BALA. — 1. Servant (Hebr. Bilhah; Septuagint: Bz.12) given by her father Laban to Rachel at her marriage. Seeing herself barren, the mistress gave her to Jacob “to have children through her.” B. bore two sons, whom Rachel, upon receiving them, named Dan and Naphtali (Gen. 29:20; 30:3 ff.; 37:2; 46:25).
2. A locality (Hebr. Belaʿ) near the Dead Sea. Later Segor (v.).
3. A city in southern Judea, assigned to the tribe of Simeon, whose Hebrew name is Baʿalah (Josh. 15:29; 19:3) or Bilhah (1 Chron. 4:29).