Hebrew word · H3867

לָוָה

loveh

to borrow

In its basic form the verb means "to borrow". In its causative form (the form here) it means "to lend", that is, to cause someone to borrow. The participle malveh means "lender" or "creditor".

Appears 26 times in 22 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) to borrow, lend

1a) (Qal) to borrow

1b) (Hiphil) to cause to borrow, lend to

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Proverbs 19:17

Range of meaning

In its basic form the verb means "to borrow". In its causative form (the form here) it means "to lend", that is, to cause someone to borrow. The participle malveh means "lender" or "creditor". In Israel's law and wisdom it mostly describes survival loans: grain, seed or silver lent to a neighbor in trouble, not commercial investment.

Against the English

English "lend" is accurate. The modern picture of lending, though, is commercial: banks, interest, profit. The Hebrew setting is a neighbor helping a struggling neighbor, and the law forbade interest on such loans (Exodus 22:25; Leviticus 25:35–37; Deuteronomy 23:19).

How it drifted

The word has not changed. The economy behind it has, so modern readers easily imagine an investment for profit.

Used elsewhere in the period

Deuteronomy 15:6–8 commands Israelites to lend to a poor brother "sufficient for his need". Deuteronomy 28:12, 44 makes lending a sign of blessing and borrowing a sign of curse. Proverbs 22:7: "the borrower is servant to the lender (ish malveh)". Psalm 37:26 and 112:5 describe the righteous man as ḥônēn ûmalveh, "gracious and lending", the same two roots as this verse. Psalm 37:21 contrasts the wicked who "borrows and does not repay (lōʾ yəšallēm)" with the righteous who "is gracious (ḥônēn) and gives".

From the study of Isaiah 14:1

Range of meaning

To join, attach, accompany. In the reflexive form used here: to join oneself to, attach oneself to a person, group or God. It was felt to be linked to the name Levi (Gen 29:34, "now my husband will be joined to me"; Num 18:2, 4, the Levites "joined" to Aaron).

Against the English

KJV "shall be joined with them" makes it passive, as if something is done to the strangers. The Hebrew is reflexive: the foreigners join themselves. WEB's "will join himself" keeps both the reflexive and the singular.

Used elsewhere in the period

Isa 56:3, 6: "the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD," said of outsiders who keep the Sabbath and hold to the covenant. Zech 2:11 (Heb 2:15): "many nations will join themselves to the LORD." Jer 50:5: Israel joining itself to the LORD in an everlasting covenant. Esth 9:27: "all who joined themselves to them," meaning non-Jews who took on Jewish practice. The Septuagint here uses prostithēmi, "to be added to."

From the study of Isaiah 56:3

Range of meaning

"To join oneself, attach oneself, be bound to" (BDB, HALOT). It is used of people allying with a group (Ps 83:8; Esth 9:27, "all who joined themselves to them") and of nations attaching themselves to YHWH (Isa 14:1; Zech 2:11 [Heb 2:15]; Jer 50:5, "let us join ourselves to YHWH in an everlasting covenant").

Against the English

"Joined himself" (BSB, KJV, WEB, ESV) is accurate. NIV's "bound to" and NLT's "commit themselves" catch the sense of commitment but lose some of the self-chosen, reflexive action.

Used elsewhere in the period

Gen 29:34 plays on the same root with the name Levi ("now my husband will be joined to me"). The LXX uses προσκείμενος ("attached to"). Later Jewish tradition read verses like this as being about converts (proselytes), but in Isaiah's time this was not yet a formal conversion procedure.

Where it appears

Genesis · 1

  1. Genesis 29:34 יִלָּוֶ֤ה he will join himself

    Once again Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.

Exodus · 1

  1. Exodus 22:25 תַּלְוֶ֣ה you will lend to

    If you lend money to one of My people among you who is poor, you must not act as a creditor to him; you are not to charge him interest.

    Here: Literally 'cause to borrow', so: you make a loan. The root lavah also means 'to join, attach', and some scholars suggest the picture of a loan as something that binds borrower to lender, though this is uncertain.

Numbers · 2

  1. Numbers 18:2 וְיִלָּו֥וּ so they may join themselves

    But bring with you also your brothers from the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may join you and assist you and your sons before the Tent of the Testimony.

  2. Numbers 18:4 וְנִלְו֣וּ and they will join themselves

    They are to join you and attend to the duties of the Tent of Meeting, doing all the work at the Tent; but no outsider may come near you.

Deuteronomy · 4

  1. Deuteronomy 28:12 וְהִלְוִ֙יתָ֙ תִלְוֶֽה׃ and you will lend to, you will borrow

    The LORD will open the heavens, His abundant storehouse, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations, but borrow from none.

    Here: "And you will lend." This is the verb 'borrow' in a form that means 'make someone borrow', so literally 'you will make many nations your borrowers.'

  2. Deuteronomy 28:44 יַלְוְךָ֔ תַלְוֶ֑נּוּ he will lend to you, you will lend to him

    He will lend to you, but you will not lend to him. He will be the head, and you will be the tail.

