Lexical Summary lavah: To join, to borrow, to lend Original Word: לָוָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance abide with, borrower, cleave, join self, lender A primitive root; properly, to twine, i.e. (by implication) to unite, to remain; also to borrow (as a form of obligation) or (caus.) To lend -- abide with, borrow(-er), cleave, join (self), lend(-er). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [לָוָה] join (intransitive), be joined (Late Hebrew Pi`el לִוָּה (ליוה) transitive, Hithpa`el intransitive; Aramaic לַוִּי accompany; so  BaES 12 compare Arabic  be near); — Qal (late) Imperfect3masculine singular suffix יִלְוֶנּוּ EC Genesis 8:13, be joined to, attend (of mirth). Niph`al נִלְוָה Psalm 83:9; Isaiah 14:1; 3masculine plural consecutive וְנִלְווּ Numbers 18:4 2t., + Jeremiah 50:5 (GesLbg. Bö Köi. 588 Gf Gie; > Imperative Ki Ew§ 226c Ol§ 264); Imperfect יִלָּוֶה Genesis 29:34; יִלָּווּ Numbers 18:2; Participle נִלְוָה Isaiah 56:3 (pointed as Perfect, read probably נִלְוֶה); plural נִלְוִים Esther 9:27; Isaiah 56:6; — join oneself or be joined unto, followed by עַל Numbers 18:2,4 (מַטֵּה לֵנִי to Aaron, by word-play), Isaiah 14:1 (strangers to Israel), Daniel 11:34 (flatterers to the people), compare Esther 9:27; Isaiah 56:6 (to ׳י followed by אֶלֿ Isaiah 56:3 (to ׳י), Zechariah 2:15 (to ׳י), Jeremiah 50:5 (to ׳י), Genesis 29:34 (J; husband to wife); followed byעִם Psalm 83:9 (Asshur with enemies of Israel) II. [לָוָה] verb borrow (Late Hebrew id.; compare Arabic Qal Perfect1plural לָוִ֫ינוּ Nehemiah 5:4; Imperfect2masculine singular תִּלְוֶה Deuteronomy 28:12; Participle לֹוֶה Proverbs 22:7 2t.; — borrow, עֶבֶד לוֶֹה לְאִישׁ מַלְוֶה Proverbs 22:7 a borrower is slave to a man who lends; absolute Deuteronomy 28:12; Isaiah 24:2; Psalm 37:21; followed by כֶּסֶף Nehemiah 5:4. Hiph`il Perfect 2 masculine singular consecutive וְהִלְוִיתָה Deuteronomy 28:12; Imperfect3masculine singular suffix יַלְוְךָ Deuteronomy 28:44; 2masculine singularתַּלְוֶה Exodus 22:24; suffix תַּלְוֶנּוּ Deuteronomy 28:44; Participle מַלְוֶה Psalm 37:26 3t., construct מַלְוֵה Proverbs 19:17; — cause to borrow, i.e. lend to, with accusative of person + of thing Exodus 22:24 (E); with accusative of person Deuteronomy 28:12,44 (twice in verse); absolute Psalm 37:26; Psalm 112:5 אִישׁ מַלְוֶה Proverbs 22:77 (see Qal above); as substantive Isaiah 24:2; ׳מַלְוֵה י Proverbs 19:17 a lender to ׳י is one shewing favour to the poor. III. לוה (√ of following; compare Arabic Topical Lexicon Overview of Biblical ThemesThe verb לָוָה (lavah) moves through Scripture along two principal lines: (1) attaching or accompanying persons, and (2) lending or borrowing material resources. Together these usages illuminate covenant loyalty, hospitality, economic stewardship, and the eschatological gathering of the nations to the Lord. A Name That Signals Attachment: Levi and the Priestly Calling Genesis 29:34 records Leah’s hope, “Now this time my husband will be joined to me…; so he was named Levi.” The tribe that bears this name embodies “attachment” in service: “Bring your brothers from the tribe of Levi…that they may join you and minister” (Numbers 18:2). The Levites’ nearness to Aaron and the sanctuary pictures the privileged yet responsible nearness God intends for all His covenant people (cf. Numbers 18:4). Hospitality and Courteous Escort Lavah first appears in the patriarchal narrative of Genesis 18:16 where Abraham “walked along with them to see them on their way.” The act of escorting travelers was more than etiquette; it expressed covenant kindness (chesed) and shared destiny. Similar courtesy surfaces in Ruth 1:11 (implied), demonstrating that accompaniment fosters relational bonds essential to Israel’s communal life. Lending and Borrowing in Covenant Economy 1. Blessing for obedience: “You will lend to many nations, but borrow from none” (Deuteronomy 28:12; 15:6). The directional flow of resources mirrors Israel’s spiritual condition. Freedom from debt testifies to the Lord’s sufficiency, whereas bondage through borrowing signals covenant breach. Wisdom’s Counsel on Debt Proverbs 22:7 warns, “The borrower is slave to the lender.” Psalm 37:21 contrasts character: “The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving.” Wisdom literature therefore urges generosity toward the needy and caution about assuming obligations that compromise freedom to obey God. Post-Exilic Economic Reform In Nehemiah’s day “we have borrowed money for the king’s tax” (Nehemiah 5:4). Nehemiah rebukes nobles who exacted interest and calls them to “let us stop charging this interest…restore their fields” (Nehemiah 5:10–11). The episode models godly leadership that confronts exploitative lending, promotes restitution, and restores community integrity. Prophetic Vision: Nations Joined to the Lord Lavah reaches its missional climax in passages where peoples “join” themselves to Israel’s God: These texts anticipate the Gospel age in which Gentiles are grafted in (Romans 11:17) and believers of every nation are “joined to the Lord, one spirit with Him” (1 Corinthians 6:17). Ministry Implications • Hospitality: Believers imitate Abraham when they accompany guests, missionaries, and the vulnerable, affirming fellowship along life’s road (3 John 6). Summary Lavah intertwines social courtesy, economic ethics, priestly service, and global mission. Whether escorting travelers, extending loans, or embracing Gentile worshipers, the people of God are called to be joined to the Lord and to one another in covenant faithfulness that reflects His character and advances His redemptive plan. Forms and Transliterations הַנִּלְוִ֤ים הַנִּלְוָ֤ה הנלוה הנלוים וְהִלְוִ֙יתָ֙ וְיִלָּו֥וּ וְנִלְו֣וּ וְנִלְו֧וּ וְנִלְוָ֤ה וְנִלְווּ֩ וּמַלְוֶ֑ה והלוית וילוו ומלוה ונלוה ונלוו יִלְוֶ֣נּוּ יִלָּוֶ֤ה יַלְוְךָ֔ ילוה ילוך ילונו כַּלֹּוֶ֔ה כַּמַּלְוֶה֙ כלוה כמלוה לָוִ֥ינוּ לֹ֝וֶ֗ה לֹוֶ֣ה לוה לוינו מַלְוֵ֣ה מַלְוֶֽה׃ מלוה מלוה׃ נִלְוָ֣ה נלוה תִלְוֶֽה׃ תַּלְוֶ֣ה תַלְוֶ֑נּוּ תלוה תלוה׃ תלונו han·nil·wāh han·nil·wîm hannilVah hannilVim hannilwāh hannilwîm kal·lō·weh kalloVeh kallōweh kam·mal·weh kammalVeh kammalweh lā·wî·nū laVinu lāwînū lō·weh loVeh lōweh mal·weh mal·wêh malVeh malweh malwêh nil·wāh nilVah nilwāh tal·weh ṯal·wen·nū talVeh talVennu talweh ṯalwennū ṯil·weh tilVeh ṯilweh ū·mal·weh umalVeh ūmalweh vehilVita venilVah venilVu veyillaVu wə·hil·wî·ṯā wə·nil·wāh wə·nil·wū wə·yil·lā·wū wəhilwîṯā wənilwāh wənilwū wəyillāwū yal·wə·ḵā yalveCha yalwəḵā yil·lā·weh yil·wen·nū yillaVeh yillāweh yilVennu yilwennūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 29:34 HEB: עַתָּ֤ה הַפַּ֙עַם֙ יִלָּוֶ֤ה אִישִׁי֙ אֵלַ֔י NAS: my husband will become attached to me, because KJV: will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born INT: Now this will become my husband to me Exodus 22:25 Numbers 18:2 Numbers 18:4 Deuteronomy 28:12 Deuteronomy 28:12 Deuteronomy 28:44 Deuteronomy 28:44 Nehemiah 5:4 Esther 9:27 Psalm 37:21 Psalm 37:26 Psalm 83:8 Psalm 112:5 Proverbs 19:17 Proverbs 22:7 Proverbs 22:7 Ecclesiastes 8:15 Isaiah 14:1 Isaiah 24:2 Isaiah 24:2 Isaiah 56:3 Isaiah 56:6 Jeremiah 50:5 Daniel 11:34 26 Occurrences |
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delay payment of debt (compare BaES 12 ); — 
turn, twist, wind; Assyrian lamû, surround, encircle; DlHWB 368 JenZMG xiiii (1889), 201).