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לָבַן

𐤋𐤁𐤍

lâban

H3835 verb

SILEX Entry

Root לבן to be white, to become white, to make white, to make bricks

Definition

To be white, to become white, or to make white; also, as a denominative, to make bricks (by implication of heating until white or pale). The verb primarily refers to the quality or process of becoming white in color, either literally or metaphorically, and secondarily extends to actions connected with whiteness, such as brickmaking in ancient construction processes.

Semantic Range

to be white, to become white, to make white (cause to be white or appear white), to make bricks, to purify or cleanse (metaphorically, by whitening), to pale (in color)

Root / Etymology

The root לָבַן (l-b-n) is associated with whiteness or pale coloration. The denominative sense (to make bricks) derives from the noun לְבֵנָה (brick), likely due to the pale or white appearance of sun-dried or kiln-fired bricks. The semantic development thus moved from an adjectival notion of color (white) to activities or processes producing whiteness (whitening, making white) and further to associated material culture (brickmaking).

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical usage, לָבַן commonly appears with reference to natural phenomena (e.g., describing stones or hair as white) or as a marker of purity (e.g., in cultic contexts). In contexts related to bricks, especially in the narrative of Genesis 11 (the Tower of Babel), the verb refers specifically to the manufacture of mud bricks by drying or firing, a technology distinguished from the use of hewn stone. The extension from 'to whiten' to 'to make bricks' reflects the process in which mud or clay bricks attain a pale hue when dried or fired. The linguistic link between whiteness and brick manufacture is paralleled in some other Semitic languages. Later translation traditions sometimes reflect both senses, though standard English translations frequently render only the immediate context (e.g., 'make bricks' versus 'become white'). Culturally, the distinction between sun-dried bricks (white or pale) and stone construction is significant in ancient Near Eastern texts.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; also as denominative from לְבֵנָה; to be (or become) white; to make bricks; make brick, be (made, make) white(-r).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

לבן (l-b-n) — to be white, to become white, to make white, to make bricks

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3828 לְבוֹנָה frankincense resin
H3829 לְבוֹנָה to Lebonah
H3836 לָבָן the white one
H3837 לָבָן with Laban
H3838 לְבָנָא white

Word Forms

7 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3835-03 לִ/לְבֹּ֥ן lilebon HR/Vqc of making bricks to whiten 2
H3835-01 אַלְבִּֽין alebin HVhi1cs I shall be whiter I will whiten 1
H3835-04 נִלְבְּנָ֣ה nilebenah HVqh1cp let us make let us become white 1
H3835-05 וְ/לַ/לְבֵּ֖ן velaleben HC/R/Vhc and to make white and to whiten 1
H3835-02 הִלְבִּ֖ינוּ hilebinu HVhp3cp they have been made white they whitened 1
H3835-06 וְ/יִֽתְלַבְּנ֤וּ veyitelabenu HC/Vti3mp and shall be made white they will whiten themselves 1
H3835-07 יַלְבִּ֔ינוּ yalebinu HVhi3mp they-shall-be-whitened they will whiten 1

Occurrences in Scripture

8 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3835-04 Genesis 11:3 נִלְבְּנָ֣ה nilebenah HVqh1cp let us make let us become white
H3835-03 Exodus 5:7 לִ/לְבֹּ֥ן lilebon HR/Vqc to make to whiten
H3835-03 Exodus 5:14 לִ/לְבֹּן֙ lilebon HR/Vqc of making bricks to whiten
H3835-07 Isaiah 1:18 יַלְבִּ֔ינוּ yalebinu HVhi3mp they-shall-be-whitened they will whiten
H3835-02 Joel 1:7 הִלְבִּ֖ינוּ hilebinu HVhp3cp they have been made white they whitened
H3835-01 Psalms 51:9 אַלְבִּֽין alebin HVhi1cs I shall be whiter I will whiten
H3835-05 Daniel 11:35 וְ/לַ/לְבֵּ֖ן velaleben HC/R/Vhc and to make white and to whiten
H3835-06 Daniel 12:10 וְ/יִֽתְלַבְּנ֤וּ veyitelabenu HC/Vti3mp and shall be made white they will whiten themselves
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