לֹא or לוֺא adverb not (Arabic , Aramaic לָא, , Sabean לא, Ass. lâ; not in Ethiopic: compare Köii. 1. 236 WalkerAJSL 1896, 237 ff.) — לוֺא, according to Masora (FrMM 248), 35 t., besides בְּלוֺא 6 t., and הֲלוֺא, the orthography of which varies much (ib.p. 251), e.g. in Samuel always הֲלוֺא, in Chronicles always הֲלֹא, on the whole הֲלוֺא 141 t., הֲלֹא 128 t.; twice, according to Masora, written לו (Qr לֹא), [1Sam 2:16]; [1Sam 20:2], once לה [Deut 3:11] Kt: — not — denying objectively, like οὐ (not μὴ = אַל): —
1. in predication:
\ \ a. with a verb; so most frequently, and nearly always
\ \ \ (a) with the finite tenses, whether perfect ([Gen 2:5] b [Gen 4:5] etc.) or imperfect ([Gen 3:4]; [Gen 8:21]; [Gen 8:22] etc.); in short circumstantial clauses, as [Gen 44:4] לא הרחיקו, [Isa 40:20] לֹא יִמּוֺט, and with a final force [Isa 41:7]; [Exod 28:32] (see Ges«GKC:156»§ 156. 3 R. b, c Dr§ 162). Governing two closely connected verbs (Dr§ 115, לא) [Exod 28:43] וְלֹא יִשְׂאוּ עָוֺן וָמֵתוּ, [Lev 19:12]; [Lev 19:29]b [Deut 7:25]; [Deut 7:26]; [Deut 19:10]; [Deut 22:1] and elsewhere; and two parallel clauses (Ges«GKC:152»§ 152. 3) [Isa 23:4]b [Ps 9:19]; [Ps 44:19]; [Job 3:1] and elsewhere With the imperfect, especially with 2 person, לֹא often expresses (not, like אַל, a deprecation, do not . . ., let not . . ., but) a prohibition, as [Gen 2:17] לֹא תאֹכַל מִמֶּנּוּ thou shall not eat of it, [Gen 3:1]; [Gen 3:3]; [Exod 20:3] לֹאיִֿהְיֶה לְךָ there shall not be to thee, etc., v[Exod 20:13] לא תגנב, etc. With the coh. and jussive moods (which are negatived regularly by אַל), it occurs only exceptionally (Ges«GKC:109»§ 109. 1 b R. 1), [Gen 24:8]; [1Sam 14:36]; [2Sam 17:12]; [2Sam 18:14]; [1Kgs 2:6]; [Ezek 48:14].
\ \ \ (b) with the infinitive (which is negatived by בִּלְתִּי, q. v.), only once, in בְּלֹא (4 a), and with לְ, in the sense of cannot, or must not; [Judg 1:19] כי לא להורישׁ for it was not (possible) to dispossess, etc. [Amos 6:10] לא ׳להזכיר בשׁם י, [1Chr 5:1]; [1Chr 15:2] (Dr§ 202. 2); compare Aramaic לָא [Dan 6:9]; [Ezra 6:8]. On its use with the participle, see b c.
\ \ \ (c) לא always negates properly the word immediately following: hence, in a verbal sentence, where this is not the verb, some special stress rests upon it, [Gen 32:29] לֹא יַעֲקֹב ׳יֵאָמֵר עוֺד וג not Jacob shall thy name be called any more, but Israel, [Gen 45:8] לֹא אַתֶּם שְׁלַחְתֶּם אֹתִי Not ye (in our idiom: It is not ye who) have sent me hither, but God, [Exod 16:8]; [1Sam 8:7] כִּי לֹא ׳אֹתְךָ מָאָסוּ כִּי אֹתִי וג, [Ps 115:17] without a following correcting clause, [Gen 38:9]; [Num 16:29] שְׁלָחָנִי׃ ׳לֹא י Not ׳י (but another) hath sent me, [Deut 32:27] לֹא פָּעַל זֹאת ׳י, [1Chr 17:4]; [Deut 8:9]; [Isa 28:28] לא לנצח ֗֗֗ not for ever (but only for a while) . . . (so [Isa 57:16]; [Ps 9:19]; [Ps 49:18]; [Ps 103:9] but [Isa 13:20] לא תשׁב לנצח is, will not be inhabited for ever), [Isa 43:22]; [Job 13:16]; [Job 32:9] hence rhetorically, insinuating something very different, not named, [2Kgs 6:10] not once, and not twice (but repeatedly), [Ezra 10:13]; [Jer 4:11] a wind לֹא לְזָרוֺת וְלוֺא לְהַָבר׃ not to winnow, and not to cleanse (but to exterminate), [Isa 45:13]; [Isa 48:1]b [Josh 24:12]; [Dan 11:20]; [Dan 11:29]; [Job 34:20] לֹא בְיָד (but by a Divine agency: compare [Dan 2:34] also [Job 20:26] אֵשׁ לֹא נֻפָּ֑ךְ fire not blown upon [but kindled from heaven], [Lam 4:6] and אין [Isa 47:14]).
