בֵּלֶת

subst. (from בָּלָה, of the form דֶּלֶת Ol§ 146 b) prop. failure, hence used as particle of negation, not, except (cf. בְּלִי, אֶפֶס), twice with sf. (v. infr.), elsewhere always בִּלְתִּי (with binding vowel ִי, as mark of cstr. state: Sta§ 343 Ges§ 90, 3), (Ph. בלת only: Tabnith-Inscr. 5)— adv. not, with an adj. 1 S 20:26 בִּלְתִּי טָהוֹר not clean, with a subst. Is 14:6 מַכַּת בִּלְתִּי סָרָה a stroke of non-cessation, i.e. a never-ceasing stroke, with a finite vb. (si vera l.) Ez 13:3 (RVm: but v. Dr§ 41 Obs.). after a preceding negation, not = except (syn. זוּלָתִי), Gn 21:26 I have not heard בִּלְתִּי הַיּוֹם except to-day, Ex 22:19 he that sacrificeth בִּלְתִּי לי׳ except unto י׳, Nu 32:12; Jos 11:19: so בִּלְתִּי אִם Gn 47:18; Ju 7:14 (cf. כִּי אִם Gn 28:17; Ne 2:2). With sf. (attached to the ground-form בֵּלֶת) בִּלְתִּי except me †Ho 13:4, בִּלְתֶּ֑ךָ except thee †1 S 2:2. conj. (likewise after a neg., expressed or implied) Gn 43:3 בִּלְתִּי אֲחִיכֶם אִתְּכֶם except your brother (be) with you, v 5 Nu 11:6 our soul is dry, there is nothing at all; save that our eyes are toward the manna, Is 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 Am 3:3, 4.—Dn 11:18, where no neg. precedes, it is difficult to extract a sense consistent with the gen. usage of בִּלְתִּי: Ges besides that his reproach he will return unto him, Ew only, nothing but, Hi certainly, Drechsler (on Is 10:4) nay, even (cf. RV). With preps. לְבִלְתִּי86 so as not …, in order not … (negation of לְ sq. Inf.), usually sq. Inf. cstr., as Gn 4:15 gave a sign to Cain לְבִלְתִּי הַכּוֹת־אֹתוֹ in order that any finding him should not smite him, 19:21; 38:9; Ex 8:18, 25; 9:17; Lv 18:30; 20:4; 26:15; Dt 8:11; 17:12 the man that doeth presumptuously לְבִלְתִּי שְׁמֹעַ so as not to hearken etc. (cf. Je 16:12; 17:23; 18:10; 42:13; Dn 9:11) v 20 Ju 2:23 +; לְבִלְתִּי הוֹעִיל in order not to profit (the result represented forcibly as the design; cf. sub לְמַעַן) Is 44:10 Je 7:8; after vbs. of commanding Gn 3:11 which I commanded thee לְבִלְתִּי אֲכָל־מִמֶּנּוּ not to eat thereof, 2 K 17:15; Je 35:8f, 14 Ru 2:9, swearing Dt 4:21; Jos 5:6; Ju 21:7; Ez 20:15, agreeing 2 K 12:9, interceding Je 36:25. Once לְבִלְתִּי לְ 2 K 23:10 (cf. לְמַעַן לְ Ez 21:20, בַּעֲבוּר לְ 1 Ch 19:3). Twice as conj. with the impf., Ex 20:20; 2 S 14:14 (cf. בַּעֲבוּר, & מִן Dt 33:11). In Je 23:14; 27:18 sq. perf., which is inconsistent with the nature of a final conj.: read either יָשׁוּבוּ, יָבֹאוּ, or שׁוּב, בוֹא (cf. Dr§ 41 Obs.). On Ez 13:3 v. supr. מִבִּלְתִּי an account of not … (negation of מִן sq. Inf.): sq. Inf. Nu 14:16 מִבִּלְתִּי יְכֹלֶת י׳; a verbal noun Ez 16:28 מִבִּלְתִּי שָׂבְעָתֵךְ. עַד־בִּלְתִּי until not …, sq. perf. (Ges§ 164 d; RSJPh. xvi. 72), or an Inf. (Ew§ 238 d), in the phrase (לָהֶם) עַד־בִּלְתִּי הִשְׁאִיר־לוֹ שָׂרִיד until one left him (them) not a remnant, Nu 21:35; Dt 3:3; Jos 8:22; 10:33; 11:8; 2 K 10:11.—Jb 14:12 עַד־בִּלְתִּי שָׁמַיִם till there be no heaven (cf. עַד־בְּלִי ψ 72:7).