928. behalah

Lexicon

behalah: Terror, Dread, Sudden Alarm

Original Word: בֶּהָלָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: behalah
Pronunciation: beh-haw-LAH
Phonetic Spelling: (beh-haw-law')
Definition: Terror, Dread, Sudden Alarm
Meaning: panic, destruction

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

terror, trouble

From bahal; panic, destruction -- terror, trouble.

see HEBREW bahal

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from bahal
Definition
dismay, sudden terror or ruin
NASB Translation
calamity (1), dismay (1), sudden terror (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

ֶ˜בּהָלָה noun feminine dismay, sudden terror or ruin (compare Assyrian bêltu, terror, Dl^{Pr 32}) — ׳בּ absolute Leviticus 26:16 2t.; plural וֶּ˜בהָלוֺת Jeremiah 15:8; — sudden terror Leviticus 26:16 ׳וְהִפְקַדְתִּ֫י עֲלֵיכֶם בּ (appositives follow); compare Jeremiah 15:8; Isaiah 65:23 לֹא יֵָֽלְדוּ לַבֶּהָלָה, Psalm 78:33 וַיְכַלבַּֿהֶבֶל יְמֵיהֶ֑ם וּשְׁנוֺתָם בַּבֶּהָלָה and he ended their days in a breath, and their years in sudden terror.

בהם (Arabic , IV. shut, x. impeded in speech, tongue-tied; Ethiopic be dumb).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the root בָּהַל (bahal), which means to terrify or to hasten.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G640 (ἀπορία, aporia): This Greek term conveys a sense of perplexity or being at a loss, often used in contexts of confusion or distress, similar to the panic described by בֶּהָלָה.
• G2671 (κατάπληξις, kataplexis): This term refers to a state of terror or astonishment, aligning with the intense fear and panic associated with בֶּהָלָה.

In summary, בֶּהָלָה (behalah) is a powerful term that encapsulates the fear and chaos that accompany divine judgment or catastrophic events, serving as a poignant reminder of the human response to the divine and the fragility of earthly security.

Usage: The word בֶּהָלָה is used in the Hebrew Bible to describe situations of intense fear or panic, often leading to chaos or destruction. It is typically associated with divine judgment or the overwhelming fear that comes upon people in times of crisis.

Context: בֶּהָלָה (behalah) appears in several contexts within the Hebrew Scriptures, illustrating the profound impact of fear and panic on individuals and communities. This term is often used in prophetic literature to describe the terror that accompanies divine judgment. For instance, in Isaiah 13:8, the prophet describes the day of the Lord as a time when "they will be terrified, pain and anguish will seize them; they will writhe like a woman in labor." Here, בֶּהָלָה captures the overwhelming fear and disarray that characterize such apocalyptic events.

In other instances, בֶּהָלָה is used to depict the psychological state of those who face imminent destruction or calamity. The term conveys not only the emotional response of fear but also the resultant disorder and chaos. This dual aspect of panic and destruction is evident in passages where the term is employed to describe the downfall of nations or the collapse of societal order.

The theological implications of בֶּהָלָה are significant, as it often serves as a reminder of the power and sovereignty of God in the affairs of humanity. The fear induced by divine intervention underscores the need for reverence and obedience to God's will.

Forms and Transliterations

בֶּֽהָלָה֙ בַּבֶּהָלָֽה׃ בבהלה׃ בהלה וּבֶהָלֽוֹת׃ ובהלות׃ לַבֶּהָלָ֑ה לבהלה bab·be·hā·lāh babbehaLah babbehālāh be·hā·lāh behaLah behālāh lab·be·hā·lāh labbehaLah labbehālāh ū·ḇe·hā·lō·wṯ ūḇehālōwṯ uvehaLot

Englishman's Concordance

Leviticus 26:16
HEB: וְהִפְקַדְתִּ֨י עֲלֵיכֶ֤ם בֶּֽהָלָה֙ אֶת־ הַשַּׁחֶ֣פֶת
NAS: over you a sudden terror, consumption
KJV: this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption,
INT: will appoint over A sudden consumption and fever

Psalm 78:33
HEB: יְמֵיהֶ֑ם וּ֝שְׁנוֹתָ֗ם בַּבֶּהָלָֽה׃
NAS: And their years in sudden terror.
KJV: in vanity, and their years in trouble.
INT: their days and their years sudden

Isaiah 65:23
HEB: וְלֹ֥א יֵלְד֖וּ לַבֶּהָלָ֑ה כִּ֣י זֶ֜רַע
NAS: Or bear [children] for calamity; For they are the offspring
KJV: nor bring forth for trouble; for they [are] the seed
INT: Or bear calamity for are the offspring

Jeremiah 15:8
HEB: פִּתְאֹ֔ם עִ֖יר וּבֶהָלֽוֹת׃
NAS: bring down on her Anguish and dismay.
KJV: upon it suddenly, and terrors upon the city.
INT: will suddenly her Anguish and dismay

4 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 928
4 Occurrences

bab·be·hā·lāh — 1 Occ.
be·hā·lāh — 1 Occ.
lab·be·hā·lāh — 1 Occ.
ū·ḇe·hā·lō·wṯ — 1 Occ.