Lexical Definition

‎בָּלָה‎ bâlâh (baw-law') to become old ^H:V
a primitive root

consume, enjoy long, become (make, wax) old, spend, waste.

• to fail
• by implication to wear out, decay (causatively, consume, spend)

1) to wear out, become old
1a) (Qal) to wear out
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to wear out
1b2) to wear out by use, use up completely
1b3) to enjoy, use to the full

See Greek: καταπαύω · παλαιόω · συντελέω · ταπεινόω

Extended Information

• Aramaic equivalent: be.la (‎ב‎ְּ‎ל‎ָ‎א‎ "to wear out" בְּלָא)

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[‎בָּלָה‎] verb become old and worn out (Arabic , Aramaic ‎בְּלֵי‎, , Ethiopic id.) —

Qal Perfect ‎בָּ˜לְתָה‎ Deut 8:4, ‎בָּלוּ‎ Deut 29:4* +; Imperfect ‎יִבְלֶה‎ Job 13:28 etc.; Infinitive with suffix ‎בְּלֹתִי‎ Gen 18:12 — wear out (intransitive), especially of garments Deut 8:4; Deut 29:4* (twice in verse), all with ‎מֵעַל‎ pregnantly wear out (and fall) from upon... (hence Neh 9:21), Josh 9:13 figurative of the heavens (with simile of garment) Isa 50:9; Ps 102:27* ‎כַּבֶּגֶד יִבְלוּ‎, the earth Isa 51:6 ‎כַּבֶּגֶד תִּבְלֶה‎; the bones (through suffering) Ps 32:3 afflicted man Job 13:28 ‎וְהוּא כְּרָקָב יִבְלֶה‎ (|| ‎כְּבֶגֶד‎ ‎אֲכָלוֺ עָשׁ‎); of an aged and decrepit woman Gen 18:12 (J) ‎אַחֲרֵי בְלֹתִי‎ after I am worn out. Pi`el causative of Qal.
a. wear out (transitive), figurative Lam 3:4 ‎בִּלָּה בְשָׂרִי‎ ‎וְעוֺרִי‎, Ps 49:15* and their form ‎לְבַלּוֺת שְּׁאוֺל‎ is for Sh®°ôl to consume away (others read ‎לִבְלוֺת‎ is for wasting away [Dr](/btb/not_created.html)^{§ 204}], connecting ‎׳‎‎שׁ‎ with following), 1Chr 17:9 ‎לְבַלֹּתוֺ‎ to wear it (Israel) out (altered from ‎לְעַנּוֺתוֺ‎ 2Sam 7:10), compare Dan 7:25 Aramaic
b. wear out by use, use to the full, Isa 65:22 and the work of their hands ‎יְבַלּוּ‎ they shall use to the full, enjoy, Job 21:13 they wear out their days in prosperity (Qr here ‎יְכַלּוּ‎ complete, which perhaps is the true reading in both passages; compare Exod 5:13; Job 36:11). — On ‎ַ™בּלּוֺתֹּי‎ Ps 92:11*, see below ‎בָּלַל‎.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References