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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1"/><title>Strong's Hebrew: 3884. לוּלֵא (luwle') -- "if not," "unless"</title></title><link rel="canonical" href="http://biblehub.com/hebrew/3884.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/strongsnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-LR4HSKRP2H"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-LR4HSKRP2H'); </script><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="/interlinear/vmenus/genesis/43-10.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/bmstrongs/hebrew/3884.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="/">Bible</a> > <a href="/strongs.htm">Strong's</a> > <a href="/englishmans_hebrew.htm">Hebrew</a> > 3884</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../hebrew/3883.htm" title="3883">◄</a> 3884. luwle' <a href="../hebrew/3884a.htm" title="3884a">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Strong's Lexicon</div><div align="left"><span class="toptitle2">luwle': "if not," "unless"</span></div><p><span class="tophdg">Original Word: </span><span class="hebrew">לוּלֵא</span><br><span class="tophdg">Part of Speech: </span>Preposition; Conjunction<br><span class="tophdg">Transliteration: </span>luwle'<br><span class="tophdg">Pronunciation: </span>loo-LAY<br><span class="tophdg">Phonetic Spelling: </span>(loo-lay')<br><span class="tophdg">Definition: </span>"if not," "unless"<br><span class="tophdg">Meaning: </span>if not<p><span class="tophdg">Word Origin: </span>Derived from a combination of the Hebrew preposition לּוּ (lu) meaning "if" and the negative particle לֹא (lo) meaning "not."<p><span class="tophdg">Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: </span>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."<p><span class="tophdg">Usage: </span>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.<p><span class="tophdg">Cultural and Historical Background: </span>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.<div class="vheading2">Brown-Driver-Briggs</div> <font class="hebrew2">לוּלֵא</font> <a href="/interlinear/genesis/43-10.htm">Genesis 43:10</a>; <a href="/interlinear/judges/14-18.htm">Judges 14:18</a>; <a href="/interlinear/2_samuel/2-27.htm">2 Samuel 2:27</a>; <a href="/interlinear/psalms/27-13.htm">Psalm 27:13</a>, elsewhere <font class="hebrew2">לוּלֵי</font><sub>10</sub> <font size="+1"><b>if not, unless</b></font> (from <font class="hebrew2">לוּ</font> <em>if</em>, and <font class="hebrew2">לֵא</font>, by dissimilation (Kö<sup>ii. 236, 489</sup>) for <font class="hebrew2">לֹא</font> <em>not</em>; compare Arabic <img src="/bdbgif/bdb053003.gif">), the negative of <font class="hebrew2">לוּ</font>, and used similarly: — <p><font size="+1" color="#552200"><b>a.</b></font> followed by perfect, <a href="/interlinear/judges/14-18.htm">Judges 14:18</a> <font class="hebrew2">לולא</font> <font class="hebrew2">חרשׁתם ֗֗֗ לא מצאתם</font> <em>unless</em> ye had ploughed with my heifer, ye would not have found out my riddle, <a href="/interlinear/1_samuel/25-34.htm">1 Samuel 25:34</a> (second <font class="hebrew2">כי</font> resumptive: <font class="hebrew2">כִּי</font> <font size="+1" color="#552200"><b>1d</b></font>), <a href="/interlinear/psalms/106-23.htm">Psalm 106:23</a>; with apod, introd. by <font class="hebrew2">כִּי עַתָּה</font> <a href="/interlinear/genesis/31-42.htm">Genesis 31:42</a>; <a href="/interlinear/genesis/43-10.htm">Genesis 43:10</a>; by <font class="hebrew2">אָז</font> <a href="/interlinear/2_samuel/2-27.htm">2 Samuel 2:27</a> (<font class="hebrew2">כי</font> resumptive); by <font class="hebrew2">כִּמְעַט</font> <a href="/interlinear/isaiah/1-9.htm">Isaiah 1:9</a>; with an aposiop. <a href="/interlinear/psalms/27-13.htm">Psalm 27:13</a> <em>if I had not believed ...!</em> <p><font size="+1" color="#552200"><b>b.</b></font> followed by imperfect <a href="/interlinear/deuteronomy/32-27.htm">Deuteronomy 32:27</a> <font class="hebrew2">אמרתי ֗֗֗ לולי אגור</font> I should have said, &c . . . . <em>except</em> I dreaded, &c. <p><font size="+1" color="#552200"><b>c.