PWS

*bi/ba - in; by means of (instrumental) (Arakelova 2001:31, Kogan 2015: 77)

An eventual derivation from either *bayt- ‘house’ or *bwˀ ‘to come’ is not to be excluded (cf. Voigt 1999:37, 39‒40, Blažek 2007:31).
In several languages (Ugr., Pho., Heb., Arm., Har., Gur.) this preposition has a meaning “from”, nearly opposite to the locative meaning “in”. These forms could be ascribed to a separate homonymous preposition which could be united with ESA forms of the type bn with the same meaning (Sab. bn, Min. bn, Qat. bn). However, it is essential that Akk. ina possesses both of these meanings (Arakelova 2001:33).

Ugaritic

b - in; through; by, at; with (instrumental); from; of, from among (DUL 199)

Phoenician

b - in; from; among (Tomback 1978:41)

Hebrew

bə - in, at; with, through (instrumental); away from (HALOT 103)

Syriac

b- - in (LSyr. 56, SL 114)

Mandaic

b-, ba- - in, by, with, by means of (MD 44)

Turoyo

b- - in (in) (RW 43)

Arabic

bi - by the means of; in; with (Lane 141)

Sabaic

b - in, at, with, by (SD 24)

Minaean

b - en, dans, avec, par, au moyen de, contre (in; with, by, by means of; against) (LM 19)

Minaean

b-m - avec, pour, autour de (with; for; around) (LM 19)

Qatabanian

b - in, on, by means of, through (LIQ 19)

Geez

ba - in, at, by, with (the means of), because of (CDG 82)

Tigre

ˀəb/bə- - in, through, with, by (WTS 365)

Just as in Tna., there are two reflexes of the preposition *bi- in Tgr.: ˀəb with the initial glottal stop and bə- without it. In contrast to Tna., where ˀab and bə have different meanings (locative and instrumental respectively), Tgr. forms are phonetic variants of a single preposition.

Tigrinya

ˀab - in, into, at, on, onto, upon (TED 1458)

This preposition has the locative meaning, while the instrumental one is expressed through bə. Tgr. forms ˀəb/bə- are phonetic variants with no semantic difference.

Tigrinya

bə - in, with, for, by, by means of, by dint of, by means of saying; with, through, in the name of (TED 1073)

This preposition has the instrumental meaning, while the locative one is expressed through ˀab. Tgr. forms ˀəb/bə- are phonetic variants with no semantic difference.

Amharic

-bb- - with (by means of), on, in; at, by; through; against; to the disadvantage (or detriment) of (AED 854)

Used with pronominal suffixes.

Amharic

bä - by, by means of, with; in, in the name of; on, at, against, through; due to, on the occasion of, for (with prices) (AED 853)

Harari

be - with, from, by; in, on, at; than, rather than (EDH 39)

Gurage

bä - with, in, at, by; out, out of, from; more than (EDG 127)

Mehri

bə- - at, about, by, in, with (ML 40)

Jibbali

b- - at, about, by, with, in (JL)

Harsusi

b-/be- - in, with, by (HL 14)

Soqotri

be- - in (LS 79; CSOL I 507; CSOL II 424 – 425)