\ \ \ (d) standing alone:
\ \ \ (a) אִםלֹֿא if not, [Gen 18:21] וְאִםלֹֿא אֵדָֽעָה׃, [Gen 29:49]; [Gen 42:16]; [Job 9:24]; [Job 24:25] (β) הֲאִ֗֗֗םלֿא, or not, [Gen 24:21] waiting to know דַּרְכּוֺ אִםלֹֿא ׳הַהִצְלִיחַ י, [Gen 27:21]; [Gen 37:32]; [Exod 16:4]; [Num 11:23]; [Deut 8:2]; [Judg 2:22] (compare אִם אַיִן, אַיִן 2 d β, δ). In answer to a question or request, to deny, or decline, Nay, Nö: [Judg 12:5] ויאמר לא, [Hag 2:12] לא אדני [Gen 23:11]; [Gen 42:10]; [1Sam 1:15] +; often followed by כי, Nö for . . . = Nö but . . ., [Gen 18:15] ויאמר לֹא כִּי צָחָ֑קְתְּ, [Gen 19:2]; [Josh 5:14]; [Josh 24:21]; [1Sam 2:16] Qr (see Dr), [1Sam 10:19] (ᵐ5 MSS), [2Sam 16:18]; [2Sam 24:24]; [1Kgs 3:22] (twice in verse) +; [Job 23:6] (strangely). (compare, in deprecation, אַל.)
\ \ \ (e) with an interrogative force, which however does not lie in לא as such, but (as in other cases) in the contrast with a preceding clause, or in the tone of voice (compare וְ 1 f; Ew§ 324 a Ges«GKC:150»§ 150. 1 Dr[1Sam 11:12]): [Jonah 4:11] ׳אַתָּה חַסְתָּוַ֗֗֗אֲנִי לֹא אָחוּס וג, [Job 2:10]; [Job 22:11]; [Exod 8:22]; [2Kgs 5:26]; [Jer 49:9] (|| [Obad 1:5] הֲלוֺא), [Mal 2:15]; [Lam 3:38] and in passages, exegesis or text. doubtful (see Commentaries), [1Sam 20:14]; [2Sam 23:5] (but see Bu), [Hos 10:9] (Ew We), [Hos 11:5] (Ew), [Job 14:16]b (but ᵐ5 Ew Di תַעֲבֹר), [Lam 1:12] (Ew Ke), [Lam 3:36] (Ke Bä).
\ \ b. with adjectives and substantive:
\ \ \ (a) [Gen 2:18] לֹא טוֺב הֱֶיוֺת הָאָדָם לְבַדֹּו not good is man's being alone, [Exod 18:17] + often
\ \ \ (b) [Exod 4:16] לֹא אִישׁ דְּבָרִים אָנֹכִי, [Amos 7:14] לא נביא אנכי, [Num 23:9] לֹא אִישׁ אֵל וִיכַזֵּב, [Deut 17:15] (see אשׁר
2. b) [Deut 20:20]; [Deut 32:47]; [1Sam 15:29]; [2Sam 18:20] לֹא אִישׁ בְּשׂרָה אַתָּה הַיּוֺם, [2Sam 21:2]; [1Kgs 22:33]; [2Kgs 6:19] לא זִה הדרך, [Mic 2:10]; [Isa 27:11]; [Hos 8:6] והמה לא אלהים [Jer 2:11]; [Jer 16:20]; [2Kgs 19:18]; [1Kgs 19:11] (twice in verse) לֹא ׳בָרַעַשׁ י, [Deut 30:12]; [Deut 30:13]; [Job 15:9]; [Job 28:14] לֹא בִי הִיא (|| אֵין עִמָּדִי)s, [Ps 74:9]; [Jer 5:10] המה ׳לוא לי, [Jer 10:16]; [Deut 32:21] בָּנִים לֹא אֵמוּן בָּם, [Jer 10:14]; [Hab 1:14]; [Job 16:17]; [Job 38:26] מִדְבָּר לֹא אָדָם בּוֺ; [1Kgs 22:17] לֹא אֲדֹנִים לָאֵלֶּה, [Jer 49:31]; [Ps 22:3] וְלֹא דוּמִיָּה לִי, [Job 18:17]; [Job 18:19]; [Job 29:12] ולא עֹזֵר לו, [Job 30:13]; [Job 33:9]; [Jer 2:19] וְלֹא פַחְדָּתִי אֵלַיִךְ and (that) my terror reached not unto thee, [Job 21:9] absolute [Gen 29:7] לֹאעֵֿתִ הֵאָסֵף הַמִּקְנֶה ([Hag 1:2]), [Num 20:5]; [2Kgs 4:23] לא חדשׁ ולא שׁבת, [Isa 44:9]; [Jer 5:12] ויאמרו לוא הוא, [Job 9:32]; [Job 22:16]; [Job 36:26]; [Job 41:2]; [Prov 19:7] (si vera lectio) מְרַדֵּף אֲמָרִים לֹאהֵֿמָּה words which are not, which are nought.
