לְאֻמִּים
𐤋𐤀𐤌𐤉𐤌
Leumim
H3817 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Peoples, nations, or ethnic groups, emphasizing distinct communities or peoples as social or ethnic collectives; occasionally refers to specific nations bordering ancient Israelite territory. In some cases, denotes human collectives in general, with possible emphasis on foreign or non-Israelite groups.
Semantic Range
peoples, ethnic groups, nations (broadly), foreign nations, collective human groups, clans or tribal communities, sometimes a specific named group (Leummim)
Root / Etymology
From the root לְאֹם (le’om), meaning 'people' or 'nation.' לְאֻמִּים (le’ummim) is the masculine plural form, denoting multiple peoples or ethnic entities. The core sense is multiplicity of collective human groups.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term לְאֻמִּים appears predominantly in poetic or prophetic passages to convey the concept of various peoples or nations, often in lists alongside other words for nation (e.g., עַמִּים amim, גּוֹיִם goyim). In patriarchal genealogies (Genesis 25:16), לְאֻמִּים is used to describe descendants as organized peoples rather than just familial lineages. In later prophetic texts (Isaiah, Psalms, Proverbs), it is used in parallel with terms for nations or ethnic groups and sometimes highlights the diversity or multiplicity of human societies in relation to Israel or the wider world. English translations often render לְאֻמִּים as 'nations' or 'peoples,' which is accurate but sometimes fails to capture the subtle distinction between this term and others such as גּוֹי (goy – political entity, nation-state) or עַם (am – people, often with shared lineage or culture). לְאֻמִּים lacks the strong ethnic-linguistic or political organization nuance found in גּוֹי and may stress group identity or community boundaries. The term was also associated in post-biblical Hebrew with national or ethnic identity but without the specific later sense of 'nation-state.' In certain passages, especially in Genesis, the word is connected to genealogical division among tribes or clans, not strictly modern 'nations.' Later English usage, such as 'Leummim' (e.g. Genesis 25:3), reflects transliteration of the Hebrew name for a descendant group, which is distinct from the common plural usage.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
plural of לְאֹם; communities; Leum mim, an Arabian; Leummim.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
לאם (l-ʾ-m) — to gather, collect, form a people
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3816 | לְאֹם | assembled people-group |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3817-01 |
וּ/לְאֻמִּֽים | uleumim | HC/Np |
and Leummim | and peoples | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3817-01 |
Genesis 25:3 | וּ/לְאֻמִּֽים | uleumim | HC/Np |
and Leummim | and peoples |