BDB, לְ

לְ prep. to, for, in regard to (Moab. Ph. ל, Aramaic לְ, ܠ, Arabic لِ, Ethiopic ለ: Assyrian la in lapân = לִפְנֵי, Dl^{HWB 530}), before tone-syllables usually לָ (Kö^{ii. 276 f.}); with suff. לִי; לְךָ, לְכָה †Gn 27:37 2 S 18:20 Is 3:6, לָ֑ךְ; f. לָךְ, לֵכִי †2 K 4:2 Ct 2:13 Kt (prob. N. Pal. dialect: cf. Syriac ܠܶܟܝ); לוֹ (15 times, according to Mas., written incorrectly לֹא: v לֹא note); לָהּ, לָחֿ †Nu 32:42 Zc 5:11 Ru 2:14; לָ֫נוּ; לָכֶם; לָכֶ֫נָה †Ez 13:18 (לָכֶן does not occur); לָהֶם, poet. לָ֫מוֹ (55 times, incl. a few cases where, according to many, it stands for לוֹ: cf. Ges^{§ 103, 2 a, n.}. Di Is 44:15, 53:8), [also לָהֵ֫מָּה † Je 14:16]; לָהֶן [לָהֵן (q.v.) †Ru 1:13^(×2), לָהֵ֫נָּה 5 times, v הֵמָּה]. Prep. denoting direction (not properly motion, as אֶל) towards, or reference to; and hence used in many varied applications, in some of which the idea of direction predominates, in others that of reference (cf. Giesebrecht ^{Die Präp. Lamed, 1876}):—
1. very often, with various classes of verbs, to, towards, for: viz. a. verbs of looking, listening, attending, waiting, etc., as האמין, התחֹלל, יחל, הוחיל, נככף, כלה (ψ 84:3 +), הטה אזן, לב (שׁת, הכין, נטה) נתן, קִיָּה, הקשׁיב, שׁמע (sometimes), צמא to thirst for (Ex 17:3 ψ 42:3), השׁתחוה (to Gn 37:10, towards ψ 99:5); sometimes also with האזין, הביט, נִבַּט, ראה, נפשׁ, נשׂא (see these verbs; many are also construed with other preps.); Is 51:6 ψ 44:21; pregn. Is 38:14; השׁתאה ל †Gn 24:21, החרישׁ ל Nu 30:5, 8: sometimes without a vb., as Ju 5:9 לִבִּי לְ, Je 5:3 עיניך ל, ψ 33:18 (‖ אל), 39:8 תוחלתי לך היא, 120:7 המה למלחמה, 130:6 נפשׁי לאדני (cf. Is 26:8), 143:6 Dn 11:27 2 Ch 3:13; 32:2. b. with verbs of saying, calling, singing, vowing, sacrificing, etc., as אמר, דבר (chiefly with God as subj. = promise, Gn 24:7 1 K 5:26 +, especially in D כאשׁר דבר לְ Dt 1:11 (v. Dr), v 21 etc.; with human subj. Gn 49:28 Ju 14:7 1 K 2:19 al. (Gie42 f.: דבר אל is more common), זבח, זמּר, הודה, הגיד, נדר, נשׂא יד (in oath) Ez 20:5, 6, 23 ψ 106:26, קִטֵּר, הריע, נשׁבע, שָׁר etc. c. with vbs. of giving, leaving, bringing, offering etc., as הביא, הִפִּיל allot (Jos 13:6), נתן, הסגור, עזב ψ 16:9 abandon to Sheol, Is 18:6, הקריב Lv 17:4, שׁוב = to be returned Dt 28:31, השׁיב = bring back 22:1, = requite 2 S 16:12, שִׁלַּח, etc. d. with vbs. of dealing, acting towards (whether with friendly or hostile intent), as עשׂה ל Gn 19:8 + often, גמל ל Is 3:9; so with הֵייטִב, הֵרַע, הֵמַר, חָטָא to sin against (Gn 20:9 +), אָשָׁם to be guilty towards (Lv 5:19), שִׁקֵּר, כִּחֵשׁ to lie to, כִּזֵּב; with vbs. of mocking or laughing, against, at, as לעג לְ ψ 2:4, שׂחק לְ 37:13, שׂמח לְ to rejoice over 35:19 Ez 35:15, caus. שִׂמַּח לְ ψ 30:2, עלץ לְ † 25:2: with other verbs denoting hostility (less common than ב or על), Gn 27:42 מתנחם לך להרגך, 2 K 5:7, Ex 11:7 (so Jos 10:21: cf. Jb 16:9), Je 25:31; 50:9 ψ 7:14; 37:12; 56:3; 106:16 קנא לְ (usually in good sense, 5 g c) Jb 20:27; 34:37. And with adj., as ψ 73:1 טוב ל good to, Gn 13:13 רָעִים וְחַטָּאִים לי׳ towards י׳, 2 S 22:24 תָּמִים לוֹ (‖ ψ 18:24 עִמּוֹ), ψ 89:29 נֶאֱמֶנֶת לוֹ; with subst. (rare) Ex 32:12; La 3:60 (syn. v 61 על). e. with words denoting what is pleasurable or the reverse, as נעם לְ 2 S 1:26, ערב ל Ho 9:4, יֵמַר לְ Is 24:7, טוֹב לְ (adj.) 1 S 1:8, נָקֵל לְ 2 K 20:10, also הועיל ל, סכן ל, to be profitable to; and with neuter vbs., to denote the subj. of a sensation or emotion, as טוֹב לְ to be well to (with), Dt 5:30; 19:13 +, מַר לְ Ru 1:13, צַר לְ 1 S 13:6 + often, כְּרֹב לְ Ho 10:1, רָוַח לְ 1 S 16:23, חַם לְ to be warm to, 1 K 1:1, רַע לְ ψ 106:32, חָרָה לְ it was hot (= anger arose) to Gn 4:6 + often, חָֽשְׁכָה לְ Mi 3:6. And with pass. vbs., נִסְלַח לוֹ it is forgiven to him = he is forgiven Lv 4:26 + often; otherwise rare, נִרְצָה לְ 1:4, נִרְפָּא לָנוּ it is healed to us = we are healed Is 53:5, הוּנַח ל La 5:5, יְבֻלַּע לְ 2 S 17:16 (v. Dr) f. with verbs of reaching to, touching, attaching etc., as אסר ל to bind to, חבשׁ, דבק ψ 44:26, מצא to reach to Is 10:10, 14 ψ 21:9, הגיע Ex 4:25, נצמד Nu 25:5, קרוב (adj.) Ru 2:20; out of connexion with a vb. (almost = עַד), Jos 16:1 ψ 59:14 Jb 28:3 Ne 3:15 2 Ch 33:14, and correl. to מִן (v מִן 5). g. with vbs. of motion, as הלך, בא, שָׁב etc. (not so common as אל, or the simple acc. with or without ה loc.)—(a) with places, rare in early prose, Jos 1:15; 8:14 Ju 1:34; 20:10 (but v GFM), 1 S 9:12; 20:25 2 K 3:27, except in partic. phrases, viz. למקומו Gn 18:33, לדרכו 32:2, לאהליו 1 S 4:10 (also with other sfs.: all these + often, especially with שׁוב and הלך, or preceded by distrib. אישׁ; לאהליו(ך), also, without vb., as exclam., 2 S 20:1 1 K 12:16), לארצו Gn 30:25 +, אִישׁ לִירֻשָּׁתוֹ Dt 3:20, אישׁ לנחלתו Jos 24:28 +, אישׁ לעירו 1 S 8:22; Ne 13:10: often in late Heb., as Jb 4:5, 1 Ch 4:39, 42; 5:26; 12:1, 9; 22:18; 24:19; 2 Ch 1:3; 8:17 + often Chr, Ezr 2:68 +, Ne 10:35 ff. Est 6:4 ψ 96:8; 132:7; 146:4: לירושׁלם Je 3:17b (om. 