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לֵוִי

𐤋𐤅𐤉

Levi

H3878 noun

SILEX Entry

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

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

לוה (Levi) — to join, attach, accompany

Root לוה to join, to be attached, to accompany
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3867 לָוָה the self-joined one
H3879 לֵוִי and the joined-ones
H3880 לִוְיָה encircling garland-of
H3882 לִוְיָתָן coiled sea-dragon
H3890 לְוָת with you

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H3878-03 לֵוִ֣י levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi 47
H3878-01 הַ/לֵּוִ֔י halevi HTd/Np of Levi the Joined-one the Levi 9
H3878-05 וְ/לֵוִי֙ velevi HC/Np and Levi and Joined-One and Levi 5
H3878-02 לְ/לֵוִ֛י lelevi HR/Np to Levi to Joined-one to Levi 2
H3878-04 וּ/לְ/לֵוִ֣י ulelevi HC/R/Np And to Levi and to Joined-One and to Levi 1

Occurrences in Scripture

64 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H3878-03 Genesis 29:34 לֵוִֽי levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-05 Genesis 34:25 וְ/לֵוִ֜י velevi HC/Np and Levi and Joined-One and Levi
H3878-03 Genesis 34:30 לֵוִי֮ levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-05 Genesis 35:23 וְ/לֵוִ֣י velevi HC/Np and Levi and Joined-One and Levi
H3878-03 Genesis 46:11 לֵוִ֑י levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-05 Genesis 49:5 וְ/לֵוִ֖י velevi HC/Np and Levi and Joined-One and Levi
H3878-03 Exodus 1:2 לֵוִ֖י levi HNp Levi, Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Exodus 2:1 לֵוִ֑י levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Exodus 2:1 לֵוִֽי levi-2 HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Exodus 6:16 לֵוִי֙ levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Exodus 6:16 לֵוִ֔י levi-2 HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-01 Exodus 6:19 הַ/לֵּוִ֖י halevi HTd/Ngmsa the Levites the Joined-one the Levi
H3878-03 Exodus 32:26 לֵוִֽי levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Exodus 32:28 לֵוִ֖י levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Numbers 1:49 לֵוִי֙ levi HNp of Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Numbers 3:6 לֵוִ֔י levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Numbers 3:15 לֵוִ֔י levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Numbers 3:17 לֵוִ֖י levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Numbers 4:2 לֵוִ֑י levi HNp of Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Numbers 16:1 לֵוִ֑י levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Numbers 16:7 לֵוִֽי levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Numbers 16:8 לֵוִֽי levi HNp of Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Numbers 16:10 לֵוִ֖י levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Numbers 17:18 לֵוִ֑י levi HNp of Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Numbers 17:23 לֵוִ֑י levi HNp of Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Numbers 18:2 לֵוִ֜י levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Numbers 18:21 לֵוִ֔י levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Numbers 26:59 לֵוִ֔י levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-02 Numbers 26:59 לְ/לֵוִ֖י lelevi HR/Np to-Levi to Joined-one to Levi
H3878-01 Deuteronomy 10:8 הַ/לֵּוִ֔י halevi HTd/Ngmsa of Levi the Joined-one the Levi
H3878-02 Deuteronomy 10:9 לְ/לֵוִ֛י lelevi HR/Np to Levi to Joined-one to Levi
H3878-03 Deuteronomy 18:1 לֵוִ֛י levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Deuteronomy 21:5 לֵוִי֒ levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-05 Deuteronomy 27:12 וְ/לֵוִ֣י velevi HC/Np and Levi and Joined-One and Levi
H3878-03 Deuteronomy 31:9 לֵוִ֔י levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-04 Deuteronomy 33:8 וּ/לְ/לֵוִ֣י ulelevi HC/R/Np And to Levi and to Joined-One and to Levi
H3878-01 Joshua 13:14 הַ/לֵּוִ֔י halevi HTd/Ngmsa of Levi the Joined-one the Levi
H3878-01 Joshua 13:33 הַ/לֵּוִ֔י halevi HTd/Ngmsa of Levi the Joined-one the Levi
H3878-03 Joshua 21:10 לֵוִ֑י levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 1 Kings 12:31 לֵוִֽי levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Ezekiel 40:46 לֵוִ֛י levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Ezekiel 48:31 לֵוִ֖י levi HNp of-Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Zechariah 12:13 לֵוִי֙ levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Malachi 2:4 לֵוִ֔י levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-01 Malachi 2:8 הַ/לֵּוִ֔י halevi HTd/Np of Levi the Joined-one the Levi
H3878-03 Malachi 3:3 לֵוִי֙ levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-01 Psalms 135:20 הַ֭/לֵּוִי halevi HTd/Ngmsa of Levi the Joined-one the Levi
H3878-03 Ezra 8:15 לֵוִ֖י levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-03 Ezra 8:18 לֵוִ֖י levi HNp Levi Joined-One Levi
H3878-01 Nehemiah 10:40 הַ/לֵּוִ֗י halevi HTd/Np Levi the Joined-one the Levi
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