Lexical Summary
bilti: Not, except, without
Original Word:בִּלְתִּי
Part of Speech:substantive; particle of negation; adverb; conjunction
Transliteration:biltiy
Pronunciation:bil-tee
Phonetic Spelling:(bil-tee')
KJV: because un(satiable), beside, but, + continual, except, from, lest, neither, no more, none, not, nothing, save, that no, without
NASB:no, without, except, nothing, so, unless, besides
Word Origin:[constructive feminine ofH1086 (בָּלָה - wear) (equivalent toH1097 (בְּלִי - without))]
1. (properly) a failure of
2. (used only as a negative particle, usually with a prepositional prefix) not, except, without, unless, besides, because not, until, etc
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
beside, but, continual, except, from, lest, neither,
Constructive feminine ofbalah (equivalent tobliy); properly, a failure of, i.e. (used only as a negative particle, usually with a prepositional prefix) not, except, without, unless, besides, because not, until, etc. -- because un(satiable), beside, but, + continual, except, from, lest, neither, no more, none, not, nothing, save, that no, without.
see HEBREWbalah
see HEBREWbliy
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
balahDefinitionnot, except
NASB Translationbesides (2), except (3), except* (1), less than* (1), moreover (1), neither (1), no (15), no longer (1), no* (1), nor (2), nothing (3), other than (1), prevent* (2), so (3), stop (1), unceasing* (1), unless (3), unless* (1), until (1), without (4).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[] (from , of the form Ol
§ 146 b) properly
failure, hence used as
, (compare , ), twice with suffix (see below), elsewhere always (with binding vowel , as mark of construct state: Sta§ 343 Ges§ 90, 3), (Phoenicianonly: Tabnith-Inscription5) —
not, with an adjective1 Samuel 20:26not clean, with a substantiveIsaiah 14:6 a stroke ofnon#NAME? verb (si vera lectio)Ezekiel 13:3 (RVm: but see Dr§ 41 Obs.).
,not = except (synonym ),Genesis 21:26 I have not heardexcept to-day,Exodus 22:19 he that sacrificethexcept unto ,Numbers 32:12;Joshua 11:19: soGenesis 47:18;Judges 7:14 (compareGenesis 28:17;Nehemiah 2:2). With suffix (attached to the ground-form )except meHosea 13:4,expect thee1 Samuel 2:2.
(likewise after a negative, expressed or implied)Genesis 43:3except your brother (be) with you,Genesis 43:5;Numbers 11:6 our soul is dry, there is nothing at all;save that our eyes are toward the manna,Isaiah 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. SoAmos 3:3,4. —Daniel 11:18, where no negative precedes, it is difficult to extract a sense consistent with the General usage of : Gesbesides that his reproach he will return unto him, Ewonly, nothing but, Hicertainly, Drechsler (onIsaiah 10:4)nay, even (compare RV).
With prepositions
86so as not...,in order not... negation of followed by infinitive), usually followed by infinitive construct, asGenesis 4:15 gave a sign to Cainin order that any finding him shouldnot smite him,Genesis 19:21;Genesis 38:9;Exodus 8:18;Exodus 8:25;Exodus 9:17;Leviticus 18:30;Leviticus 20:4;Leviticus 26:15;Deuteronomy 8:11;Deuteronomy 17:12 the man that doeth presumptuouslyso as not to hearken etc. (compareJeremiah 16:12;Jeremiah 17:23;Jeremiah 18:10;Jeremiah 42:13;Daniel 9:11)Daniel 9:20;Judges 2:23 +;in order not to profit (the result represented forcibly as the design; compare below )Isaiah 44:10;Jeremiah 7:8; after verbs of commandingGenesis 3:11 which I commanded theenot to eat thereof,2 Kings 17:15;Jeremiah 35:8f.;Jeremiah 35:14;Ruth 2:9, swearingDeuteronomy 4:21;Joshua 5:6;Judges 21:7;Ezekiel 20:15, agreeing2 Kings 12:9, intercedingJeremiah 36:25. Once2 Kings 23:10 (compareEzekiel 21:20,1 Chronicles 19:3). Twice as conjunction with the imperfect,Exodus 20:20;2 Samuel 14:14 (compare , &Deuteronomy 33:11). InJeremiah 23:14;Jeremiah 27:18 followed by perfect, which is inconsistent with the nature of a final conjunction: read either , , or , (compare Dr§ 41 Obs.). OnEzekiel 13:3 see above
an account of not... (negation of followed by infinitive): followed by infinitiveNumbers 14:16 ; a verbal nounEzekiel 16:28 .
until not..., followed by a perf. (Ges; RSJPh xvi. 72), or an infinitive (Ew§ 238 d), in the phrase ()until one left him (them)not a remnant,Numbers 21:35;Deuteronomy 3:3;Joshua 8:22;Joshua 10:33;Joshua 11:8;2 Kings 10:11. —Job 14:12till there beno heaven (comparePsalm 72:7).
Topical Lexicon
Scope and Thematic Rangeבִּלְתִּי (bilti) appears roughly one hundred and twelve times, functioning as a strong particle of negation and exclusion. It frames what cannot, must not, or does not happen, and highlights what stands alone as uniquely belonging to the LORD. Whether translated “not,” “except,” “without,” “apart from,” or “only,” bilti consistently sharpens the line between the holy and the profane, covenant obedience and rebellion, faith and folly.
Emphatic Negation of Idolatry
The particle frequently forbids the worship of any deity other than YHWH.