𝔊), Zc 1:16, and often Ch Ezr Ne (as 2 Ch 11:14; 19:1; 30:3, 11), לשׁמרון 2 Ch 18:2; 28:8, 9, לבבל Je 51:2; Ezr 2:1; 1 Ch 9:1; 2 Ch 36:7 (but earlier always ירושׁלם, שׁמרון, בבל or בבלה); and poet. Ju 5:11; Is 22:1; 23:17; 49:18; 51:14 (pregn.) ימות לשׁחת, 59:20; 60:4, 5, 7; 65:12; Je 31:17; 48:15; 50:27; Mi 1:12; Zc 9:12 ψ 7:8; 68:19; 74:3 Ct 4:16; 5:1; 6:2; 7:13 (pregn.) נשׁכימה לכרמים, Jb 10:9; 20:6; הוציא לְ ψ 18:20; 66:12, לאור Mi 7:9; Jb 12:22; יוּבַל ל Ho 10:6 +: without a vb., Is 23:5; Ho 7:12. Also לָאָרֶץ, with many vbs., both in sense down to the earth, Is 14:12; 21:9; 28:2; Am 3:14; 5:7; Ez 26:11 ψ 7:6 +, c. חִלֵּל (pregn) 74:7; 89:40, and idiom. c. ישׁב to sit on the earth, Is 3:26; 47:1; Jb 2:13 +, without vb. Is 26:9: so לַעָפָר Jb 7:21 ψ 7:6, הוריד לשׁחת Ez 28:8. (b) with persons, not very common, Dt 32:35; Is 31:6; 57:9; Je 3:22 אָתָנוּ לָ֑ךְ, ψ 45:15; 119:79; Jb 18:14; 1 Ch 12:16; Ne 6:19, לְעֲמִּי Nu 24:14; Ru 1:10: בא לְ, especially with pron. לְךָ, לָהּ etc. (friendly) 2 S 12:4; Zc 9:9 Am 6:1, (hostile) 2 S 5:23; Je 46:22; 49:9; 50:26; 51:48, 53; with a thing as subj. Dt 33:16 (לראשׁ), 2 S 24:13 Is 47:9; Jb 3:25 (cf. Is 66:4), Je 4:12; 22:23 בְּבֹא לָךְ חֲבָלִים (so Ho 13:13; Is 66:7). And with vbs. of placing (where עַל would be more usually) ψ 21:4 תָּשִׁית לְרֹאשׁוֹ עֲטֶרֶת פָּז, 22:16; 66:12, with לְכִסֵּא ψ 9:5; 132:11, 12 Jb 36:7: cf. נָפַל לְאַפָּיו, הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה, Gn 48:12 + (also עַל א׳) h. expressing direction towards (without contact), לאחור backwards Je 7:24, לַחוּץ outwards ψ 41:7, למעלה upwards, למטה downwards; to scatter לכל רוח Je 49:32 cf. v 36 Ez 5:10 +, (שׁמים) לארבע רוחות Ez 42:20; Dn 8:8; 11:4; 1 Ch 9:24: of the points of the compass (without vb.) לִפְאַת … towards the quarter of (the N., S., etc.) Ex 26:18 + often P (so Ez 47:15), לדרום, למזרח etc. (late: earlier ממזרח, or מזרחה etc.) Ez 40:23; 41:11, 14; 42:4; Ne 3:26; 1 Ch 5:9; 6:63; 7:28; 12:15; 26:16–18; 2 Ch 31:14, למדבר 2 Ch 20:24; also (peculiarly) 1 S 14:40 1 K 20:38; 2 K 11:11. i. expressing addition (rare); Is 28:10, 13 צַו לָצַו קַו לָקַו, 56:8 (resuming על), Ec 7:27 אחת לאחת (adding) one to another, Ezr 8:24; Ne 11:17 (על is more usual in this sense).
2. Expressing locality, at, near, idiom. in phrases לִפְנֵי = before (sometimes after vbs. of motion, as 1 K 1:23, but very often otherwise Is 10:28), לְעֵינֵי in the sight of, לְיַד, לִימִין, לִשְׂמֹאל (only Ec 10:2), לפתח at the entrance (of), Gn 4:7; Nu 11:10 +; in other, rarer connexions, Nu 20:24 לְמֵי … (usually על), Ju 5:16 (‖ v 15 ב), לְחוֹף †Gn 49:13^(×2); Ju 5:17, לְפִי † ψ 141:7 Pr 8:3, Ho 5:1 לְמִצְפָּה, 2 Ch 35:15. לִפְנִימָה = within, 1 K 6:30; Ez 40:16.
3. To denote the object of a vb.— a. with the Hif., mostly of intrans. vbs., properly (as it seems) a dat. commodi, as הֵנִיחַ לְ to give rest to, הִרְחִיב to give width to, הֵצַר לְ, הֵצִיק לְ, exceptionally also with other words, as הִרְגִּיז, הוֹכִיחַ, הִצְדִּיק to give righteousness to, Is 53:11, הֶחֱיָה Gn 45:7, הֵבִין give understanding to (late), הִצְלִיחַ (do.), הִרְבָּה Ho 10:1, הִשְׂגִּיא Jb 12:23, הִפְתָּח Gn 9:27 give breadth to. b. with other vbs., sporadically early (if the text be sound), but mostly late, in conseq. of Aramaic influence (in Aramaic the accus. being constantly denoted by ל), as אהב Lv 19:18, 34; 2 Ch 19:2, הרג 2 S 3:30; Jb 5:2, בוּז (mostly), בזה 2 S 6:16, sometimes also זכר to remember, עבד to serve (work or do service for), עזר (2 S 8:5, and especially late), דרשׁ (especially Chr), הִלֵּל (only Chr Ezr), רפא (prob. the dat. comm.), שִׁחֵת 1 S 23:10; Nu 32:15, נִדָּה Am 6:3, גִּדֵּל ψ 34:4, פִּתַּח 116:16, כִּבֵּד 86:9; Dn 11:38, חִזַּק 1 Ch 26:27; 29:12, בֵּרַךְ 29:20; Ne 11:2, חֵרֵף 2 Ch 32:17; see also 1 S 22:7; 2 K 8:6; Je 16:6; 40:2; Jon 4:6 ψ 69:6; 73:18; 135:11; 136:19, 20; Pr 17:26; Jb 12:23b; La 4:5; 1 Ch 16:37; 18:6 (הושׁיע, altered from 2 S 8:6: so ψ 116:6), 25:1; 29:22^(×2); 2 Ch 5:11; 6:42; 17:7; 24:5; 34:13 (usually על, Ezr 8:16; at the end of an enumeration, 1 Ch 28:1b; 2 Ch 24:12b; 26:14b; 28:23; marking the defin.obj.in appos., 1 Ch 29:18; 2 Ch 2:12; 23:1 ψ 135:11; 136:19, 20 (= earlier את, Gn 26:34; Ju 3:15; Is 7:6; 8:2); after a sf. (in Syriac fahion), 1 Ch 5:26 וַיַּגְלֵם ל׳, 23:6; 2 Ch 25:5, 10; 28:15, cf. Ne 9:32; defining anom. the sf. of a noun, Nu 29:18, 21, 24 etc. 1 Ch 7:5 הִתְיַחֲשָׂם לַכֹּל, 2 Ch 31:16, 18 Ezr 9:1; 10:14. (But in sentences of the type אֵין דּוֹרֵשׁ לְנַפְשִׁי ψ 142:5b; 72:12; Is 51:18; Je 14:16; 49:5 La 1:7, 9, 17, 21, the ל belongs prob. to אין: cf. the ‖ types אֵון לִי מַכִּיר ψ 142:5a Dt 28:31; Je 50:32; La 1:2, דֹּרֵשׁ אֵין לָהּ Je 30:17; La 4:4.) Cf. Ges^{§ 117 n}.