\ \ \ (c) with the participle לֹא is rare, a finite verb being usually preferred ([Exod 34:7] וְנַקִּה לֹא יְנַקֶּה: Ew§ 320 c Dr§ 162): [2Sam 3:34] יָדֶיךָ לֹא אֲסֻרוֺת, [Ezek 4:14]; [Ezek 22:24]; [Deut 28:61]; [Ps 38:15] כְּאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא שֹׁמֵעַ who is not hearing, [Job 12:3]; [Job 13:2] לֹא נֹפֵל אָנֹכִי מִכֶּם, [Zeph 3:5] (very anomalous); [1Kgs 10:21] לא is probably textual error In וְהוּא לֹא שׂנֵא לוֺ or לא שׂנא הוא לו, [Deut 4:42]; [Deut 19:4]; [Deut 19:6]; [Josh 20:5] (compare אֹיֵב [Num 35:23]), שׂנֵא is best construed as a substantive, he being a not-hater to him afore-time. — In most of the cases under b, c, אין could have been employed; but the negation by לֹא is more pointed and forcible.
2. Not in predication:
\ \ a. coupled to an adjective to negative it, like the Greek ἀ‐, but usually by way of litotes: [Hos 13:13] בן לאחֿכם an unwise son, [Ps 36:5] דֶּרֶךְ לֹא טוֺב a way not good, [Ps 43:1] גוי לא חסיד, [Prov 16:29]; [Prov 30:25]; [Prov 30:26]; [Ezek 20:25]; [2Chr 30:17] : [Isa 16:14] לוֺא כַבִּיר, compare [Isa 10:7] לֹא מְעַט.
\ \ b. with a participle [Jer 2:2] ארץ לא זרועה, [Jer 18:15] (the finite verb is more common: see [Isa 62:12] עִיר לֹא נֱעֶזָ֫בָה (compare [Isa 54:11]), [Jer 6:8] אֶרֶץ לוֺא נוֺשָׁ֫בָה, [Jer 15:18]; [Jer 22:6]; [Jer 31:18]; [Zeph 2:1]).
\ \ c. [Gen 15:13] בארץ לא להם, [Jer 5:19]; [Hab 1:6] מִשְׁכָּנוֺת לֹאלֿוֺ, [Prov 26:17] רִיב לֹאלֿוֺ.
