Lexical Summary bela: Destruction, engulfing, ruin Original Word: בְּלָא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance wear out (Aramaic) corresponding to balah (but used only in a mental sense); to afflict -- wear out. see HEBREW balah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to balah Definition to wear away or out NASB Translation wear down (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [בְּלַא] verb Pa`el wear away, out (Biblical Hebrew בלה); — Imperfect3masculine singular יְבַּלֵּא Daniel 7:25, figurative for harass continually (accusative of person). Topical Lexicon 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). 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. 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). Related Biblical Themes • Spiritual Warfare: Ephesians 6:10-18 frames oppression within a cosmic struggle, urging believers to “stand firm.” 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. Forms and Transliterations יְבַלֵּ֑א יבלא yə·ḇal·lê yəḇallê yevalLeLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 7:25 HEB: וּלְקַדִּישֵׁ֥י עֶלְיוֹנִ֖ין יְבַלֵּ֑א וְיִסְבַּ֗ר לְהַשְׁנָיָה֙ NAS: the Most High and wear down the saints KJV: the most High, and shall wear out the saints INT: the saints of the Highest and wear will intend to make 1 Occurrence |
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