4. Into (εἰς), of a transition into a new state or condition, or into a new character or office:— a. Gn 2:22 וַיִּבֶן אֶת־הַצֵּלָע לְאִשָּׁה into a woman, 12:2 וְאֶעֶשְׂךָ לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל into a great nation, and very often with this and similar verbs, as Ex 26:7; 32:10; Is 44:17, 19, שָׂם Gn 46:3; Is 5:20 make bitter into sweet etc., 28:17, נָתַן 42:6, also in such phrases as שָׂם לְשַׁמָּה to make into a desolation Is 13:9; Je 4:7 etc. 19:8; הפך ל to change into Ex 7:15; Dt 23:6 +, to cut or divide into Gn 32:8; Ju 19:29; Is 11:15 +, שָׂרַף לְ to burn into Am 2:1, Dt 9:21 דַּק לְעָפָר, פעל ψ 7:14 maketh into (or to be) flaming ones; היה ל to become, in many diff. connexions, as Gn 2:7 ויהי האדם לנפשׁ חיה became a living soul (see היה II. 2 e, p. 226 a); (לנגיד) משׁח למלך to anoint so as to be king, as king (Germ. ‘zum König’: cf. Old Engl. to, as Ju 17:13 and ‘We have Abraham to our father’), 1 S 9:15; 15:1 etc., צִוָּה לְ to appoint as 13:14; 25:30; שׁת לְ ψ 45:17; even more freely, as דִּבֶּר עָלַי לְמֶלֶךְ 1 K 14:2, cf. 2 S 3:17 1 Ch 29:23; חשׁב ל to count for (or as) Gn 38:15 + often; Ex 21:7 when a man sells his daughter לְאָמָה for, as, a female slave, Dt 6:8 to bind לְאוֹת for, as a sign, הִתְיַצֵּב לְשָׂטָן (יָצָא) so as to be an adversary Nu 22:22, 32, לְאֹרֵב (הקים) קום 1 S 22:8, 13, עמד לֵ Is 11:10; Du 11:1, יצא לַחָפְשִׁי to go forth into the state of one free Ex 21:2 (cf. v 26, 27 after שׁלח), 2 K 25:12; Is 14:2; Je 34:11, ψ 48·4; נודע לְ hath made himself known as, 87:4 הזכיר לְ to mention as, Ez 13:20; poet. Jb 39:16 הִקְשִׁיחַ בָּנֶיהָ לְלֹא־לָהּ treats her young ones hardly (turning them) into none of hers: without a vb. (poet., or late prose) Mi 1:14; Na 1:7; Hb 1:11 זוֹ כֹחוֹ לֵאלֹהוֹ, Zc 4:7 La 4:3; Jb 13:12; Hg 1:9; 1 Ch 21:12; 26:29; 28:18b 2 Ch 23:4. b. this usage is also combined idiomatically, with great freq., with a 2nd לְ, of reference (5 a d), giving rise to such phrases as Gn 1:29 לָכֶם יִהְיֶה לְאָכְלָה to you it shall be for food (see היה II 2 f, p. 226 b), 45:8 וַיְשִׂימֵנִי לְאָב לְפַרְעֹה, 47:26 Dt 28:9, 25 Ju 1:33; 1 S 2:28; Is 21:4; 28:18b וִהְיִיתֶם לוֹ לְמִרְמָס, 49:5 יֹצְרִי מִבֶּטֶן לְעֶבֶד לוֹ, 63:8, 10 וַיֵּהָפֵךְ לָהֶם לְאוֹיֵב (Jb 30:21), Je 15:4, 20; 20:4; 21:9 Hb 2:7 ψ 33:12; 94:22; 132:13; 139:22; Jb 13:24 ותחשׂבני לאויב לך, 16:12 etc.
