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לִבְנָה

𐤋𐤁𐤍𐤄

Livenah

H3841 noun

SILEX Entry

Root לבן to be white, to produce or use bricks, whiten

Definition

Libnâh is a toponym meaning 'Libnah,' used as the name of a location in the wilderness, as well as a Levitical city within the territory apportioned to the tribe of Judah, and later associated with key events in the Israelite conquest of Canaan and the territorial-political history of the southern kingdom. The name likely derives from a root meaning 'white,' suggesting a place characterized by whiteness—possibly due to white stones, soil, or local building material, though the specific reference is not certain.

Semantic Range

Libnah (a location of Israelite encampment in the wilderness); Libnah (a Levitical city in the territory of Judah); Libnah (site of historical events in southern Israelite kingdom); possibly, 'place characterized by whiteness'

Root / Etymology

From the root ל־ב־נ (לבן), meaning 'to be white.' The toponym derives from a descriptive or commemorative use of the root referring to 'whiteness.' The form לִבְנָה is a feminine noun formation built on this root, common in place-names. Thus, Libnâh likely means 'whiteness' or 'place of whiteness.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, לִבְנָה (Libnâh) first appears as an Israelite encampment during the wilderness wanderings (Numbers 33:20-21). Subsequently, it becomes a Levitical city within the allotment of Judah's tribal territory (Joshua 10:29-39; 15:42; 21:13). Libnah is notable in the conquest narratives and as a site of revolt against Judahite kings (2 Kings 8:22). English translations preserve the transliteration 'Libnah,' but the semantic value of the name (its relation to 'white') is typically not rendered in translation. There are no certain archaeological identifications, but proposals are based on the description of features and context in biblical lists. The place-name does not denote ethnic or religious identity.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

the same as לִבְנֶה; Libnah, a place in the Desert and one in Palestine; Libnah.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

לבן (l-b-n) — to be white, whiteness, brick-making

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3828 לְבוֹנָה frankincense resin
H3829 לְבוֹנָה to Lebonah
H3835 לָבַן I will whiten
H3836 לָבָן the white one
H3837 לָבָן with Laban

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3841-03 לִבְנָ֑ה livenah HNp Libnah Place of Whiteness 10
H3841-04 מִ/לִּבְנָ֑ה milivenah HR/Np from Libnah from Whiteness-place 5
H3841-02 לְ/לִבְנָֽה lelivenah HR/Np to Libnah to Whiteness-place 2
H3841-01 בְּ/לִבְנָֽה belivenah HR/Np at Libnah in Whiteness-place 1

Occurrences in Scripture

18 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3841-01 Numbers 33:20 בְּ/לִבְנָֽה belivenah HR/Np at Libnah in Whiteness-place
H3841-04 Numbers 33:21 מִ/לִּבְנָ֑ה milivenah HR/Np from Libnah from Whiteness-place
H3841-03 Joshua 10:29 לִבְנָ֑ה livenah HNp to Libnah Place of Whiteness
H3841-03 Joshua 10:29 לִבְנָֽה livenah-2 HNp Libnah Place of Whiteness
H3841-04 Joshua 10:31 מִ/לִּבְנָ֖ה milivenah HR/Np from Libnah from Whiteness-place
H3841-02 Joshua 10:32 לְ/לִבְנָֽה lelivenah HR/Np to Libnah to Whiteness-place
H3841-02 Joshua 10:39 לְ/לִבְנָ֖ה lelivenah HR/Np to Libnah to Whiteness-place
H3841-03 Joshua 12:15 לִבְנָה֙ livenah HNp Libnah Place of Whiteness
H3841-03 Joshua 15:42 לִבְנָ֥ה livenah HNp Libnah Place of Whiteness
H3841-03 Joshua 21:13 לִבְנָ֖ה livenah HNp Libnah Place of Whiteness
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