What does לָוָה (lāwāh) mean in the Bible?
Lāwâ is documented in separate joining and borrowing entries, and selected passages must retain that distinction. Genesis 29:34 records Leah hoping her husband will become attached to her after a third son.
Hebrew · H3867
לָוָה
Lāwâ is documented in separate joining and borrowing entries, and selected passages must retain that distinction. Genesis 29:34 records Leah hoping her husband will become attached to her after a third son.
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לָוָהH3867
Pronunciationlāwāh
What does לָוָה (lāwāh) mean in the Bible?
Reader summary
Full entry for לָוָה (H3867) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3867?
The BSB source-word alignment has 26 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include borrow (2), who join (2), will join (2), and borrower (1), and join (1).
Where does לָוָה (lāwāh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 29:34. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (5), Deuteronomy (4), Psalms (4), Proverbs (3).
What This Word Actually Means
Lāwâ is documented in separate joining and borrowing entries, and selected passages must retain that distinction. Genesis 29:34 records Leah hoping her husband will become attached to her after a third son. The statement gives her hope and naming explanation, not a promise that childbearing secures affection. Isaiah 56:3 speaks of a foreigner joined to the Lord and forbids an assumption of exclusion, within an address that later describes covenant fidelity and a house of prayer for all nations.
Exodus 22:25 concerns lending to a poor person and restricts exploitative creditor conduct, with the following cloak instruction protecting a necessary covering. Proverbs 19:17 describes kindness to the poor as a loan to the Lord, expressing God's regard for that care rather than turning God into a contractual debtor under the giver's control. Teaching should not make covenant joining a financial transaction or derive a binding modern contract ruling from the shared identifier. Each use needs its relationship, object and literary setting.
Passage contextCanonical parallel
How the Bible Uses It
Leah's hoped-for attachment, foreigner participation, lending to the poor and a proverb about kindness belong to distinct relationships. Separate joining and borrowing witnesses prevent a shared identifier from turning covenant belonging into a financial transaction or generosity into control of God.
- Gen.29.34
Once again Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.
Leah voices hope that her husband will become attached after the birth of a third son. Her attributed expectation is not divine assurance that bearing children wins marital affection.
- Isa.56.3
Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, “The Lord will utterly exclude me from His people.” And let the eunuch not say, “I am but a dry tree.”
A foreigner joined to the Lord must not assume exclusion from His people. The following address about covenant fidelity and prayer belongs with the statement of participation.
- Exod.22.25
If you lend money to one of My people among you who is poor, you must not act as a creditor to him; you are not to charge him interest.
Lending to the poor among God's people is restricted against exploitative creditor conduct and interest. The following requirement to return a needed cloak makes care for vulnerability concrete.
- Prov.19.17
Kindness to the poor is a loan to the Lord, and He will repay the lender.
Kindness to the poor is likened to a loan to the Lord with His repayment named. The proverb values generous care, not a mechanism for commanding God through a purchased obligation.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itborrow2×Deuteronomy 28:12, Psalms 37:21
who join2×Esther 9:27, Isaiah 56:6
will join2×Daniel 11:34, Zechariah 2:11
and borrower1×Isaiah 24:2
and join1×Jeremiah 50:5
and lends freely1×Psalms 112:5
and quick to lend1×Psalms 37:26
and the borrower1×Proverbs 22:7
has joined1×Psalms 83:8
is a loan1×Proverbs 19:17
lend to him1×Deuteronomy 28:44
lender1×Isaiah 24:2
that they may join1×Numbers 18:2
They are to join1×Numbers 18:4
to the lender1×Proverbs 22:7
We have borrowed1×Nehemiah 5:4
who has joined himself1×Isaiah 56:3
will accompany him1×Ecclesiastes 8:15
will become attached1×Genesis 29:34
will join them1×Isaiah 14:1
will lend to you1×Deuteronomy 28:44
you lend1×Exodus 22:25
You will lend1×Deuteronomy 28:12
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 29:34יִלָּוֶ֤הtowill become attachedVerb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularExodus 22:25תַּלְוֶ֣הtoyou lendVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singularNumbers 18:2וְיִלָּו֥וּtothat they may joinConjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine pluralNumbers 18:4וְנִלְו֣וּtoThey are to joinConjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralDeuteronomy 28:12וְהִלְוִ֙יתָ֙toYou will lendConjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularDeuteronomy 28:12תִלְוֶֽה׃toborrowVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularDeuteronomy 28:44יַלְוְךָ֔towill lend to youVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singularDeuteronomy 28:44תַלְוֶ֑נּוּtolend to himVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singularNehemiah 5:4לָוִ֥ינוּtoWe have borrowedVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common pluralEsther 9:27הַנִּלְוִ֤יםtowho joinArticle | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 29:34
Aligned rows26
Books represented13
Genesis1Exodus1Numbers2Deuteronomy4Nehemiah1Esther1Psalms4Proverbs3Ecclesiastes1Isaiah5Jeremiah1Daniel1Zechariah1
Source forms
הַנִּלְוִ֤ים2xhan·nil·wîmEsther 9:27, Isaiah 56:6
וּמַלְוֶ֑ה2xū·mal·wehPsalms 37:26, Psalms 112:5
וְנִלְו֣וּ2xwə·nil·wūNumbers 18:4, Jeremiah 50:5
הַנִּלְוָ֤ה1xhan·nil·wāhIsaiah 56:3
וְהִלְוִ֙יתָ֙1xwə·hil·wî·ṯāDeuteronomy 28:12
וְיִלָּו֥וּ1xwə·yil·lā·wūNumbers 18:2
וְנִלְוָ֤ה1xwə·nil·wāhIsaiah 14:1
וְנִלְו֧וּ1xwə·nil·wūDaniel 11:34
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural4xNumbers 18:4, Jeremiah 50:5, Daniel 11:34, Zechariah 2:11
Article | Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural2xEsther 9:27, Isaiah 56:6
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular2xPsalms 37:26, Psalms 112:5
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular2xPsalms 37:21, Proverbs 22:7
Article | Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular1xIsaiah 56:3
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular1xDeuteronomy 28:12
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural1xNumbers 18:2
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular1xIsaiah 14:1
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Respect unmet relational longing without placing the burden of earning affection on fertility or achievement.