5. With reference to, viz. a. defining those in reference to whom a predicate is affirmed, hence often = belonging to, of: (a) Dt 23:3 דור עשׂירי לא יבא לו, v 4, 9 La 1:10; הכרית לְ 1 S 2:33; 1 K 14:10 +; השׁבית לְ Je 48:35; לֹא יִכָּרֵת אִישׂ לְ 1 K 2:4; 8:25 +; 1 S 25:34 אִם נוֹתַר לְ, Gn 17:10 המול לכם כל זכר, 34:15, 22; Ex 12:48; 1 S 11:2; 1 K 14:13; ישׁב על כסא לְ 2 K 10:30; 15:12 Je 13:^(×2); 22:4 ψ 132:12; cf. v 11; ראה בנים לְ Gn 50:23; ψ 128:6; אבד לְ to perish belonging to 1 S 9:3, 20; Is 26:14; מצא לְ to find belonging to Dt 22:14; 1 S 13:22; Gn 23:16 money עֹבֵר לַסֹּחֵר current to (= with) the merchant, Nu 9:10; Am 9:1; Is 33:14; Jb 12:6: note further the pron. in Ex 10:5 הַצֹּמֵחַ לכם מן השׂדה, 12:2, 5; 26:33 Lv 11:29 וְזֶה לָכֶם הַטָּמֵא (cf. v 4–8), 19:23; 25:30; 26:5, 26 בְּשִׂבְרִי לָכֶם מַטֵּה לֶחֶם (Ez 14:13), Nu 28:19; 32:21; 34:4 Dt 28:66; Jos 2:6 הָעֲרֻכוֹת לָהּ עַל הָגָּג, Ju 16:9; 19:14 (cf. זָרַח לְ Gn 32:32 +), 1 S 5:9; 2 S 15:30; 2 K 4:27b נַפְשָׂהּ מָרָה־לָהּ (cf. Is 15:4; Je 4:19), Is 23:7 Je 2:21; Mi 2:4 איך ימישׁ לי, Ez 16:14; 29:7 ψ 110:3; also 40:7 ears hast thou digged to (or for) me, 51:12 (cf. 1 S 10:9), Is 50:4, 5 יעיר לי אזן. (b) in such phrases as Nu 1:4 אִישׁ אִישׁ לְמַטֶּה a man for (or of) a tribe, 7:11; 31:4, Dt 1:23 Jos 3:12; 18:4 Ju 20:10 ten men לַמֵּאָה of 100, 100 of 1000 etc.; רִאשׁוֹן לְ = first of Ex 12:2; 2 S 19:21. (c) spec. of relationship, to define a man’s family or tribe, especially in genealogies, Nu 1:6 לראובן אליצור, v 7, 8 etc., v 22, 24 etc., 3:21, 27; 1 Ch 24:20, 21 etc., 26:23, 25 etc. + often; in the opp. order Ex 31:2; Lv 24:11; Nu 17:23 אהרן לבית לוי 1 K 15:27 etc., cf. 2 S 3:2, 3, 5, also 9:3 a Gn 20:18; 46:26, 27; similarly הנשׁארים לְ 2 K 10:11, 17, הַמֵּת לְ 1 K 14:11 16:4 +. (d) denoting relation (to be to or towards one in a particular regard or capacity) Ex 19:5 והייתם לי סְגֻלָּה ye shall be to me a special possession, 22:30 אנשׁי קדשׁ תהיון לי, 1 S 18:18; 2 S 19:29; 1 K 5:15; 2 K 19:15; Je 12:9; 15:8; 22:6 גלעד אתה לי, 51:20; Is 54:9; Ez 24:19 ψ 12:5 מִי אָדוֹן לָנוּ, 35:14 כְּרֵעַ כְּאָח לִי, 99:8; Jb 24:17; 30:29; Ne 6:18; with a ptcp. Nu 10:25; 25:18; 35:23; Dt 4:22; 19:4, 6 Is 11:9; 14:2 (Dr^{§ 135, 7 Obs.}); מלך לְ Nu 22:4; רַב לָכֶם it is (too) much to you, מְעַט לְ (too) little to …; in the phr. (מָה) מִי אֵלֶּה לְךָ who (what) are these to thee? = what meanest thou by these things? Gn 33:5, 8; 2 S 16:2; Ez 37:18, cf. Ex 12:26; Jos 4:6 Ez 12:22; חלילה לי away be it to (or for) me! למה לי to what purpose to me is …? Gn 27:46; Is 1:11; Je 6:20; Jb 30:2: often also in such phrases as מָגֵן לְ a shield to Gn 15:1 ψ 18:31, a strength to ψ 28:8, an abomination to Gn 43:32; Is 1:13 +, a grief to Pr 10:1; 17:21; cf. Je 15:10; Mal 2:9 ψ 89:28 etc.: note also Jon 3:3 עיר גדולה לאלהים a city great to God (i.e. in his estimation: cf. Acts 7:20 ἀστεῖος τῷ θεῷ, and לפני Gn 10:9), Est 10:3. And with כְּ Ju 17:11; 2 S 12:3 וַתְּהִי לוֹ כְּבַת, Ex 22:24 (cf. 4 b), Am 9:7 כבני כֻשִׁיים אַתֶּם לי Ho 11:4 Is 29:2; Jb 33:6 הֵן־אֲנִי לָאֵל כְּפִיךָ lo, I am to God as thou art, etc. b. denoting possession, belonging to;—(a) as predicate, in הָיָה לְ (cf. Lat. est mihi), יֵשׁ לְ, אֵין לְ constantly (see these words); also alone, as Gn 31:16, 43 לִי הוּא it is mine, 48:5 לי הם, Ex 19:5b כי לי כל הארץ, 1 K 20:3, 4 Is 43:1 לי אתה, 44:5 לי׳ אני, Ez 29:3 ψ 47:10; 50:10, 12 Jb 12:13, 16 Ct 2:16; 6:3; 1 S 1:2 ולו שׁתי נשׁים and he had two wives, 25:7, 36 Ju 3:16; 17:5; Jb 22:8; 2 S 17:18; Ho 6:10, + often; with לֹא, 1 K 22:17; Is 53:2 לא הדר לו, Je 5:10 +; with a neut. adj. (rare) Is 63:2; Je 30:10 אָנוּשׁ לְשִׁבְרֵךְ; note also such phrases as 2 K 10:19 זבח גדול לי לבעל, Is 2:12 כִּי יוֹם לי׳ על וג׳ for י׳ hath a day against, etc., 22:5; 28:2 י׳ הִנֵּה חָזָק וְאַמִּץ לי׳ hath a strong and mighty one (sc. at his disposal), 34:2 קצף לי׳ על וג׳, v 6 b, 8; Ho 4:1 כִּי רִיב לי׳ עם …, 12:3 Mi 6:2: מַה־לִּי וָלָךְ what is there to me and to thee? (i.e. what have we to do with each other?), v מָה; שׁלום לך peace be to thee! Of that which pertains to one as a right, Lv 25:31, 48; Dt 1:17 כי המשׁפט לאלהים הוא, 21:17; 1 S 17:47; Je 10:23; 32:7, 8 Ez 21:32 ψ 3:9 לי׳ הישׁועה, Jon 2:10; with an inf. 1 S 23:20 וְלָנוּ הַסְגִּירוֹ and it shall be for us (or our place) to deliver him, Mi 3:1 הלא לכם לדעת, Ezr 4:3; 2 Ch 13:5; 20:17; 26:17, cf. ψ 50:16 מַה־לְּךָ לְ. (b) here also belongs the so-called Lamed auctoris, Is 38:9 מִכְתָּב לְחִזְקִיָּהוּ a writing belonging to, of, or by H., Hb 3:1, ψ 3:1 and often מזמור לדוד a Psalm of or by D. (but possibly