</b></font> followed by participle, <a href="/interlinear/2_kings/3-14.htm">2 Kings 3:14</a>. <p><font size="+1" color="#552200"><b>d.</b></font> <font size="+1"><b>without a verb</b></font>, <a href="/interlinear/psalms/94-17.htm">Psalm 94:17</a> (apodosis <font class="hebrew2">כמעט</font>), <a href="/interlinear/psalms/119-92.htm">Psalm 119:92</a> (apodosis <font class="hebrew2">אָז</font>). In the later language, <a href="/interlinear/psalms/124-1.htm">Psalm 124:1</a>; <a href="/interlinear/psalms/124-2.htm">Psalm 124:2</a> -<font class="hebrew2">שֶׁ</font> <font class="hebrew2">׳</font><font class="hebrew2">לוּלֵי י</font> (apodosis <font class="hebrew2">אֲזַי</font> <em>except that ...</em> (compare Aramaic, <img src="/bdbgif/bdb053004.gif"> <a href="/interlinear/psalms/106-23.htm">Psalm 106:23</a>, <font class="hebrew2">אִילּוּלֵי ֗֗֗ דִּי</font> <a href="/interlinear/psalms/27-13.htm">Psalm 27:13</a> <font class="hebrew2">ᵑ7</font>). — Read also <font class="hebrew2">לוּלֵי</font> for <font class="hebrew2">אוּלַי</font> in <a href="/interlinear/numbers/22-33.htm">Numbers 22:33</a> (apodosis <font class="hebrew2">כִּי עַתָּה</font>). See further on <font class="hebrew2">לוּ</font> and <font class="hebrew2">לוּלֵא</font> Dr<sup>§§ 139-145</sup> Kö<sup>iii. 487f; 565</sup>. <br><br><iframe width="100%" height="85" scrolling=no src="/bsoft2.htm" frameborder=0 cellpadding=0></iframe><div class="vheading2">Strong's Exhaustive Concordance</div>except, had not, if <p>Or luwley {loo lay'}; from <a href="/hebrew/3863.htm">luw'</a> and <a href="/hebrew/3808.htm">lo'</a>; if not -- except, had not, if (...not), unless, were it not that. <p>see HEBREW <a href="/hebrew/3863.htm">luw'</a> <p>see HEBREW <a href="/hebrew/3808.htm">lo'</a> <div class="vheading2">Forms and Transliterations</div>לׅׄוּלֵׅ֗ׄאׅׄ לוּלֵ֖א לוּלֵ֗י לוּלֵ֛י לוּלֵ֡י לוּלֵ֣א לוּלֵ֣י לוּלֵא֙ לוּלֵי֙ לולא לולי lū·lê luLe lūlê luLei<div class="vheading2">Links</div><a href="/interlinear/matthew/1-1.htm">Interlinear Greek</a> • <a href="/interlinear/genesis/1-1.htm">Interlinear Hebrew</a> • <a href="/strongs.htm">Strong's Numbers</a> • <a href="/englishmans_greek.htm">Englishman's Greek Concordance</a> • <a href="/englishmans_hebrew.htm">Englishman's Hebrew Concordance</a> • <a href="/texts/matthew/1-1.htm">Parallel Texts</a></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><div class="vheading">Englishman's Concordance</div><b><a href="/text/genesis/31-42.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">Genesis 31:42</a> </b><br><a href="/interlinear/genesis/31.htm" title="Hebrew">HEB:</a> <span class="hebrew3"> <b> לוּלֵ֡י </b> אֱלֹהֵ֣י אָבִי֩</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/genesis/31.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> <span class="itali">If</span> the God of my father,<br><a href="/kjvs/genesis/31.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> <span class="itali">Except</span> the God of my father,<br><a href="/interlinear/genesis/31-42.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> <span class="itali">If</span> the God of my father<p><b><a href="/text/genesis/43-10.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">Genesis 43:10</a> </b><br><a href="/interlinear/genesis/43.htm" title="Hebrew">HEB:</a> <span class="hebrew3"> כִּ֖י <b> לוּלֵ֣א </b> הִתְמַהְמָ֑הְנוּ כִּֽי־</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/genesis/43.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> <span class="itali">For if</span> we had not delayed, surely<br><a href="/kjvs/genesis/43.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> <span class="itali">For except</span> we had lingered,<br><a href="/interlinear/genesis/43-10.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> surely <span class="itali">if</span> delayed surely<p><b><a href="/text/deuteronomy/32-27.