לְטוּשִׁם
𐤋𐤈𐤅𐤔𐤌
Letushim
H3912 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal or tribal name referring to the 'Letushim,' mentioned as a group descended from Ishmael and dwelling in the region east or south of Israel. The base meaning relates to being 'sharpened' or 'polished,' potentially figurative for people possessing qualities of sharpness or preparedness. The word in its specific biblical usage functions as an ethnonym for a people group, rather than carrying the verbal idea of being hammered or oppressed in the narrative context.
Semantic Range
Letushim (tribal name), group of people identified as descendants of Ishmael, those who are sharpened/polished (only in a formal sense, not a descriptor in context)
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root לָטַשׁ (latash), 'to sharpen, polish.' לְטוּשִׁם is a masculine plural passive participial form, indicating 'those who are sharpened' or 'those having been polished.' The use as a proper name (ethnonym) reflects nominal derivation from this root.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The Letushim (Genesis 25:3, 1 Chronicles 1:31) are listed among the descendants of Ishmael, indicating their origins as an Arabian tribespeople in the genealogies of the Hebrew Bible. The specific connotation of 'sharpened' or 'polished' as applied to a people group is not made explicit in the narrative, and thus their name likely functions as a standard geographic or tribal identifier, not a descriptive epithet. English translations often either transliterate the name or render it as 'Letushim,' without conveying the root meaning. The word occurs only in genealogical lists, so its meaning is restricted to denoting this particular ancient Arabian tribe, with no indication of oppression in the biblical context—this latter sense arises only in attempts to literally translate the passive participle; such a nuance is not supported by the text itself. No significant semantic development is traceable over time, as the term appears only in genealogical settings. This term should not be conflated with later terms for people groups or identities in the region.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
masculine plural of passive participle of לָטַשׁ; hammered (i.e. oppressed) ones; Letushim, an Arabian tribe; Letushim.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
לטש (l-ṭ-š) — to sharpen, to polish, to smooth
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3913 | לָטַשׁ | to sharpen |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3912-01 |
וּ/לְטוּשִׁ֖ים | uletushim | HC/Np |
and Letushim | and the sharpened-ones | and Letushim | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3912-01 |
Genesis 25:3 | וּ/לְטוּשִׁ֖ים | uletushim | HC/Np |
and Letushim | and the sharpened-ones | and Letushim |