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לֵוִי

𐤋𐤅𐤉

Levi

H3878 noun

SILEX Entry

Root לוה to join, to be attached, to accompany

Definition

A personal name, Levi, the third son of Jacob and Leah; also refers to members of the tribe descended from him and, in later periods, to the group within Israelite society assigned particular hereditary religious, ceremonial, or sanctuary functions. Used as both a proper name and a collective identifier for the Israelite group known as 'Levites.' In narrative and legal texts, the term denotes the patrilineal descendants of Levi. In post-exilic literature, it may also distinguish between Levites and priests (descendants of Aaron).

Semantic Range

personal name (Levi), tribal ancestor, collective identification as 'Levite' (member of the tribe of Levi), special religious or sanctuary functionary, hereditary servant (in the post-exilic period distinguished from priests)

Root / Etymology

The word לֵוִי (Levi) is traditionally linked to the root לָוָה (lavah), meaning 'to join, to accompany, to be attached,' possibly expressing the sense of 'one joined' or 'attached.' The actual etymology is uncertain; some scholars propose a non-Hebrew origin, reflecting the complex history of Israelite tribal names.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Pentateuch, לֵוִי appears first as a personal name (Genesis 29:34), then as an eponym for the tribe descended from him (e.g., Exodus 2:1, Numbers 3:12). Tribal affiliation to Levi had significant religious and social consequences, since the Levites were set apart for specific religious duties (distinct from other tribes, but not all Levites were priests; only those descended from Aaron were assigned priestly roles). In narrative texts, 'Levite' indicates tribal origin, while legal and cultic texts distinguish between Levites and 'sons of Aaron' (priests). In post-exilic and Second Temple literature, 'Levites' often serve subordinate liturgical functions and sometimes denote broader hereditary service of the sanctuary. English translations sometimes translate לֵוִי as 'Levite(s).' Care should be taken not to conflate the biblical Levite with later Jewish religious designations. The use of 'Jew' or 'Jewish' to translate 'Levi' or 'Levite' is anachronistic for the pre-exilic biblical context.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from לָוָה; attached; Levi, a son of Jacob; Levi. See also לֵוִי, לֵוִיִּי.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

לוה (l-w-h) — to join, to attach, to accompany

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3867 לָוָה the self-joined one
H3879 לֵוִי and the joined-ones
H3880 לִוְיָה encircling garland-of
H3881 לֵוִיִּי Joined-One
H3882 לִוְיָתָן coiled sea-dragon

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3878-03 לֵוִֽי levi HNp Levi Joined-One 47
H3878-01 הַ/לֵּוִ֖י halevi HTd/Ngmsa of Levi the Joined-one 9
H3878-05 וְ/לֵוִ֜י velevi HC/Np and Levi and Joined-One 5
H3878-02 לְ/לֵוִ֖י lelevi HR/Np to Levi to Joined-one 2
H3878-04 וּ/לְ/לֵוִ֣י ulelevi HC/R/Np And to Levi and to Joined-One 1

Occurrences in Scripture

64 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3878-03 Genesis 29:34 לֵוִֽי levi HNp Levi Joined-One
H3878-05 Genesis 34:25 וְ/לֵוִ֜י velevi HC/Np and Levi and Joined-One
H3878-03 Genesis 34:30 לֵוִי֮ levi HNp Levi Joined-One
H3878-05 Genesis 35:23 וְ/לֵוִ֣י velevi HC/Np and Levi and Joined-One
H3878-03 Genesis 46:11 לֵוִ֑י levi HNp Levi Joined-One
H3878-05 Genesis 49:5 וְ/לֵוִ֖י velevi HC/Np and Levi and Joined-One
H3878-03 Exodus 1:2 לֵוִ֖י levi HNp Levi, Joined-One
H3878-03 Exodus 2:1 לֵוִ֑י levi HNp Levi Joined-One
H3878-03 Exodus 2:1 לֵוִֽי levi-2 HNp Levi Joined-One
H3878-03 Exodus 6:16 לֵוִי֙ levi HNp Levi Joined-One
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