•Exodus 20:3: “You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Literally, “not” other gods.)
•Deuteronomy 4:35: “The LORD, He is God; there is no other besides Him.”
•2 Kings 17:35-39 records the Assyrian resettlements: four times bilti underscores that Israel “shall fear no other gods.” The insistence is covenantal: the LORD alone is worthy of fear and service.
Exclusive Devotion and Covenant Loyalty
Bilti tightens the Shema’s demand for wholehearted love.
•Deuteronomy 6:14-15 warns, “Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you—for the LORD your God in your midst is a jealous God.”
•Joshua 23:7-8 urges Israel to cling to the LORD “without turning aside” (bilti sigûr). The word fences the people inside the covenant, forbidding any compromise.
Conditional Clauses in Law and Prophetic Warning
In the Torah bilti often appears with infinitives to create “lest” or “so that…not” constructions, marking moral boundaries.
•Deuteronomy 8:11 “Be careful lest you forget the LORD your God.”
•Leviticus 22:9 cautions priests to guard the holy things “so that they do not bear sin.”
Prophets pick up the same grammar:
•Jeremiah 26:3 “Perhaps they will listen and turn, each from his evil way, so that I may relent.” Negation of judgment is conditional upon repentance.
Expressions of Holiness and Separation
Bilti separates what is clean from unclean, holy from common.
•Leviticus 11:47 commands Israel to “distinguish between the unclean and the clean.”
•Numbers 6:4 in the Nazirite vow: “Throughout the days of his separation he is not to eat anything that comes from the grapevine.” Holiness exists only by firm negation of defilement.
Worship and Sacrifice ‘Apart From’ Blood
•Leviticus 17:11 “For the life of the flesh is in the blood... it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life.” No forgiveness exists bilti—the absence of—shed blood, foreshadowing the necessity of Christ’s sacrifice (Hebrews 9:22).
Wisdom Literature: Human Limitation
In Job and Psalms bilti underscores human frailty.
•Job 34:32: “Teach me what I cannot see.”
•Psalm 119:7: “I will praise You with an upright heart when I learn Your righteous judgments.” Righteousness is impossible apart from divine instruction.
Historical Narrative: Strategic Exception
•Judges 4:9: Deborah’s victory prophecy comes “except that the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman,” highlighting God’s unexpected means.
•1 Samuel 21:4: the consecrated bread was to be given “only if the young men have kept themselves from women,” a precedent Jesus cites (Matthew 12:3-4) to show mercy surpassing ritual restriction.
Eschatological Promise and Messianic Contrast
Prophets employ bilti to contrast present judgment with future hope.
•Isaiah 45:6: “so that all may know... there is no other.” Universal recognition of YHWH is secured by eliminating every rival.
•Zechariah 14:7: “It will be a unique day—known only to the LORD—with no distinction between day and night.” The final state is defined by the negation of ordinary cycles, prefiguring the New Jerusalem where “there will be no night” (Revelation 22:5).
Theological Implications
1. Monotheism: Bilti guards the exclusivity of the one true God.
2. Holiness: It draws definite lines that preserve purity.
3. Redemption: Negation (“no remission without blood,” “no other name”) points forward to the singular sufficiency of Jesus Christ.
4. Assurance: Promises framed with bilti (“will never”) ground the believer’s security.
Practical Ministry Application
• Preaching: Use bilti texts to press the absolute claims of Christ—“there is salvation in no one else” (Acts 4:12).
• Counseling: Highlight boundary-setting, helping believers say decisive “no” to sin in order to say “yes” to God (Titus 2:11-12).
• Worship: Emphasize songs and liturgy that confess “None but Jesus.”
• Discipleship: Teach the positive power of holy negation—fasting, Sabbath rest, ethical abstinence—practices that carve out space for devotion.
Bilti, by declaring what must never be or what alone must be, serves God’s redemptive purpose: driving His people away from every false refuge and toward the only source of life and salvation.
Forms and Transliterations
בִּלְתִּ֖י בִּלְתִּ֗י בִּלְתִּ֞י בִּלְתִּ֣י בִּלְתִּ֤י בִּלְתִּ֥י בִּלְתִּֽי׃ בִּלְתֶּ֑ךָ בלתי בלתי׃ בלתך וּלְבִלְתִּ֖י וּלְבִלְתִּ֛י וּלְבִלְתִּ֣י ׀ וּלְבִלְתִּ֥י וּלְבִלְתִּי־ ולבלתי ולבלתי־ לְבִ֨לְתִּי־ לְבִלְתִּ֖י לְבִלְתִּ֗י לְבִלְתִּ֛י לְבִלְתִּ֞י לְבִלְתִּ֣י לְבִלְתִּ֣י ׀ לְבִלְתִּ֤י לְבִלְתִּ֥י לְבִלְתִּ֧י לְבִלְתִּ֨י לְבִלְתִּי֙ לְבִלְתִּי֩ לְבִלְתִּי־ לבלתי לבלתי־ מִבִּלְתִּ֖י מִבִּלְתִּ֞י מבלתי bil·te·ḵā bil·tî bilTecha bilteḵā bilTi biltî lə·ḇil·tî lə·ḇil·tî- ləḇiltî ləḇiltî- levilTi mib·bil·tî mibbilTi mibbiltî ū·lə·ḇil·tî ū·lə·ḇil·tî- ūləḇiltî ūləḇiltî- ulevilti
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