What does לָוָה (lāwāh) mean in the Bible?
לָוָה (lāwāh): Borrow and lend fundamentally involve obligation and binding relationship, extending from physical twining to covenantal attachment.
Hebrew · H3867
לָוָה
Properly, to twine , i.e. (by implication) to unite , to remain ; also to borrow (as a form of obligation) or (caus.) to lend
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לָוָהH3867
Pronunciationlāwāh
What does לָוָה (lāwāh) mean in the Bible?
לָוָה (lāwāh): Borrow and lend fundamentally involve obligation and binding relationship, extending from physical twining to covenantal attachment.
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).
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
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.