Original Word: בְּלָא
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: bla'
Pronunciation: beh-lah
Phonetic Spelling: (bel-aw')
KJV: wear out
NASB: wear down
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H1086 (בָּלָה - wear) (but used only in a mental sense)]

1. to afflict

wear out

(Aramaic) corresponding to balah (but used only in a mental sense); to afflict -- wear out.

see HEBREW balah

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to balah
Definition
to wear away or out
NASB Translation
wear down (1).

[בְּלַא] verb Pa`el wear away, out (Biblical Hebrew בלה); — Imperfect3masculine singular יְבַּלֵּא Daniel 7:25, figurative for harass continually (accusative of person).

Word in Focus

בְּלָא occurs once in the Old Testament, within Daniel’s Aramaic vision (Daniel 7:25). The term pictures the slow, grinding exhaustion of the faithful under hostile rule—an oppression that targets both body and spirit until strength seems spent.

Prophetic Setting in Daniel 7

Daniel 7 records a succession of bestial kingdoms culminating in a “little horn.” This figure “will speak words against the Most High and oppress the holy ones of the Most High” (Daniel 7:25). The verb portrays a calculated strategy to deplete the saints’ resilience through relentless pressure. Yet the verse immediately promises that dominion “will be taken away and annihilated forever” (Daniel 7:26). Thus the text balances terrifying realism with absolute confidence in the Lord’s final victory.

Historical Foreshadowings

1. Exilic and Post-exilic Oppression: Israel had already tasted political subjugation under Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. Each regime in turn attempted to erode covenant identity, whether through forced assimilation (Daniel 1:5–7) or outright persecution (Daniel 3:12–18).
2. Antiochus IV Epiphanes: Many interpreters see a partial fulfillment when Antiochus outlawed Torah observance and desecrated the temple (circa 167 BC). His policies literally “wore out” the faithful until the Maccabean revolt.
3. Roman Era and Beyond: Centuries of imperial intimidation, from Nero to Diocletian, illustrate the same principle. The church fathers frequently cited Daniel 7 when describing state-sponsored attempts to crush the faith.

Eschatological Horizon

Daniel’s vision ultimately extends to a climactic antagonist often linked with “the man of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:3) and “the beast” (Revelation 13:7). John echoes Daniel when he writes, “The beast was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them” (Revelation 13:7). Yet even this global persecution is time-limited: “for a time, times, and half a time” (Daniel 7:25), underscoring God’s sovereign boundary on evil.

Theology of Perseverance

Scripture never minimizes the reality of attrition, but it repeatedly affirms that grace is greater.
• Isaiah 40:31 promises renewed strength to those who wait on the Lord.
• Galatians 6:9 urges believers not to “grow weary in doing good.”
• Hebrews 12:3 points to Jesus, “who endured such hostility from sinners,” lest His followers “grow weary and lose heart.”

The single occurrence of בְּלָא therefore anchors a broad biblical motif: outward pressure can never nullify God’s inward sustaining power.

Pastoral and Ministerial Application

1. Identifying Subtle Erosion: Persecution is not always overt. Cultural ridicule, legal marginalization, and moral compromise can quietly sap spiritual vitality. Shepherds must discern early signs of exhaustion among the flock (Acts 20:28).
2. Cultivating Resilience: Regular worship, doctrinal clarity, and mutual encouragement counteract attrition (Hebrews 10:24-25).
3. Suffering as Witness: The saints’ endurance testifies that Christ is worth more than comfort. “By your patient endurance you will gain your souls” (Luke 21:19).
4. Eschatological Hope: Teaching on Daniel 7 bolsters confidence that persecution is temporary and purposeful, driving the church to long for the kingdom that “will never be destroyed” (Daniel 7:14).

Related Biblical Themes

• Spiritual Warfare: Ephesians 6:10-18 frames oppression within a cosmic struggle, urging believers to “stand firm.”
• Divine Timing: Habakkuk 2:3 reminds us that the vision “awaits an appointed time.”
• Vindication of the Saints: Revelation 6:9-11 portrays martyrs assured that justice will be served.

Preaching/Teaching Outline

I. The Reality of Wearing Down (Daniel 7:25)

II. Historical Snapshots of Attrition (Old Testament to Early Church)

III. The Limit God Sets on Evil (time, times, and half a time)

IV. Resources for Endurance (prayer, Word, fellowship, Spirit)

V. Certainty of Final Triumph (Daniel 7:27; Revelation 11:15)

Key Takeaways

• Oppression seeks to erode faith gradually, not merely to inflict sudden harm.
• The Lord foreknew and foretold this tactic, proving His sovereignty over history.
• Saints overcome attrition through divine empowerment and eschatological hope.
• The single verb בְּלָא thus functions as a lens through which the church understands both present trials and ultimate victory.

יְבַלֵּ֑א יבלא yə·ḇal·lê yəḇallê yevalLeInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts