לוּד

𐤋𐤅𐤃

Lud

H3865 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain uncertain; used as a proper name for a people group

Definition

Lûwd is a proper noun denoting two distinct entities in the Hebrew Bible: (1) a son of Shem, a progenitor of a non-Israelite people (Genesis 10:22; 1 Chronicles 1:17), and (2) a population group, likely referencing an Anatolian region known as Lydia (Isaiah 66:19; Ezekiel 27:10; Ezekiel 30:5), associated with archery and military skill. The primary lexical meaning is an ethnonym referencing foreign peoples to the west of the ancient Near East.

Semantic Range

name of Shem's son (progenitor of a people), name of a non-Israelite people group (probably Lydians), designation for skilled archers or mercenaries, geographic reference (Lydia)

Root / Etymology

Root uncertain. The name לוּד (Lûwd) does not correspond with any native Hebrew root and is widely considered of foreign (non-Semitic) derivation, likely related to the Lydians of Anatolia. There is no reliable derivation from any known Hebrew stem.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In early genealogical texts (Genesis 10:22; 1 Chronicles 1:17), Lûwd appears as a descendant of Shem, denoting an ancestral figure rather than a geographic or ethnic group per se. In prophetic and later biblical texts, it refers to a population known for their military contribution as mercenaries or warriors, often construed as Lydians from western Anatolia. The term occurs in lists with other foreign peoples, indicating an outside group rather than an Israelite or Judahite population. In ancient translations (LXX, Vulgate), Lûwd is usually rendered as Lydia or Lydians, but the identification is based on phonetic similarity rather than direct evidence. The later English term "Jew" is unrelated to the ethnonym Lûwd, which only applies to these distinct groups. The semantic range is thus wider than Strong's indicates, including both a genealogical ancestor and a foreign population, likely Anatolian, named for their martial prowess.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

probably of foreign derivation; Lud, the name of two nations; Lud, Lydia.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

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Root Family

לוד (l-w-d) — proper name, ethnonym, foreign people group

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3866 לוּדִי Lud-descendants

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3865-01 וְ/ל֥וּד velud HC/Np and Lud and Lud 5

Occurrences in Scripture

5 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3865-01 Genesis 10:22 וְ/ל֥וּד velud HC/Np and Lud and Lud
H3865-01 Isaiah 66:19 וְ/ל֛וּד velud HC/Np and Lud and Lud
H3865-01 Ezekiel 27:10 וְ/ל֤וּד velud HC/Np and Lud and Lud
H3865-01 Ezekiel 30:5 וְ/לוּד֙ velud HC/Np and Lud and Lud
H3865-01 1 Chronicles 1:17 וְ/ל֣וּד velud HC/Np and Lud and Lud