denoting orig., at least in some cases, a Psalm belonging to a collection known as David’s: so certainly in לבני קרח ψ 42:1 al., and prob. also in לאסף ψ 50:1 al.); so לדוד מזמור 24:1 +, לדוד alone 10:1; 14:1 +. Comp. on Ph. coins לצדנם of the Sidonians, i.e. belonging to them, לצור (= Gk. Σιδονίων, Τύρου). Heb. idiom also uses the ל of possession where we should write the simple name, as Ez 38:16 (written on a stick) ליהודה, v 17 ליוסף, in English ‘Judah,’ ‘Joseph,’ Is 8:1 למהר־שׁלל־חשׁ־בז ‘Maher-shalal-hash-baz.’ c. as periph. for the st. c.:—(a) אשׁר לְ, as Ex 29:29; 39:1, 39 Lv 7:20, 21; 16:6, 15 (see further exx. sub אשׁר 7, p. 82 f.); so שֶׁלִּי † Ct 1:6; 8:12, שֶׁלָּנוּ †2 K 6:11. (b) without אשׁר—(a) where it is desired to keep the first noun indeterm., 1 S 16:18 ראיתי בן לישׁי a son to or of Jesse, 22:20; Gn 41:12; Nu 1:4; 7:24; 1 K 2:39 שׁני עבדים לשׁמעי, 18:22; 2 K 3:11; Ru 2:1 etc.; (β) where the genit. is a compound term, to avoid a series of nouns in the st. c., Nu 1:4 ראשׁ לבית אבותיו, 7:24, 30, 36 etc.; 1:21 פקֻדיהם למטה ראובן, v 23, 25 etc., 2:9, 16 etc., Jos 21:38; 1 Ch 9:23 הַשְּׁעָרִים לְבֵית י׳, 27:3 הראשׁ לְ, 2 Ch 19:11; Ne 10:39 etc., occas. also besides, as 1 S 14:16 הצופים לשׁאול, Ex 31:7 (usually ארון העדות); (γ) where the regens is a pr. name, or a compound term, which does not readily admit of being placed in the st. c., as (יהודה) דברי הימים למלכי ישׂראל 1 K 14:19, 29 + often, 1 K 5:30 שׂרי הנצבים לְ, 2 K 11:4 שׂרי המאות לְ; ראשׁי האבות לְ Nu 36:1; Jos 19:51; 1 Ch 8:13 + often Ch Ne Ezr; in dates, as באחד לחדשׁ Gn 8:5, 14 Ex 12:3, 6, Gn 7:11 בשׁנת … לחיי נח, 16:3 Ex 19:1 בחדשׁ השׁלישׁי לצאת, בשׁנת שׁתים לאסא … 1 K 15:25, 28; 16:8 (all + often); other cases, Ex 20:5, 6 Lv 13:48 Nu 16:22 (= 27:16) 18:15; Ju 20:10; 2 K 5:9; Ez 45:19; Ru 2:3 1 Ch 4:43; 9:19, 21; 26:19; 2 Ch 22:10; 23:4; (δ) with a neg., Gn 15:13 בארץ לא לכם, Je 5:19; Pr 26:17; Hb 1:6, poet. even alone, 2:6 who increaseth לֹא לוֹ (that which is) not his, Jb 18:15 בְּלִי לוֹ, 39:16 לְלֹא לָהּ as (4) those which are not hers; (ε) poet., Is 16:2; 26:7 ארח לצדיק Je 47:3; Ho 9:6 ψ 37:16; 49:14; 55:19 (Hi De Ch), 58:5; 73:6; 105:36; 116:15 המותה לחסידיו, 123:4; Jon 2:3; Ec 5:11; cf. also מלך לְ Jos 12:13 (but v 𝔊 Di), 2 K 19:13 (cf. Aramaic Ezr 5:11): v. further Ew^{§ 292}, Ges^{§ 129}, Giesebr ^{§ 19}. d. attached to advbs., especially those compounded with מִן, it forms preps., as מִקֶּדֶם לְ Gn 3:24 lit. off the front with reference to (or of) = in front of: so מִבֵּית לְ = within, מִחוּץ לְ = without, מִמַּעַל לְ, מֵעַל לְ, מֵעֵבֶר לְ, מֵהָֽלְאָה לְ, מִצְּפוֹן לְ, סָבִיב לְ (all often); more rarely, מֵאַחֲרֵי לְ, מִבַּעַד לְ, מִבֵּינוֹת לְ, אֶל בֵּינוֹת לִ, מִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה לְ Ex 38:15, חֵנָּה לְ Dn 12:5^(×2), מִזְרָח לְ, מִימִין לְ, מִנֶּגֶד לְ, מִסָּבִיב לְ, תַּחַת לְ, poet. נֶגְדָּה־נָּא לְ †ψ 116:14, 18. See בית, חוץ, etc.; and cf. Ju 7:1, 8. e. construed with passive verbs, the ל of reference notifies the agent, as בָּרוּךְ לְ blessed by, Gn 14:17 + often; otherwise not very common, Gn 31:15 נֶחְשַׁב לְ to be reckoned by (so Is 40:17), Ex 12:16 אַךְ אֲשֶׁר יֵאָכֵל לְכָל־נֶפֶשׁ הוּא לְבַדּוֹ, יֵעָשֶׂה לָכם, 1 S 2:3; 25:7; 2 S 19:43; Je 8:3 נִבְחַר לְ (Pr 21:3), 29:22 ψ 73:10; 111:2; Pr 13:13 יֵחָבֶל־לוֹ is pledged by it, 14:20; Ne 6:1, 7 נִשְׁמַע לְ, 13:26 אָהוּב לְ, Est 4:3; 5:12 Ec 5:12 שָׁמוּר לְ. So with נִרְאָה Ex 13:7 (= Dt 16:4), נוֹדַע 1 S 6:3; Ez 36:32; Ne 4:9 (but usually with these words לְ is rather the dat. comm. be known, appear, to), נעתר Gn 25:21 +, נדרשׁ and נמצא Is 65:1 + to let oneself be entreated, sought, found, by, נוֹסַר † Lv 26:23, נענה † Ez 14:4, 7 (?). (Comp. in Syriac Nö§ ²⁴⁷, especially with pass. ptcp.^{§ 279} (so Talm., Luz ^{§ 90}), which in Mand. and New Syriac even unites with the ל to form a new tense, v. Nö^{M § 263; NS § 104}.) Analogously Gn 38:15 וַתַּהַר לוֹ and was pregnant by, v 18 הָרָה לְ (adj.) pregnant by (lit. to). f. regarding, in respect of, viz. (a) with verbs of speaking, commanding, hearing, etc.; concerning, about (syn. עַל, which is more usually); so with אָמַר Gn 20:13; Dt 33:12, 13 + Ju 9:54; Is 41:7 ψ 3:3; 41:6 +, דִּבֶּר Ez 44:5, סִפֵּר ψ 22:31, דרשׁ Dt 12:30; 2 S 11:3, חָלַם Gn 42:9, הִטִּיף Mi 2:6, צִוָּה Nu 8:20 ψ 91:11 +, שָׁמַע Gn 17:20, and often in the adjunct לאשׁר …, לכל אשׁר … Gn 27:8; Jos 1:18; 22:2 +; שׁאל Gn 26:7 +, especially in phr. שׁאל לפ׳ לְשָׁלוֹם to ask about any one with ref. to (his) welfare; in the phr. לַדָּבָר הַגֶּה in regard to this thing (idiom.), Gn 19:21; 1 S 30:24 +, Ju 