Strong's Lexicon luwle': "if not," "unless" Original Word: לּוּלֵא Word Origin: Derived from a combination of the Hebrew preposition לּוּ (lu) meaning "if" and the negative particle לֹא (lo) meaning "not." Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Greek equivalent for לּוּלֵא (luwle'), similar conditional expressions can be found in Greek using words like εἰ μή (ei mē), which also means "if not" or "unless." Usage: The Hebrew word לּוּלֵא (luwle') is used as a conjunction to express a conditional negation. It is often translated as "if not" or "unless," indicating a hypothetical situation or condition that is contrary to fact. It is used to introduce a clause that describes what would have happened if the stated condition were not true. Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Hebrew culture, language was deeply intertwined with covenantal and relational thinking. The use of conditional statements like those introduced by לּוּלֵא (luwle') reflects the Hebrew mindset of understanding reality in terms of relationships and divine providence. Such expressions often highlight the dependency of human actions and outcomes on God's will and intervention. Brown-Driver-Briggs לוּלֵא Genesis 43:10; Judges 14:18; 2 Samuel 2:27; Psalm 27:13, elsewhere לוּלֵי10 if not, unless (from לוּ if, and לֵא, by dissimilation (Köii. 236, 489) for לֹא not; compare Arabic ), the negative of לוּ, and used similarly: — a. followed by perfect, Judges 14:18 לולא חרשׁתם ֗֗֗ לא מצאתם unless ye had ploughed with my heifer, ye would not have found out my riddle, 1 Samuel 25:34 (second כי resumptive: כִּי 1d), Psalm 106:23; with apod, introd. by כִּי עַתָּה Genesis 31:42; Genesis 43:10; by אָז 2 Samuel 2:27 (כי resumptive); by כִּמְעַט Isaiah 1:9; with an aposiop. Psalm 27:13 if I had not believed ...! b. followed by imperfect Deuteronomy 32:27 אמרתי ֗֗֗ לולי אגור I should have said, &c . . . . except I dreaded, &c. c. followed by participle, 2 Kings 3:14. d. without a verb, Psalm 94:17 (apodosis כמעט), Psalm 119:92 (apodosis אָז). In the later language, Psalm 124:1; Psalm 124:2 -שֶׁ ׳לוּלֵי י (apodosis אֲזַי except that ... (compare Aramaic, Psalm 106:23, אִילּוּלֵי ֗֗֗ דִּי Psalm 27:13 ᵑ7). — Read also לוּלֵי for אוּלַי in Numbers 22:33 (apodosis כִּי עַתָּה). See further on לוּ and לוּלֵא Dr§§ 139-145 Köiii. 487f; 565. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance except, had not, if Or luwley {loo lay'}; from luw' and lo'; if not -- except, had not, if (...not), unless, were it not that. see HEBREW luw' see HEBREW lo' Forms and Transliterations לׅׄוּלֵׅ֗ׄאׅׄ לוּלֵ֖א לוּלֵ֗י לוּלֵ֛י לוּלֵ֡י לוּלֵ֣א לוּלֵ֣י לוּלֵא֙ לוּלֵי֙ לולא לולי lū·lê luLe lūlê luLeiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 31:42 HEB: לוּלֵ֡י אֱלֹהֵ֣י אָבִי֩ NAS: If the God of my father, KJV: Except the God of my father, INT: If the God of my father Genesis 43:10 Deuteronomy 32:27 Judges 14:18 1 Samuel 25:34 2 Samuel 2:27 2 Kings 3:14 Psalm 27:13 Psalm 94:17 Psalm 106:23 Psalm 119:92 Psalm 124:1 Psalm 124:2 Isaiah 1:9 14 Occurrences |