The meaning of “לוּלֵא”
Understanding lûwlêʼ reveals the original theological depth often simplified in translation.
or לוּלֵי lûwlêy (loo lay'); from לוּא and לֹא except, had not, if (...not), unless, were it not that. - if not 1) unles...
לוּלֵא
or לוּלֵי lûwlêy (loo lay'); from לוּא and לֹא except, had not, if (...not), unless, were it not that. - if not 1) unless, if not, except
Occurrences in the Bible
| Reference | Text | |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis 43:10 | “For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.” Word: לוּלֵא (lûwlêʼ) | |
| Deuteronomy 32:27 | “Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy, lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely, and lest they should say, Our hand is high, and the Lord hath not done all this.” Word: לוּלֵא (lûwlêʼ) | |
| Judges 14:18 | “And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.” Word: לוּלֵא (lûwlêʼ) | |
| 1 Samuel 25:34 | “For in very deed, as the Lord God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.” Word: לוּלֵא (lûwlêʼ) | |
| 2 Samuel 2:27 | “And Joab said, As God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother.” Word: לוּלֵא (lûwlêʼ) |