21:5, 7 לנשׁים, 1 K 20:7; without a vb., Lv 7:37; 14:54; Dt 33:7, and in titles Je 23:9; 46:2; 48:1; 49:1, 7, 23, 28. (b) limiting the application of a term, especially with כְּ to denote the tertium comparationis, as Gn 41:19 לֹא רָאִיתִי כָהֵנָּה … לָרֹעַ as regards, in respect of (in our idiom, simply in or for) badness, Ex 24:10 כְּעֶצֶם הַשָּׁמַיִם לָטֹהַר in brightness, Dt 34:11, 12 Ez 3:3 (read לְמֹתֶק) Pr 25:3; 1 Ch 24:4; with an inf., Gn 3:22 היה כאחד ממנו לדעת in respect of knowing, etc., 34:15 Is 21:1 כַּסּוּפוֹת לַחֲלוֹף as whirlwinds in respect of sweeping through, Jos 10:14; 2 S 14:17, 25; Ez 38:9, 16; Pr 26:2 כצפור לָנוּד כדרור לָעוּף, 1 Ch 12:9 כצבאים לְמַהֵר; with לָרֹב in multitude, Dt 1:10 ככוכבי השׁמים לרב Ju 7:12^(×2) + often; less freq. in comparisons with מִן, 1 K 10:23 וַיִּגְדַּל … מִכֹּל … לְעשֶׁר וּלְחָכְמָה, Ct 1:2; Jb 30:1 צעירים ממני לימים (cf. the accus. 15:10), 32:4, 6, cf. 11:6 כִּפְלַיִם לְתוּשִׁיָּה; rarely after substs., 2 Ch 16:8; 21:3, 3:8 לְכִכָּרִים, v 9, 11 Ezr 8:26 (where the earlier language would use appos., or the accus. of specification, Dr^{§ 194}). (c) somewhat differently, Lv 5:4b and be guilty לְאַחַת מֵאֵלָּה as regards one of these things, v 5 22:5b Nu 18:7 (cf. 1 Ch 26:32; 27:1 2 Ch 19:11^(×2)) Je 2:37 (peculiar) thou shalt not prosper להם as regards them, Ez 44:14, cf. Jb 9:19; after substs. Gn 47:26 לַחֹמֶשׁ (but cf. 𝔊 Di) with ref. to the fifth, Lv 7:26; 11:46b Nu 19:11; 29:39; 30:13; Dt 19:15; 23:19; Ezr 8:34; 1 Ch 27:1; (לכל ח׳), 2 Ch 8:15 Ne 11:24. (d) לְכֹל … (לְכָל־), at the close of a description or enumeration, with a generalizing force, as regards all … = namely, in brief (Ew^{§ 310 a}), chiefly in P and Chr (prob. a juristic usage): Gn 9:10b all that go out of the ark לְכֹל חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ as regards (= namely, even) all beasts of the earth, 23:10b; Ex 14:28 (cf. v 9 וְ), 27:3, 19; 28:38; 36:1b; Lv 5:3, 4 (cf. 13:51) 11:42; 16:16, 21; 22:18 Nu 3:26b (v 31, 36 וְ), 4:27, 31, 32; 5:9; 18:4, 8, 9, 11 (all P), 2 K 12:6; Je 19:13; Ez 44:9; 1 Ch 13:1; 2 Ch 5:12 (לְכֻלָּם), 25:5; 31:16; 33:8b (‖ 2 K 21:8 ולכל) Ezr 1:5. (e) introducing a new subj. (rare, and text sometimes dub.; chiefly Chr), as regards …, Is 32:1 ולשׂרים (read prob. וְשָׂרִים; ל by error from foll. למשׁפט), Lv 11:26; 1 Ch 3:2 (read prob. אבשׁלום), 5:2 (? v Ke), 7:1 (Ke ובני), v 5 a (?), 24:1; 26:1, 23, 25, 26, 31 a β 2 Ch 5:12; 7:21 לְכָל־עֹבֵר עליו ישׁרק (‖ 1 K 9:8 כָּל־עֹבֵר), cf. Dt 24:5 (peculiar); Ec 9:4 כִּי לְכֶלֶב חַי הוא טוב וג׳; cf. ψ 17:4 (on 16:3 v. Comm.) In Chr sometimes used peculiarly as a periphr., 1 Ch 28, 21 לכל נדיב as regards every liberal man = every liberal man (cf. Ke), 29:5 a. 6 b; cf. Ezr 6:7 (Aramaic), 7:28. g. in connexion with terms designating a cause or occasion, with reference to or in view of (Germ. auf … hin) becomes nearly equivalent to on account of, through (not common): so to cut oneself לָנֶפֶשׁ Lv 19:28 on account of a (dead) person, Dt 14:1; Je 16:6; b, Lv 11:24 לְאֵלֶּה תִּטַּמָּ֑אוּ on account of these ye shall become unclean, 21:1, 2, 3 +, Ez 20:31 נִטְמָא לְ, Nu 5:2 כָּל־טָמֵא לָנֶפֶשׁ Nu 9:6, 7, 10, cf. 2 Ch 23:19; לְשֵׁם י׳ in view of (i.e. determined by), because of י׳’s name, Jos 9:9; Je 3:17; Is 55:5 (‖ לְמַעַן), Ez 36:22 (do.); Gn 4:23b I have slain a man לְפִצְעִי because of my wound, v 23b Ex 4:26 לַמּוּלוֹת, Nu 35:33 לַדָּם; לָכֵן = therefore (syn. עַל כֵּן), constantly (v. כֵּן); Job 30:24 (si vera l.) לָחֶן: of the cause of an emotion, Is 15:5 לְבִּי לְמוֹאָב יִזְעַק because of Moab, 16:7, 11; Je 31:20 הָמוּ מֵעַי לוֹ (עַל Ct 5:4), Ho 10:5, לְזֹאת Jb 37:1. Cf. Nu 16:34 נסו לקולם fled at the sound of them, Ez 27:28; Hb 3:16 ψ 42:8. h. marking the aim, object, or consequence of an action or thing, in view of, for, unto: (a) Gn 1:16 לממשׁלת היום for the rule of the day, 22:7 where is the sheep לְעוֹלָה? 42:25 provision לַדָּ֑רֶךְ for the way; Ex 20:7 לַשָּׁוְא i.e. for a vain or frivolous purpose, similarly לָרִיק and לַשֶּׁקֶר; Lv 1:3 + לִרְצֹנוֹ for his acceptance; Nu 21:23 and often יצא למלחמה for battle; יָשַׁב לְ to sit (wait) for, Ex 24:14; Hos 3:3; Je 3:2; 1 S 8:16 to use לִמְלַאכְתּוֹ for his business; 2 S 15:2 + בָּא לַמִּשְׁפָּט for judgment; ψ 69:22 לִצְמָאִי for (i.e. to quench) my thirst, Ne 9:15; Ex 29:36 + לַיּוֹם for each day; Is 4:3 כָּל־כָּתוב לַחַיִּים for life; Ho 9:4 לַחְמָם לְנַפְשָׁם; לרעה and לטובה Je 21:10 +; Is 58:4 ψ 63:10 לְשׁוֹאָה יבקשׁו נפשׁי: in the sense of to secure, compass, Gn 41:55 cried to Ph. לַלָּ֑חֶם for bread, 1 S 2:36 Am 8:11 Jb 15:23 