לֶשַׁע
𐤋𐤔𐤏
Lesha
H3962 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Leshaʻ is used as a proper noun denoting a specific location, referenced as a boundary city for one of the descendants of Shem. The primary lexical meaning reflects a place name of uncertain etymology—no clear common noun usage is attested in the Hebrew Bible. The semantic range is limited to its function as a geographical designation and does not extend into other senses such as a common noun or verb.
Semantic Range
(Proper noun) name of a place on the southeastern border of Canaan; no attested common noun meanings
Root / Etymology
Etymology uncertain; the word appears to be a toponym of possibly non-Semitic origin, and does not have a securely identified Hebrew root. The suggestion in older lexicons that it may be related to a root meaning 'to break through' or 'to gush forth' (cf. connection with springs or volcanic activity) remains conjectural, with no direct evidence in biblical Hebrew. The name Leshaʻ appears in a genealogical and geographical context only.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Leshaʻ occurs solely in Genesis 10:19, in the Table of Nations, as marking the southeastern extent of the territory of the Canaanites, adjacent to the Dead Sea. Its location is uncertain but is commonly associated with a region east or southeast of the Jordan or Dead Sea. No connection to the later term 'Lasha' is attested; the place is not mentioned elsewhere in the biblical corpus. Because the term appears only as a proper name and does not occur as a common noun or verb, attempts to derive additional meaning from the root are speculative. Unlike other well-known toponyms that later become common in literary or historical traditions, Leshaʻ does not enter broader biblical vocabulary or later tradition. English translations sometimes use the form 'Lasha,' which merely reflects the transliteration and not an interpretive choice. The term is distinct from other ancient Near Eastern place-names and does not appear in post-biblical Jewish, Christian, or extra-biblical Israelite texts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root thought to mean to break through; a boiling spring; Lesha, a place probably East of the Jordan; Lasha.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
לשע (uncertain) (l-š-ʿ (uncertain)) — uncertain; conjecturally break through, gush, spring forth
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3962-01 |
לָֽשַׁע | lasha | HNp |
Lasha | Lesha | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3962-01 |
Genesis 10:19 | לָֽשַׁע | lasha | HNp |
Lasha | Lesha |