Bela (A. V., Gen. 46:21, Belah), be'-lå (Heb.)–swallow up; destroy; devour one's substance; utterly consume; vanish away; destruction.

a The city called Zoar (Gen. 14:2). b A king of Edom (Gen. 36:32). c The eldest son of Benjamin (Gen. 46:21). d A son of Azaz–a Reubenite (I Chron. 5:8).

Meta. Destructive tendencies in consciousness (destroy, utterly consume, destruction). The city of Bela symbolizes a group of destroying, consuming thoughts. Bela, the eldest son of Benjamin, suggests the destroying or letting go of error by denial, an absorption (swallow up) of error by Truth, or of darkness by light, thus doing away with the error. (See BECHER, Bela's brother.)