Is 10:3; so in לִמַעַן for the purpose of; and with an inf. often (v. 7 a). (b) corresponding to the Lat. dat. commodi, (a) with vbs., Gn 2:18 אעשׂה לו I will make for him, etc., v 20 3:21, etc., absol. עָשָׂה לְ 1 S 14:6; Is 64:3, פָּעַל לְ ψ 68:29; מָצָא לְ Gn 8:9; לָקַח לְ 24:3, 4 + often; סָפַד לְ, נוּד Je 16:5, 6, בָּכָה לְ 22:10, etc.; Ju 16:25 וִישַׂחֶק־לָנוּ to sport for us (for our pleasure); Ho 2:25 Mi 5:1, etc.; with a pron. of the same pers. as the vb., as 1 K 20:34 תשׂים לך, 2 K 6:7; 10:24, Zc 9:13, leading on to h a, below; often with prons. and imv., Nu 11:16 אֶסְפָה־לִּי gather me 70 men, 22:6 אָרָה־לִּי curse me this people, 23:1 בְּנֵה לִי, 1 K 1:28 קראו לי לבת־שׁבע call me B., 3:24; 13:13; 17:10 Ct 2:15 אֶחֱזוּ לָנוּ catch us the foxes, Is 49:20 גְּשָׁה־לִּי retire for me, that I may dwell, 2 S 18:5 לְאַט לִי לַנַּעַר (act) gently (5 i b) for my sake towards the young man, 2 K 4:24 אַל־תַּעֲצָר־לִי לִרְכֹּב AV slacken me not the riding; (β) with substs., e.g. in such phrases as פסח הוא לי׳, Ex 12:11 a passover is it unto י׳, 13:6 חַג לי׳, 16:25 שַׁבָּת לי׳, Is 23:18 + קֹדֶשׁ לי׳, Lv 1:9 and often אִשֵּׁה רֵיחַ נִיחוֹחַ לי׳, 1 S 1:3 כהנים לי׳, etc.; (γ) also as a dat. incommodi, as to lie in wait, lay snares, dig a pit, etc., for any one, Ju 9:25; 16:2 ψ 35:7; 57:7 etc.; with vbs. of withholding or removing (rare), Ju 17:2 לֻקַּח לָךְ 1 S 21:6 (cf. ܒܨܪܠ) ψ 40:11; 84:12; Jb 12:20; note also the phr. לָכַד הַמַּיִם (הַמַּעְבָּרוֹת) לְ Ju 3:28 (RV), 7:24; 12:5: זכר ל, in both senses, to remember for (in one’s favour) Je 2:2 +, against ψ 137:7 +, cf. גער לְ Mal 3:11 and 2:3. (c) more distinctly on behalf of, as with קִנֵּא to be jealous for, Nu 11:29 +, נִלְחַם Dt 3:22 +, שָׁמַר 7:12 +, רָב לְ to contend for Ju 6:31, יָרֵא Jos 9:24, הִתְפַּלֵּל 1 S 2:25 +, דִּבֶּר to speak for one 2 K 4:13, Jb 13:7 הַלְאֵל תְּדַבְּרוּ עַוְלָה will ye speak wickedness on God’s behalf? שָׁאַל to ask 1 S 22:13 +, עָבַר to pass over for (= to pardon) Am 7:8; Dt 30:12 מי יעלה לנו, v 13 Ju 1:1; 20:18; Is 6:8 מִי יֵלֶךְ־לָנוּ; see also Ex 2:19; 4:16a Nu 35:31 Dt 23:6 Jos 18:6 Ju 5:13; 7:4, 20 2 S 15:34b Is 33:21; Pr 16:26; 31:8, etc.; ψ 94:16 מִי יָקוּם לִי עִם מְרֵעִים; היה ל׳ to be on one’s side, Hos 1:9 ואנכי לא אהיה לכם, ψ 124:1, 2, and without היה Gn 31:42; Ex 32:33, מִי ל׳ אֵלַי who is on י׳’s side? (let him come) to me! Jos 5:13b; 2 S 20:11; 2 K 10:6 אִם לִי אַתֶּם (syn. אִתִּי 9:32), ψ 56:10 זה ידעתי כי י׳ לי, 118:6, 7 י׳ לִי. i. used reflexively (the ‘ethical’ dative, or dative of feeling), throwing the action back upon the subj., and expressing with some pathos the interest, or satisfaction, or completeness, with which it is (or is to be) accomplished, especially (but not exclusively) with imv. and 1 pers. impf. (often not expressible in Engl., sometimes to be expressed by a paraphr.);—(a) with trans. verbs (a choice idiom, a development of g b a, common, especially with imv., in best prose), עֲשֵׂה לְךָ Gn 6:14 Nu 21:8 + often, עֲשִׂיתֶם לָכֶם Dt 4:16, 23; 9:16 Am 5:26, וַיַּעֲשׂוּ לָהֶם Gn 3:7; Ex 32:31; Ho 13:2, Je 11:17 the evil which עשׂו להם they have loved to do (cf. Hi), Gn 11:4; Ju 3:16; 2 S 15:1, etc.; קַח־לְךָ, קְחוּ לָכֶם Gn 6:21 + often, ויקח לו Gn 15:10, etc.; בָּזַז לוֹ Dt 2:35; 20:14 +; תְּנוּ לָכֶם Ex 7:9; Jos 20:2; הָבוּ לָכֶם Dt 1:13 (cf. Dr) +, שִׂימוּ לָכֶם Ju 19:30, cf. 2 K 10:24; Ho 2:2; בָּחַר לוֹ, בַּחֲרוּ לָכֶם, etc. Gn 13:11 2 S 17:1 𝔊 (v. Dr) + often; קְנֵה לְךָ Je 32:7 +, דַּע לְךָ Jb 5:27, cf. Ct 1:8; Dt 10:1, 1; 16:9, 13, 18; 19:2, 3, 9, Jos 22:23 לִבְנוֹת לָנוּ, 1 S 20:20 לְשַׁלַּח לִי לְמַטָּרָה, 2 K 4:3 שַׁאֲלִי לָךְ (cf. Is 7:11), 18:23 Is 44:7 יַגִּידוּ לָמוֹ, 59:8 עִקְּשׁוּ לָהֶם, Je 2:13; 22:14 אֶבְנֶה־לִּי, 31:21; 46:14; Ho 10:1 פְּרִי יְשַׁוֶּה־לּוֹ maketh fruit freely, v 11, 12^(×2) Am 6:5, 13 ψ 44:11 שָׁסוּ לָמוֹ = plunder at their will, 64:6; 83:13 Pr 1:22 Ec 8:12 מַאֲרִיךְ לוֹ (denoting satisfaction), Jb 7:3 הָנְחַלְתִּי לִי, 12:11 יִטְעַם לוֹ, 13:1 וַתָּכֶן־לָהּ, 24:16, etc.: rarely separated from the vb., Ho 12:9; Pr 23:20; Jb 3:14. (b) with verbs of motion, Gn 12:1; 22:2; לֶךְ־לְךָ get thee away, 27:43; בְרַח לְךָ Am 7:12, Nu 22:34 אשׁובה לי lit. I will return for myself, Dt 1:7 (cf. Dr) סְעוּ לָכֶם, v 40 2:13 עברו לכם, 5:27 שׁובו לכם, 1 S 22:5; 26:11 וְנֵֽלְכָה לָנוּ, v 12 וַיֵּלְֽכוּ לֶהֶם, 2 S 2:21 נְטֵה לְךָ, v 22 1 K 17:3 Is 31:8 נָס לוֹ, 40:9 עֲלִי לָךְ, Je 5:5 אֵֽלְכָה לִי, Hos 8:9 a wild ass בֹּדֵד לוֹ going alone at its pleasure, Mi 1:11 ψ 58:8 כמים יתהלכו למו that run apace, Pr 20:14 אֹזֵל לוֹ = goeth his way, Jb 39:4 Ct 1:8b; 2:10, 