Nehemiah · 1

  1. Nehemiah 5:4 לָוִ֥ינוּ we have borrowed

    Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.

Esther · 1

  1. Esther 9:27 הַנִּלְוִ֤ים who joined themselves

    the Jews bound themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should not fail to celebrate these two days at the appointed time each and every year, according to their regulation.

Psalms · 4

  1. Psalm 37:21 לֹוֶ֣ה [is] borrowing

    The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving.

    Here: A participle, 'borrowing', describing what the wicked person habitually does. It stands first for emphasis: the picture opens with a man who has to take from others. The same root in another verb form means 'to lend' (v. 26), so the psalm sets borrower and lender against each other.

  2. Psalm 37:26 וּמַלְוֶ֑ה and [he is] lending

    They are ever generous and quick to lend, and their children are a blessing.

    Here: 'And lending', literally 'causing [others] to borrow'. In Israel's economy this meant giving an interest-free survival loan to a struggling neighbour. It was a form of charity, not a business deal.

  3. Psalm 83:8 נִלְוָ֣ה it has joined itself

    Even Assyria has joined them, lending strength to the sons of Lot. Selah

  4. Psalm 112:5 וּמַלְוֶ֑ה and [who] lends

    It is well with the man who is generous and lends freely, whose affairs are guided by justice.

    Here: Literally "causing to borrow", so lending. In Israel's law a loan to a needy fellow Israelite was to carry no interest, so this is an act of help, not an investment.

Proverbs · 3

  1. Proverbs 19:17 מַלְוֵ֣ה [is] lending to

    Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.

    Here: A participle meaning "one who lends", tied to the next word: "the lender of YHWH", the one who has made a loan to the LORD. It comes first in the sentence for emphasis, so the surprise lands at once: someone has lent to God.

  2. Proverbs 22:7 לֹ֝וֶ֗ה מַלְוֶֽה׃ a borrower, a lender

    The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.

    Here: 'A borrower,' a simple active participle: the one who receives a loan. In ancient Israel this was usually a farmer borrowing seed, grain or silver to get through a bad year. It was rarely borrowing for luxuries.

Ecclesiastes · 1

  1. Ecclesiastes 8:15 יִלְוֶ֣נּוּ it will accompany him

    So I commended the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be merry. For this joy will accompany him in his labor during the days of his life that God gives him under the sun.

    Here: "It will join him" or "attach itself to him". Joy is pictured as a companion who goes along with him. The verb is the one behind the name Levi ('joined', Gen 29:34).

Isaiah · 5

  1. Isaiah 14:1 וְנִלְוָ֤ה and he will join himself

    For the LORD will have compassion on Jacob; once again He will choose Israel and settle them in their own land. The foreigner will join them and unite with the house of Jacob.

    Here: A reflexive form: the foreigner attaches himself by his own choice. The same verb is used of foreigners who "join themselves to the LORD" in Isaiah 56:3, 6.

  2. Isaiah 24:2 כַּמַּלְוֶה֙ כַּלֹּוֶ֔ה as the lender, as the borrower

    people and priest alike, servant and master, maid and mistress, buyer and seller, lender and borrower, creditor and debtor.

  3. Isaiah 56:3 הַנִּלְוָ֤ה who <he> has joined himself

    Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will utterly exclude me from His people.” And let the eunuch not say, “I am but a dry tree.”

    Here: A reflexive past-tense verb with "the" attached, which here works as "who has": "the one who has attached himself". He has already bound himself to YHWH by his own choice. His membership is not in doubt from his side.

  4. Isaiah 56:6 הַנִּלְוִ֤ים who join themselves

    And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD to minister to Him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be His servants—all who keep the Sabbath without profaning it and who hold fast to My covenant—

    Here: A reflexive participle, 'those attaching themselves'. The foreigners take the step and bind themselves to Israel's God. The verb echoes the name Levi (Genesis 29:34), which suits the priestly 'minister' that follows.

Jeremiah · 1

  1. Jeremiah 50:5 וְנִלְו֣וּ and they will join themselves

    They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and join themselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten.

    Here: 'And they will join themselves.' The verb form has them binding themselves to YHWH by their own act. The same verb is used for people attaching themselves to Israel's God (Isa 56:3, 6; Zech 2:11).

Daniel · 1

  1. Daniel 11:34 וְנִלְו֧וּ and they will join themselves

    Now when they fall, they will be granted a little help, but many will join them insincerely.

Zechariah · 1

  1. Zechariah 2:11 וְנִלְווּ֩ and they will join themselves

    “On that day many nations will join themselves to the LORD, and they will become My people. I will dwell among you, and you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent Me to you.

    Here: The verb form means the nations attach themselves; it is their own act, not something done to them. They bind themselves to Israel's God the way a dependant or ally attaches to a household. The 'and' plus perfect-tense form looks forward: 'and they will join.'

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.