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לוּבִי

𐤋𐤅𐤁𐤉

Luvi

H3864 noun

SILEX Entry

Root לוב uncertain; likely related to place or ethnic designation

Definition

Denotes a person belonging to the people or region of Lûb, generally rendered as 'Libyan' or 'Libyans' in reference to the area west of Egypt. The primary meaning is 'an inhabitant of Lûb'—used in the Hebrew Bible to describe a people group distinct from Egyptians and Cushites. Used almost exclusively in plural and collective forms, referencing both the inhabitants and sometimes, by extension, the territory itself.

Semantic Range

an inhabitant of Lûb, a Libyan, member of the North African people group west of Egypt, the Libyan region itself by extension

Root / Etymology

Derives from the root לוב, which does not appear elsewhere in Hebrew and is of uncertain origin, possibly linked to an Egyptian designation for the Libyan region west of the Nile or a non-Semitic ethnic term. The suggestion of an unused Hebrew root meaning 'to thirst' or 'dry region' is speculative and not supported by further evidence; thus, etymology remains uncertain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical contexts, לוּבִי (Lûwbîy) is used to identify a North African people group adjacent to Egypt, appearing alongside Cushites and Sukkites as allies or mercenaries in historical and prophetic narratives (e.g., 2 Chronicles 12:3, Nahum 3:9, Daniel 11:43). The term is strictly ethnogeographic and does not imply a specific religious or broader ethnic identity beyond inhabitants of Lûb. Later translations, including the Septuagint and Vulgate, rendered this as 'Libyans,' which carries into modern English translations; however, the ancient boundaries and self-identification of these people may differ from the later notion of 'Libya.' Usage is primarily in texts depicting military alliances or invasions, especially during periods of Egyptian influence or hegemony.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or לֻבִּי; (Daniel 11:43), partrial from a name probably derived from an unused root meaning to thirst, i.e. a dry region; apparently; a Libyan or inhabitant of interior Africa (only in plural); Lubim(-s), Libyans.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

לוב (l-w-b) — ethnic/geographic designation for Lûb; inhabitant of Lûb

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3864-03 וְ/לוּבִ֔ים veluvim HC/Ngmpa and Libyans Libyans 2
H3864-01 לוּבִ֥ים luvim HNgmpa Libyans Lûbites 1
H3864-02 וְ/הַ/לּוּבִ֗ים vehaluvim HC/Td/Ngmpa and the Libyans and the Libyans 1

Occurrences in Scripture

4 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3864-03 Nahum 3:9 וְ/לוּבִ֔ים veluvim HC/Ngmpa and Lubim Libyans
H3864-03 Daniel 11:43 וְ/לֻבִ֥ים veluvim HC/Ngmpa and Libyans Libyans
H3864-01 2 Chronicles 12:3 לוּבִ֥ים luvim HNgmpa Libyans Lûbites
H3864-02 2 Chronicles 16:8 וְ/הַ/לּוּבִ֗ים vehaluvim HC/Td/Ngmpa and the Libyans and the Libyans
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