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">Deuteronomy 32:27</a> </b><br><a href="/interlinear/deuteronomy/32.htm" title="Hebrew">HEB:</a> <span class="hebrew3"> <b> לוּלֵ֗י </b> כַּ֤עַס אוֹיֵב֙</span><br><a href="/kjvs/deuteronomy/32.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> <span class="itali">Were it not</span> that I feared the wrath<br><a href="/interlinear/deuteronomy/32-27.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> <span class="itali">not</span> the provocation of the enemy<p><b><a href="/text/judges/14-18.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">Judges 14:18</a> </b><br><a href="/interlinear/judges/14.htm" title="Hebrew">HEB:</a> <span class="hebrew3">וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ם <b> לוּלֵא֙ </b> חֲרַשְׁתֶּ֣ם בְּעֶגְלָתִ֔י</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/judges/14.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> And he said <span class="itali">to them, If</span> you had not plowed<br><a href="/kjvs/judges/14.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> And he said <span class="itali">unto them, If</span> ye had not plowed<br><a href="/interlinear/judges/14-18.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> lion said <span class="itali">If</span> plowed my heifer<p><b><a href="/text/1_samuel/25-34.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">1 Samuel 25:34</a> </b><br><a href="/interlinear/1_samuel/25.htm" title="Hebrew">HEB:</a> <span class="hebrew3">אֹתָ֑ךְ כִּ֣י ׀ <b> לוּלֵ֣י </b> מִהַ֗רְתְּ [וַתָּבֹאתִי</span><br><a href="/kjvs/1_samuel/25.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> from hurting <span class="itali">thee, except</span> thou hadst hasted<br><a href="/interlinear/1_samuel/25-34.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> harming thee <span class="itali">except</span> quickly abide<p><b><a href="/text/2_samuel/2-27.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">2 Samuel 2:27</a> </b><br><a href="/interlinear/2_samuel/2.htm" title="Hebrew">HEB:</a> <span class="hebrew3">הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים כִּ֥י <b> לוּלֵ֖א </b> דִּבַּ֑רְתָּ כִּ֣י</span><br><a href="/kjvs/2_samuel/2.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> liveth, <span class="itali">unless</span> thou hadst spoken,<br><a href="/interlinear/2_samuel/2-27.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> God surely <span class="itali">unless</span> spoken surely<p><b><a href="/text/2_kings/3-14.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">2 Kings 3:14</a> </b><br><a href="/interlinear/2_kings/3.htm" title="Hebrew">HEB:</a> <span class="hebrew3">לְפָנָ֔יו כִּ֗י <b> לוּלֵ֛י </b> פְּנֵ֛י יְהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט</span><br><a href="/kjvs/2_kings/3.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> whom I stand, <span class="itali">surely, were it not that</span> I regard<br><a href="/interlinear/2_kings/3-14.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> before for <span class="itali">that</span> the presence of Jehoshaphat<p><b><a href="/text/psalms/27-13.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">Psalm 27:13</a> </b><br><a href="/interlinear/psalms/27.htm" title="Hebrew">HEB:</a> <span class="hebrew3"> <b> לׅׄוּלֵׅ֗ׄאׅׄ </b> הֶ֭אֱמַנְתִּי לִרְא֥וֹת</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/psalms/27.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> <span class="itali">[I would have despaired] unless</span> I had believed<br><a href="/kjvs/psalms/27.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> <span class="itali">[I had fainted], unless</span> I had believed<br><a href="/interlinear/psalms/27-13.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> <span class="itali">unless</span> had believed see<p><b><a href="/text/psalms/94-17.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">Psalm 94:17</a> </b><br><a href="/interlinear/psalms/94.htm" title="Hebrew">HEB:</a> <span class="hebrew3"> <b> לוּלֵ֣י </b> יְ֭הוָה עֶזְרָ֣תָה</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/psalms/94.