\ \ d. with a substantive, in poetry, forming a kind of compound, expressing pointedly its antithesis or negation (German un- is sometimes used similarly): [Deut 32:5](?). 17. 21 a they made me jealous בְּלֹא אֵל with a not-God (with what in no respect deserved the name of God), vb בְּלֹא עָם i.e. with an unorganized horde, [Amos 6:13] הַשְּׂמֵחִים לְלֹא דָבָר i.e. at a thing which is not, an unreality (of their boasted strength), [Isa 10:15] כְּהָרִים מַטֶּה לֹא עֵץ like a rod's lifting up what is no wood (but the agent wielding it), [Isa 31:8] חרב לא אישׁ, חרב לא אדם, [Isa 55:2] בלוא לחם for what is not bread, בלוא לשׂבעה for what is not for satiety, [Jer 5:7] וַיּשָּֽׁבְעוּ בְּלֹא אֱלֹהִים by not-gods, in late prose [2Chr 13:9] כֹּהֵן לְלֹא אֱלֹהִים; [Ps 44:13] תִּמְכֹּר עַמְּךָ בְּלֹאהֿוֺן for no-value (i.e. cheaply), [Prov 13:23]; [Job 10:12] צלמות וְלֹא סְדָרִים darkness and disorder; so לֹאעַֿמִּי [Hos 1:9]; [Hos 2:25]: still more pregnantly [Job 26:2] a מֶהעָֿזַרְתָּ לְלֹאכֹֿחַ (poetic for לאשׁר אין לו כח) the powerless, v[Job 26:2]b; v[Job 26:3]a (Ew§ 286 g Ges«GKC:152»§ 152. 1 n.), [Job 39:16] הִקְשִׁיחַ בָּנֶיהָ לְלֹא לָהּ useth hardly her young ones (making them) into none of hers; and even [Hab 2:6] הַמַּרְבֶּה לֹאלֿוֺ what is not his own (compare [Job 18:15] מִבְּלִי לוֺ). compare with a verb, and ellipse of אשׁר, [Isa 65:1] לְלֹא שָׁאָ֑לוּ to those who have not asked, vb [Jer 2:8] אַחֲרִי לֹא יוֺעִילוּ, v[Jer 2:11]b; also לֹא רֻחָ֫מָה [Hos 1:6]; [Hos 1:8]; [Hos 2:25], and probably [Job 31:31] לֹא נִשְׂבָּ֑ע (perfect in p.) one not satisfied.
\ \ e. in circumstantial clauses (Dr§ 164), in poetry and rare: qualifying a substantive, [2Sam 23:4] בֹּקֶר לֹא עָבוֺת a morning without clouds, [Job 12:24] בְּתֹהוּ לֹא דֶרֶךְ in a pathless waste, [Job 38:26]a; and a verb [Job 34:24] יָרֹעַ כַּבִּרִים לֹא חֵקֶר without inquiry, [Ps 59:4] לא פשׁעי ולא חטאתי (compare v[Ps 59:4] בלי עון), in late prose, twice, [1Chr 2:30]; [1Chr 2:32] וימת לא בנים (אֵין and בְּלִי, q. v., are more usual in such cases).
3. Once (according to many MSS), as a substantive, [Job 6:21] כִּיעַֿתָּה הֱיִיתֶם לֹא for now are ye become nothing, Hi De Kö (compare [Dan 4:32] (Aramaic) כְּלָה חֲשִׁיבִין, ᵑ7 here כְּלָא הֲוֵיתוּן, and אַל [Job 24:25]); but reading fluctuates (Orientals לֹא, Qr לו, Westerns, Baer (see pp. 37, 56) לוֺ ['now are ye become that,' namely the נַחַל אַכְזָב of v[Job 24:15]]; but even לוֺ yields a forced sense; and text is probably wrong: Mich Ew Ol Sgf Bu כֵּןלִ֗֗֗י (ᵐ5 ᵑ6 also read לִי); Bö Di כִּילְ֗֗֗אָ֑יִן. compare Köii. 1. 236 f.
4. With prefixes: —
\ \ a. בְּלֹא31 (chiefly in poetry or late), according to the varying significance of בְּ:
\ \ \ (a) usually with not = without, [Jer 22:13] בונה ביתו בלאֿ צדק without justice (|| בלא משׁפט; so [Ezek 22:29]; [Prov 16:8]), [Isa 55:1] (twice in verse); [Prov 19:2]; [Job 8:11] הֲיִגְאֶהגֹּֿמֶא בְּלֹא בִצָּה without mire || כלי מים, [Job 30:28] בְּלֹא חַמָּה (=not through the sun), [Lam 1:6] וילכו בלאכֿח, [Num 35:22] בְּלֹא אֵיבָה ֗֗֗ בְּלֹא צְדִיָּה, v[Num 35:23] (followed by infinitive) בְּלֹא רְאוֺת, [2Chr 21:20]; [Eccl 10:11]; [Ps 17:1] תְּפִלָּתִי בְּלֹא שִׂפְתֵי מִרְמָה; used more freely in Chronicles, [1Chr 12:18] בְּלֹא חָמָס בְּכַפָּֽי׃, v.[1Chr 12:34] בְּלֹא לֵב וָלֵב, [2Chr 30:18] בְּלֹא כַכָּתוּב. With ellipse of rel., [Lam 4:14] בְּלֹא יוּכְלוּ יִגְּעוּ without (that) men are able to touch, etc.
