Original Word: בֶּלַע
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: bela`
Pronunciation: beh-lah
Phonetic Spelling: (beh'-lah)
KJV: devouring, that which he hath swallowed up
NASB: devour, what he has swallowed
Word Origin: [from H1104 (בָּלַע - swallowed)]

1. a gulp
2. (figuratively) destruction

devouring, that which he hath swallowed up

From bala'; a gulp; figuratively, destruction -- devouring, that which he hath swallowed up.

see HEBREW bala'

Word Origin
from bala
Definition
a swallowing, devouring, a thing swallowed
NASB Translation
devour (1), what he has swallowed (1).

I. בֶּ֫לַע noun [masculine] swallowing, devouring, thing swallowed.

1 swallowing = destruction, דִּבְרֵיבָֿ֑לַע Psalm 52:6 devouring words ("" לְשׁוֺן מִרְמָה).

2 thing swallowed בִּלְעוֺ, Jeremiah 51:44 ׳וְהֹצֵאתִי אתבֿ מִמִּיו and I will bring forth that which he hath swallowed out of his mouth.

Topical Entry: בֶּלַע (beláʿ) – Devouring, Swallowing

Literary Occurrence

The noun appears only twice: Psalm 52:4 and Jeremiah 51:44.

Poetic Usage in Psalm 52:4

“You love every word that devours, O deceitful tongue!”. David indicts Doeg the Edomite (cf. 1 Samuel 22) by likening slanderous speech to a predatory mouth. בֶּלַע frames words as instruments that consume lives, highlighting the moral violence of deceit and contrasting it with the steadfast love of God (Psalm 52:8).

Prophetic Usage in Jeremiah 51:44

“I will punish Bel in Babylon; I will make him vomit up what he has swallowed.” Here בֶּלַע depicts Babylon’s imperial appetite—nations, treasures, and even Israel. The Lord’s promise that Bel will disgorge his plunder previews Babylon’s fall (539 B.C.) and the restoration of Judah’s exiles (Ezra 1:1-11). Thus the word becomes a pledge of covenant faithfulness.

Imagery and Theological Themes

1. Sin’s appetite to consume—by tongue (Psalm 52) or empire (Jeremiah 51).
2. Divine reversal—what evil swallows, God forces it to release (cf. Jonah 2:10; Revelation 12:16).
3. Sovereign justice—devourers are themselves devoured (Obadiah 15).
4. Preservation of the remnant—Jeremiah’s oracle guarantees the return of people and temple vessels (Isaiah 49:24-26).

Historical and Cultural Background

Ancient Near-Eastern conquerors boasted of “eating” cities. Jeremiah turns the boast against Babylon’s chief deity, Bel, exposing his impotence. Psalm 52 applies the same imagery to court intrigue, linking palace treachery with cosmic rebellion.

Ministerial and Devotional Application

• Guarded speech: words can consume; compare James 3:5-6.
• Comfort for the oppressed: no oppressor can permanently swallow God’s people (Psalm 124:2-5).
• Call to repentance: examine whether greed or malice makes one a devourer (Proverbs 21:20).

Christological Dimension

Evil sought to swallow Christ (Psalm 22:12-13), yet in His resurrection He “swallowed up death forever” (Isaiah 25:8; 1 Corinthians 15:54). בֶּלַע foreshadows this victory, assuring believers that ultimate deliverance belongs to the Lord.

Conclusion

Though rare, בֶּלַע succinctly portrays the consuming nature of sin and tyranny while magnifying God’s commitment to reverse destruction and restore His people.

בִּלְעוֹ֙ בָ֗לַע בלע בלעו ḇā·la‘ ḇāla‘ bil‘ōw bil·‘ōw bilO ValaInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts