3926. lemo

Lexical Summary

lemo: "to them," "for them," "their"

Original Word: לְמוֹ
Part of Speech: Preposition
Transliteration: lmow
Pronunciation: leh-mo
Phonetic Spelling: (lem-o')
KJV: at, for, to, upon
Word Origin: [a prol. and separable form of the prepositional prefix]

1. to or for

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

at, for, to, upon

A prol. And separable form of the prepositional prefix; to or for -- at, for, to, upon.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a form of a preposition prefix
Definition
to or foreign

Brown-Driver-Briggs

לְמוֺ in poetry for לְ (see מוֺ) Job 27:14; Job 29:21; Job 38:40; Job 40:4.

לְמוֺ in poetry for לְ, Job 27:14; Job 29:21; Job 38:40; Job 40:4, like כְּמוֺ for כְּ, בְמוֺ for ׃בְּ see מוֺ.

לְמוֺ in poetry for לְ.

Topical Lexicon

Meaning and Nuance

Although formally a pronominal element, Strong’s Hebrew 3926 conveys more than grammatical information. It signals collective identity—binding individuals together under one destiny of blessing or judgment.

Canonical Distribution

Six Spirit-inspired occurrences appear in two narrative verses and four poetic lines:

1. Genesis 9:26 – “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be a slave to them.”
2. Genesis 9:27 – “May God expand Japheth; may he dwell in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his slave.”
3. Job 27:14 – “If his sons are many, they are destined for the sword; and his offspring will never have enough bread.”
4. Job 29:21 – “Men listened to me and waited, and they kept silent for my counsel.”
5. Job 38:40 – “When they crouch in their dens and lie in wait in the thicket?”
6. Job 40:4 – “Behold, I am unworthy—how can I reply to You? I put my hand over my mouth.”

Narrative Significance in Genesis

In Noah’s oracle the pronoun heightens the corporate dimension of Shem’s blessing and Canaan’s servitude. The passage teaches that divine dealings encompass whole lineages, anticipating Israel’s later covenant consciousness.

Poetic and Wisdom Usage in Job

• Job 27:14 underlines inherited consequences for the wicked.
• Job 29:21 portrays communal respect once afforded to Job.
• Job 38:40 gathers predatory beasts into a single portrait of instinctive dependence on the Creator.
• Job 40:4 presents the universal human posture of silence before the Almighty.

Theological Themes

1. Corporate accountability: blessing or curse often falls on groups, not merely individuals.
2. Covenant continuity: the blessing on Shem flows into the Abrahamic line and ultimately into Messiah.
3. Humility before God: Job’s silence exemplifies the proper response of every person.

Historical Background

Ancient Semitic cultures prized communal identity; language that marks “to/for them” naturally reinforced tribal and familial solidarities, shaping legal, cultic, and prophetic discourse.

Ministry Applications

• Pray with family, church, and nation in view—asking God’s favor “on them.”
• Teach parents the generational impact of faithfulness (cf. Deuteronomy 6:6-7).
• Counsel sufferers toward reverent silence before God, following Job 40:4.

Christological Considerations

The corporate thrust finds its climax in Christ, who stands as federal Head “for them” that believe (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 2:11).

Key Cross References

Deuteronomy 32:8; Psalm 115:12-13; Isaiah 53:11; Romans 5:19; Revelation 21:3.

Suggested Topics for Further Study

• Collective solidarity in covenant theology.
• Generational effects of sin and righteousness.
• The rhetorical power of collective pronouns in Hebrew poetry.

Forms and Transliterations

לְמ֣וֹ לְמוֹ־ לָֽמוֹ׃ למו למו־ למו׃ lā·mōw lamo lāmōw lə·mōw lə·mōw- leMo lemov ləmōw ləmōw-

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 9:26
HEB: כְנַ֖עַן עֶ֥בֶד לָֽמוֹ׃
INT: Canaan be his servant at

Genesis 9:27
HEB: כְנַ֖עַן עֶ֥בֶד לָֽמוֹ׃
INT: Canaan be his servant at

Job 27:14
HEB: יִרְבּ֣וּ בָנָ֣יו לְמוֹ־ חָ֑רֶב וְ֝צֶאֱצָאָ֗יו
KJV: be multiplied, [it is] for the sword:
INT: are many his sons for the sword and his descendants

Job 29:21
HEB: וְיִחֵ֑לּוּ וְ֝יִדְּמ֗וּ לְמ֣וֹ עֲצָתִֽי׃
KJV: and kept silence at my counsel.
INT: and waited and kept at my counsel

Job 38:40
HEB: יֵשְׁב֖וּ בַסֻּכָּ֣ה לְמוֹ־ אָֽרֶב׃
KJV: in the covert to lie in wait?
INT: abide the covert to lie

Job 40:4
HEB: יָ֝דִ֗י שַׂ֣מְתִּי לְמוֹ־ פִֽי׃
KJV: mine hand upon my mouth.
INT: my hand lay upon my mouth

6 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 3926
6 Occurrences

lā·mōw — 2 Occ.
lə·mōw — 1 Occ.
lə·mōw- — 3 Occ.