לִילִית
𐤋𐤉𐤋𐤉𐤕
lîylîyth
H3917 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A nocturnal creature; a being associated with the night. In the Hebrew Bible, לִילִית occurs as the name of a single nocturnal entity, possibly a spirit or mythological figure thought to frequent desolate places. The semantic range includes a supernatural night demon or night-dwelling being in mythological context, and, in some later translation traditions, an owl or other night bird.
Semantic Range
nocturnal creature; night demon; night specter; night-dwelling being; mythological female figure; (later) owl or screech owl
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root ל-י-ל (לַיִל, 'night'). The word is likely formed as a feminine or personified form relating to the night. The connection to night is clear, but whether the word originally denoted a supernatural being or a nocturnal animal is debated.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Appearing only in Isaiah 34:14, לִילִית refers to a nocturnal being associated with ruin and desolation. In the context of Isaiah, it is grouped with a variety of wild and uncanny creatures inhabiting deserted places. While later Jewish mythology elaborates 'Lilith' as a demon or Adam's first wife, this is not present in the Hebrew Bible. Some ancient translations (e.g., LXX, Vulgate) interpret the term as referring to a night bird, such as the screech owl, which influenced later English translations like the KJV. However, the context and etymology point more toward a supernatural or mythological night entity in Iron Age Israelite imagination. The term is not used elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible and should not be automatically equated with the later folklore figure of Lilith. Other Hebrew words for nocturnal animals or spirits (e.g., שָׂעִיר, אֲחַסְתָּרִים) appear in similar lists of desolation, highlighting the word's cryptic and ambiguous connotations.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from לַיִל; a night spectre; screech owl.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ליל (l-y-l) — night, to grow dark, to spend the night
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3917-01 |
לִּילִ֔ית | lilit | HNcfsa |
Lilith | night specter | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3917-01 |
Isaiah 34:14 | לִּילִ֔ית | lilit | HNcfsa |
Lilith | night specter |