ל֖וּ
𐤋𐤅
lu
please
or לֻא; or לוּ; a conditional particle; if; by implication (interj. as a wish) would that!; if (haply), peradventure, I pray thee, though, I would, would God (that).
H3863
Genesis 23:13 · Word #11
Lexicon H3863
| Lemma | לוּא |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤋𐤅𐤀 |
| Transliteration | lûwʼ |
| Strong's | H3863 |
| In-context | please |
Morphology HC
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | C — Conjunction — Connects words or clauses |
SIBI-P1 H3863-01
if only
| Root | לו (l-w) |
| Core Meanings | contingency, conditionality, wish, longing, unreal or desired condition |
| Semantic Range | if, if indeed, if only, would that, O that, even if, though, peradventure |
| Conceptual Significance | לוּ often introduces expressions of regret, longing, or hypothetical reflection in biblical narrative and poetry. It gives voice to human desire, lament, and unrealized possibility, frequently highlighting the tension between present reality and hoped-for divine intervention. |
| Morphological Notes | Indeclinable Hebrew conditional particle (HC). Functions as a conjunction introducing conditional, hypothetical, or optative clauses. No inflection for gender, number, or person. |
| Rendering Rationale | לוּ is an indeclinable conditional particle expressing contingency and often an unrealized wish. The rendering "if only" preserves both its basic conditional force ("if") and its frequent optative nuance of longing or desire ("would that"). As a particle (HC), it carries no gender, number, or person marking, which is reflected in the neutral English form. |
AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)
Word Usage (25 occurrences of H3863)
| Location | Form | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genesis 17:18 | ל֥וּ | lu | Oh that |
| Genesis 23:13 | ל֖וּ | lu | please |
| Genesis 30:34 | ל֖וּ | lu | would that |