- Discuss generous and nonexploitative conduct while keeping particular financial and legal decisions bound to their own evidence and qualified advice.
Avoid claiming...
- Lāwâ does not mean every joining is borrowing or that childbearing guarantees another person's affection.
- The proverb does not make God a controllable debtor or determine the enforceability of a particular modern loan.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Borrow and lend fundamentally involve obligation and binding relationship, extending from physical twining to covenantal attachment.
Strong'sH3867
Lexical occurrences26 versesWord forms3 forms9 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkGenesis 29:31-35Source Gloss
properly, to twine , i.e. (by implication) to unite , to remain ; also to borrow (as a form of obligation) or (caus.) to lend
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Borrow and lend fundamentally involve obligation and binding relationship, extending from physical twining to covenantal attachment.
properly, to twine, i.e. (by implication) to unite, to remain; also to borrow (as a form of obligation) or (caus.) to lend BDB: borrow Usage: abide with, borrow(-er), cleave, join (self), lend(-er).
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups3Aligned forms9
Hiphilcausative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action3×
Participle activeProv 19:17 · Prov 22:72×
ImperfectExod 22:241×
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense4×
Participle activeProv 22:7 · Ps 37:212×
ImperfectDeut 28:121×
PerfectNeh 5:41×
Niphalpassive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action2×
ImperfectGen 29:341×
PerfectPs 83:91×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
to unite or attach oneself, joining in family relationship
to unite or cleave to the covenant community of the Lord
to give as a loan or obligation, with divine recompense implied
one who takes a loan, becomes servant to the lender
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 26 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
לָוָה is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Leah's naming statement reveals an unmet longing for attachment, and the narrative allows that longing to be heard without guaranteeing its proposed solution. Isaiah addresses a different relationship, refusing an assumption of exclusion for a foreigner joined to the Lord within stated covenant practice. Neither use should be reframed as borrowing simply because a shared lexical number also covers that financial verb.
Exodus protects a poor borrower against creditor conduct that ignores need, including retention of the person's necessary nighttime covering. Proverbs honors kindness through its loan-to-the-Lord comparison, but that image does not transfer authority over God to the generous person or make a return date enforceable. Luke 6:34-36 supplies a Christian comparison that challenges lending confined to expected repayment and grounds mercy in the Father's kindness. These contexts support responsible relationship and care without a silent canonical entry merger, an affection-through-fertility promise or a professional ruling about a particular present loan.
Anchor passage
Exod.22.25
Doctrinal connections
- Genesis 29:31-35 preserves Leah's experience of being unloved and her hopes expressed through naming sons.
- Isaiah 56:3-7 rejects presumed exclusion and describes covenant practice within a house of prayer for nations.
- Exodus 22:25-27 restricts treatment of a poor borrower and requires returning a necessary cloak.
- Proverbs 19:17 values kindness to the poor through its stated loan and repayment comparison.
- Luke 6:34-35 challenges lending that is limited to an expectation of receiving back from the borrower.
- Luke 6:35-36 grounds good conduct and mercy in the Most High's kindness toward the ungrateful and wicked.
Licensed joining and borrowing rows have distinct BDB mappings despite the same form and identifier. Their selected constructions must remain separate; attachment, covenant participation, an actual loan and a proverbial loan comparison do not approve one merged canonical sense.
From Old to New Testament
Luke 6:34-36 challenges lending only where repayment is expected and directs mercy toward the Father's kindness. It offers a Christian comparison for generous conduct beside the poor-borrower passages. It does not make the Hebrew joining entry a Greek loan term or supply a legal opinion about a modern contract.
Passage contextCanonical parallel