of judgment is conditional upon repentance.

Expressions of Holiness and Separation

Bilti separates what is clean from unclean, holy from common.
• Leviticus 11:47 commands Israel to “distinguish between the unclean and the clean.”
• Numbers 6:4 in the Nazirite vow: “Throughout the days of his separation he is not to eat anything that comes from the grapevine.” Holiness exists only by firm negation of defilement.

Worship and Sacrifice ‘Apart From’ Blood

• Leviticus 17:11 “For the life of the flesh is in the blood... it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life.” No forgiveness exists bilti—the absence of—shed blood, foreshadowing the necessity of Christ’s sacrifice (Hebrews 9:22).

Wisdom Literature: Human Limitation

In Job and Psalms bilti underscores human frailty.
• Job 34:32: “Teach me what I cannot see.”
• Psalm 119:7: “I will praise You with an upright heart when I learn Your righteous judgments.” Righteousness is impossible apart from divine instruction.

Historical Narrative: Strategic Exception

• Judges 4:9: Deborah’s victory prophecy comes “except that the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman,” highlighting God’s unexpected means.
• 1 Samuel 21:4: the consecrated bread was to be given “only if the young men have kept themselves from women,” a precedent Jesus cites (Matthew 12:3-4) to show mercy surpassing ritual restriction.

Eschatological Promise and Messianic Contrast

Prophets employ bilti to contrast present judgment with future hope.
• Isaiah 45:6: “so that all may know... there is no other.” Universal recognition of YHWH is secured by eliminating every rival.
• Zechariah 14:7: “It will be a unique day—known only to the LORD—with no distinction between day and night.” The final state is defined by the negation of ordinary cycles, prefiguring the New Jerusalem where “there will be no night” (Revelation 22:5).

Theological Implications

1. Monotheism: Bilti guards the exclusivity of the one true God.
2. Holiness: It draws definite lines that preserve purity.
3. Redemption: Negation (“no remission without blood,” “no other name”) points forward to the singular sufficiency of Jesus Christ.
4. Assurance: Promises framed with bilti (“will never”) ground the believer’s security.

Practical Ministry Application

• Preaching: Use bilti texts to press the absolute claims of Christ—“there is salvation in no one else” (Acts 4:12).
• Counseling: Highlight boundary-setting, helping believers say decisive “no” to sin in order to say “yes” to God (Titus 2:11-12).
• Worship: Emphasize songs and liturgy that confess “None but Jesus.”
• Discipleship: Teach the positive power of holy negation—fasting, Sabbath rest, ethical abstinence—practices that carve out space for devotion.

Bilti, by declaring what must never be or what alone must be, serves God’s redemptive purpose: driving His people away from every false refuge and toward the only source of life and salvation.

בִּלְתִּ֖י בִּלְתִּ֗י בִּלְתִּ֞י בִּלְתִּ֣י בִּלְתִּ֤י בִּלְתִּ֥י בִּלְתִּֽי׃ בִּלְתֶּ֑ךָ בלתי בלתי׃ בלתך וּלְבִלְתִּ֖י וּלְבִלְתִּ֛י וּלְבִלְתִּ֣י ׀ וּלְבִלְתִּ֥י וּלְבִלְתִּי־ ולבלתי ולבלתי־ לְבִ֨לְתִּי־ לְבִלְתִּ֖י לְבִלְתִּ֗י לְבִלְתִּ֛י לְבִלְתִּ֞י לְבִלְתִּ֣י לְבִלְתִּ֣י ׀ לְבִלְתִּ֤י לְבִלְתִּ֥י לְבִלְתִּ֧י לְבִלְתִּ֨י לְבִלְתִּי֙ לְבִלְתִּי֩ לְבִלְתִּי־ לבלתי לבלתי־ מִבִּלְתִּ֖י מִבִּלְתִּ֞י מבלתי bil·te·ḵā bil·tî bilTecha bilteḵā bilTi biltî lə·ḇil·tî lə·ḇil·tî- ləḇiltî ləḇiltî- levilTi mib·bil·tî mibbilTi mibbiltî ū·lə·ḇil·tî ū·lə·ḇil·tî- ūləḇiltî ūləḇiltî- uleviltiInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts