particle of negation, not, except (compare בְּלִי, אֶפֶס), twice with suffix (see below), elsewhere always בִּלְתִּי (with binding vowel יִ֯, as mark of construct state: Sta^{§ 343} Ges^{§ 90}, 3), (Phoenician בלת only: Tabnith-Inscription⁵) —

1. adverb not, with an adjective 1 Samuel 20:26 בִּלְתִּי טָהוֺר not clean, with a substantive Isaiah 14:6 מַכַּת בִּלְתִּי סָרָה a stroke of non#NAME? verb (si vera lectio) Ezekiel 13:3 (RVm: but see Dr^{§ 41 Obs}.).

2 after a preceding negation, not = except (synonym זוּלָתִי), Genesis 21:26 I have not heard בִּלְתִּי הַיּוֺם except to-day, Exodus 22:19 he that sacrificeth ׳בִּלְתִּי לי except unto ׳י, Numbers 32:12; Joshua 11:19: so בִּלְתִּי אִם Genesis 47:18; Judges 7:14 (compare כִּי אִם Genesis 28:17; Nehemiah 2:2). With suffix (attached to the ground-form בֵּלֶת) בִּלְתִּי except me Hosea 13:4, בִּלְתֶּ֑ךָ expect thee 1 Samuel 2:2.

3. conjunction (likewise after a negative, expressed or implied) Genesis 43:3 בִּלְתִּי אֲחִיכֶם אִתְּכֶם except 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. So בִּלְתִּי אִם Amos 3:3,4. — Daniel 11:18, where no negative precedes, it is difficult to extract a sense consistent with the General usage of בִּלְתִּי: Ges besides that his reproach he will return unto him, Ew only, nothing but, Hi certainly, Drechsler (on Isaiah 10:4) nay, even (compare RV).

4 With prepositions

a. לְבִלְתִּי₈₆ so as not..., in order not... negation of לְ followed by infinitive), usually followed by infinitive construct, as Genesis 4:15 gave a sign to Cain לְבִלְתִּי הַכּוֺתאֹֿתוֺ in order that any finding him should not 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 presumptuously לְבִלְתִּי שְׁמֹעַ so as not to hearken etc. (compare Jeremiah 16:12; Jeremiah 17:23; Jeremiah 18:10; Jeremiah 42:13; Daniel 9:11) Daniel 9:20; Judges 2:23 +; לְבִלְתִּי הוֺעִיל in order not to profit (the result represented forcibly as the design; compare below לְמַעַן) Isaiah 44:10; Jeremiah 7:8; after verbs of commanding Genesis 3:11 which I commanded thee לְבִלְתִּי אֲכָלמִֿמֶּנּוּ not to eat thereof, 2 Kings 17:15; Jeremiah 35:8f.; Jeremiah 35:14; Ruth 2:9, swearing Deuteronomy 4:21; Joshua 5:6; Judges 21:7; Ezekiel 20:15, agreeing 2 Kings 12:9, interceding Jeremiah 36:25. Once לְבִלְתִּי לְ 2 Kings 23:10 (compare לְמַעַן לְ Ezekiel 21:20, בַּעֲבוּר לְ 1 Chronicles 19:3). Twice as conjunction with the imperfect, Exodus 20:20; 2 Samuel 14:14 (compare בַּעֲבוּר, & מִן Deuteronomy 33:11). In Jeremiah 23:14; Jeremiah 27:18 followed by perfect, which is inconsistent with the nature of a final conjunction: read either יָשׁוּבוּ, יָבאֹוּ, or שׁוּב, בוֺא (compare Dr^{§ 41 Obs}.). On Ezekiel 13:3 see above

b. מִבִּלְתִּי an account of not... (negation of מִן followed by infinitive): followed by infinitive Numbers 14:16 ׳מִבִּלְתִּי יְכֹלֶת י; a verbal noun Ezekiel 16:28 מִבִּלְתִּי שָׂבְעָתֵךְ.

c. עַדבִּֿלְתִּי until not..., followed by a perf. (Ges; RS^{JPh xvi. 72}), or an infinitive (Ew^{§ 238 d}), in the phrase (לָהֶם) עַדבִּֿלְתִּי הִשְׁאִירלֿוֺ שָׂרִיד 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 14:12 עַדבִּֿלְתִּי שָׁמַיִם till there be no heaven (compare עַדבְּֿלִי Psalm 72:7).