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> <span class="itali">If</span> the LORD had not been<br><a href="/kjvs/psalms/94.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> <span class="itali">Unless</span> the LORD [had been] my help,<br><a href="/interlinear/psalms/94-17.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> <span class="itali">If</span> the LORD my help<p><b><a href="/text/psalms/106-23.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">Psalm 106:23</a> </b><br><a href="/interlinear/psalms/106.htm" title="Hebrew">HEB:</a> <span class="hebrew3">וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לְֽהַשְׁמִ֫ידָ֥ם <b> לוּלֵ֡י </b> מֹ֘שֶׁ֤ה בְחִיר֗וֹ</span><br><a href="/kjvs/psalms/106.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> that he would destroy <span class="itali">them, had not</span> Moses<br><a href="/interlinear/psalms/106-23.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> said destroy <span class="itali">had not</span> Moses his chosen<p><b><a href="/text/psalms/119-92.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">Psalm 119:92</a> </b><br><a href="/interlinear/psalms/119.htm" title="Hebrew">HEB:</a> <span class="hebrew3"> <b> לוּלֵ֣י </b> ת֭וֹרָתְךָ שַׁעֲשֻׁעָ֑י</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/psalms/119.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> <span class="itali">If</span> Your law had not been my delight,<br><a href="/kjvs/psalms/119.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> <span class="itali">Unless</span> thy law [had been] my delights,<br><a href="/interlinear/psalms/119-92.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> <span class="itali">If</span> your law been my delight<p><b><a href="/text/psalms/124-1.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">Psalm 124:1</a> </b><br><a href="/interlinear/psalms/124.htm" title="Hebrew">HEB:</a> <span class="hebrew3">הַֽמַּעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד <b> לוּלֵ֣י </b> יְ֭הוָה שֶׁהָ֣יָה</span><br><a href="/kjvs/psalms/124.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> <span class="itali">If</span> [it had not been] the LORD<br><a href="/interlinear/psalms/124-1.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> of degrees of David <span class="itali">If</span> the LORD been<p><b><a href="/text/psalms/124-2.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">Psalm 124:2</a> </b><br><a href="/interlinear/psalms/124.htm" title="Hebrew">HEB:</a> <span class="hebrew3"> <b> לוּלֵ֣י </b> יְ֭הוָה שֶׁהָ֣יָה</span><br><a href="/kjvs/psalms/124.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> <span class="itali">If</span> [it had not been] the LORD<br><a href="/interlinear/psalms/124-2.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> <span class="itali">If</span> the LORD been<p><b><a href="/text/isaiah/1-9.htm" title="Biblos Lexicon">Isaiah 1:9</a> </b><br><a href="/interlinear/isaiah/1.htm" title="Hebrew">HEB:</a> <span class="hebrew3"> <b> לוּלֵי֙ </b> יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת</span><br><a href="http://biblehub.com/nas/isaiah/1.htm" title="New American Standard Bible">NAS:</a> <span class="itali">Unless</span> the LORD of hosts<br><a href="/kjvs/isaiah/1.htm" title="King James Bible with Strong's">KJV:</a> <span class="itali">Except</span> the LORD of hosts<br><a href="/interlinear/isaiah/1-9.htm" title="Biblos Interlinear Bible">INT:</a> <span class="itali">Unless</span> the LORD of hosts<p><i><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3884.htm">14 Occurrences</a></i><br /><br /><b><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3884.htm">Strong's Hebrew 3884<br>14 Occurrences</a></b><br><br><a href="/hebrew/lule_3884.htm">lū·lê — 4 Occ.</a><br><a href="/hebrew/lulei_3884.htm">lū·lê — 10 Occ.</a><br></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table 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