\ \ \ (b) of time, in not, i.e. outside of, [Lev 15:25] בלא עֶתנִֿדָּתָהּ, before [Job 15:32] בלאיֿומו, [Eccl 7:17] בְּלֹא עִתֶּךְ׃.
\ \ \ (c) where לֹא belongs to the following word, and is only accidentally preceded by ב (see above 2 d), [Deut 32:21] (twice in verse); [Jer 5:7]; [Prov 13:23] בלא משׁפט through injustice; with בְּ pretii, [Ps 44:13]; [Isa 55:2] (twice in verse); [Jer 2:11] בְּלוֺא יוֺעִיל for (that which) profiteth not.
\ \ b. הֲלֹא nonne ? [Gen 4:7] + often Inviting, as it does, an affirmative answer, it is often used,
\ \ \ (a) especially in conversation, for pointing to a fact in such a way as to arouse the interest of the person addressed, or to win his assent: [Gen 13:19] Is not the whole land before thee ? [Gen 19:20]; [Gen 20:5]; [Gen 27:36]; [Gen 29:25]; [Exod 4:11] Who maketh dumb or deaf, etc. Do not I ? [Exod 33:16]; [Judg 4:6]; [Judg 4:14]; [Judg 8:2]; [Judg 9:28]; [Judg 9:38]; [1Sam 9:20]; [1Sam 9:21]; [1Sam 15:17] etc.; with a verb in 1 person, [Josh 1:9] הלא צויתיך, [Judg 6:14] הלא שׁלחתיך, [1Sam 20:30]; [2Sam 19:23]; [Ruth 2:9]: similarly in a poetical or rhetorical style, [Judg 5:30] הלא ימצאו יחלקו שׁלל, [Isa 8:19]; [Isa 10:8]; [Isa 10:9]; [Isa 10:11]; [Isa 28:25]; [Isa 29:17]; [Isa 40:21]; [Isa 40:23]; [Isa 42:24]; [Isa 43:19] etc., [Job 4:6]; [Job 4:21]; [Job 7:1]; [Job 10:10]; [Job 10:20], etc. (β) it has a tendency to become little more than an affirm. particle, declaring with some rhetorical emphasis what is, or might be, well known: [Deut 3:11] הֲלֹה הִיא בְרַבַּת בְּנֵי עַמּוֺן, [Deut 11:30]; [1Sam 21:12] הלוא ׳זה דוד וג (compare [1Sam 29:3]; [1Sam 29:5]; [2Sam 11:3]), [2Sam 23:19]; [2Sam 26:1]; [2Sam 15:35] it is thus nearly = הִנֵּה (ᵐ5 sometimes represents it by ιδου, as [Josh 1:9]; [Judg 6:14]; [Ruth 2:9]; [2Sam 15:35]); so especially in the phrase of the compiler of Kings, And the rest of the acts of . . ., הֲלֹא הֵם (הֵמָּה) כְּתוּבִים are they not written in, etc. ? [1Kgs 11:41]; [1Kgs 14:29] + often (with which there interchanges הִנָּם כְּתוּבִים [1Kgs 14:19]; [2Kgs 15:11]; [2Kgs 15:26]; [2Kgs 15:31], which is generally used by the Chronicles, [2Chr 16:11]; [2Chr 20:34], etc.), [Josh 10:13] (compare [2Sam 1:18] הִנֵּה), [1Kgs 8:53] ᵐ5, [Esth 10:2]; [Ps 56:14] (strangely: contr. [Ps 116:8]). — הֲלֹא הִנֵּה [Hab 2:13]; [2Chr 25:26] (הִנָּם). — On [Judg 14:15], see הֲ 1 end.
\ \ c. וָלֹ֕א and not=and if not, [2Sam 13:26]; [2Kgs 5:17]. compare וָּיֵשׁ.
\ \ d. כְּלוֺא [Obad 1:16] והיו כלוא היו, poetic for כאשׁר, as though they had not been.
\ \ e. לְלֹא without, literally in the condition of no . . . [2Chr 15:3] (compare לְאֵין, also in Chronicles). Elsewhere לא belongs to the following word, [Amos 6:13]; [2Chr 13:9]; [Isa 65:1] (twice in verse); [Job 26:2]; [Job 26:3]; [Job 39:16] (see above 2 d).
The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon
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