11, 13; 4:6. (c) with neuter verbs, especially those signifying a state of mind or feeling (chiefly poet.), ψ 66:7 אל ירומו למו, 80:7 ילעגו למו mock as they please, 120:6 רַבַּת שָֽׁכְנָה לָהּ נַפְשִׁי has had her dwelling with, etc., 122:3 שֶׁחֻבְּרָה לָהּ is well compacted, 123:4 שָֽׂבְעָה לָהּ is but too full, Is 2:22 חִדְלוּ לָכֶם, 2 Ch 25:16; 35:21 Je 7:4 אַל־תִּבְטְחוּ לָכֶם, v 8 2 K 18:21, Ez 37:11 נִגְזַרְנוּ לָנוּ we are quite cut off, Jb 6:19 קִוּוּ לָמוֹ (implying that they fed themselves on hope), 15:28 יֵשְֽׁבוּ לָמוֹ which should not sit (be inhabited), 19:29 גּוּרוּ לָכֶם, Ct 2:17; 8:14 דְּמֵה לְךָ, and the freq. הִשָּׁמֶר־לְךָ take heed to thyself Gn 24:6 +; with an adj., Am 2:13 הַמְּלֵאָה לָהּ עָמִיר. (Cf. Ew^{§ 315a}. Very common in Syriac, especially b: Nö^{§ 224}.) j. of reference to a norm or standard, according to, after, by:—(a) Gn 1:11 + often P לְמִינוֹ according to its kinds, 8:19 + לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתֵיהֶם according to their families, 10:5 אִישׁ לִלְשֹׁנוֹ, v 31, 32, Ex 30:12 + לִפְקֻדֵיהֶם according to them that are numbered of them, Nu 1:2 לְבֵית אֲבוֹתָם by their fathers’ houses, v 2 לִגֻלְגְּלֹתָם, v 3 לְצִבְאֹתָם, v 20 + often, especially in enumerations and classifications; Gn 13:3 Abram went לְמַסָּעָיו by his journeyings (stages), so לְמַסְעֵיהֶם Ex 17:1 +; Gn 13:17 go through the land לְאָרְכָּהּ וּלְרָחְבָּהּ according to (i.e. to the full extent of) its length and breadth (cf. Hb 1:6); 41:47 לִקְמָצִים by handfuls, Nu 24: 24:2 + לִשְׁבָטָיו by its tribes, 1 S 29:2 עברים למאות ולאלפים by hundreds and thousands, 2 S 18:4, לְעָרֶיהָ Nu 32:33 Jos 18:9; Ju 19:19 לַעֲצָמֶיהָ according to her bones (i.e. limb by limb), Ez 24:6 לִנְתָחֶיהָ piece by piece; ψ 140:12 to hunt לְמַדְחֵפוֹת thrust-wise, with thrust upon thrust, Is 27:12 לְאַחַד אֶחָד (Ges Ew) by one, one (i.e. one by one); hence, especially with plurals, it acquires sometimes a distributive force, as לַבְקָרִים Is 33:2 by mornings = every morning (cf. 6), so לַבְּקָרִים ψ 73:14; 101:8 +, לִרְגָעִים Is 27:3 + every moment, לֶחֳדָשִׁים Is 47:13 every month, Ez 47:12 1 K 10:22 אַחַת לְשָׁלוֹשׁ שָׁנִים once every three years, Am 4:4 לשׁלשׁת ימים every three days (but v. We), 1 Ch 9:25; in Chr לשׁער ושׁער, לעיר ועיר, 2 Ch 8:14; 19:5, 26:11. (b) denoting the principle, with regard to which an act is done, לְמִסְפַּר according to the number of … Dt 32:8 Ju 21:23 +, Is 11:3 to judge לְמַרְאֵה עֵינָיו, לְמִשְׁמע אָזְנָיו according to that which his eyes see, his ears hear (cf. Lv 13:12 Jb 42:5), 28:26, 32:1 a king will reign לְצֶדֶק according to justice (‖ לְמשׁפט), 42:3 לֶאֱמֶת = faithfully, Je 9:2 לֶאֱמוּנָה = honestly, 15:15; 30:11 (= 46:28) וְיִסַּרְתִּיךָ לַמִּשְׁפָּט (synon. 10:24 בְּמשׁפט), Ho 10:12 (‖ לְפִי) Jo 2:23 לִצְדָקָה; Gn 38:24 pregnant לִזְנוּנִים = unchastely, Nu 15:24 לשׁגגה by error (elsewhere בשׁגגה), 2 Ch 30:3; 35:8, Ct 7:10 flowing down למישׁרים straightly (Pr 23:31 ב׳), לָרֹב Jb 26:3 2 Ch 14:14, poet. לְמַכְבּיר Jb 36:31 in abundance, לְאַט = gently 2 S 18:5 +; Ex 16:3 ψ 78:25 לָשׂבַע according to satiety; לְרֶגֶל according to the foot (pace) of Gn 33:14 + (v רֶגֶל); 1 S 23:20 לְכָל־אַוַּת נַפְשְׁךָ (Dt 12:15 al. בְּ׳), 2 S 15:11 לְתֻמָּם according to their simplicity, i.e. unsuspectingly (so 1 K 22:34), 1 K 9:11 לְכָל־חֶפְצוֹ, Is 54:16 Ez 22:6 לִזְרֹעוֹ, Jb 12:5 ψ 119:91, 154 לְאִמְרַֽתְךָ (‖ כְּ׳ v 58, 116, 170), Ec 1:10 long ago לְעולמים according to (measured by) the ages etc. (v Hi): so also in the phr. לְפִי חֶרֶב according to a sword’s mouth, i.e. as the sword would devour, without quarter, Jos 6:21 + often לְפִי … itself also, in various fig. applications, has the force of according to, Gn 47:12, etc. (v. פֶּה); and in לְאֵל יָדְֽךָ (אֵין) יֵשׁ it is (not) according to the power of thy hand (v. p. 43). Similarly Dt 11:11 לִמְטַר הַשָּׁמַיִם after the manner of the rain of heaven, i.e. as the rain permits (opp. to the artificial irrigation of v 10), Ju 21:12 + לְמִשְׁכַּב זָכָר, Ez 12:12 לַעַיִן i.e. as the eye sees it. k. designating a condition or state: לָבֶטַח in a state of confidence = confidently, Lv 25:18 + often; לְבָדָד, לְבַד, in a state of separation (= apart), so לְבַדּוֹ (v. pp. 94, 95); לְשָׁלוֹם Gn 44:17 +, לְפֶתַע suddenly †Is 29:5; 30:13; לִבְלִי in a condition of no … = without, Is 5:14 + (v. בלי), so לְאֵין … (late, v. p. 35), לְלֹא †2 Ch 15:3; further Is 1:5 לָחֳלִי in a state of sickness, 50:11 לְמַעֲצֵבָה, ψ 45:15 לִרְקָמוֹת, Ezr 2:63 = Ne 7:65 a priest לאורים ולתמים having relation to (i.e. with) U. and Th., 2 Ch 20:21 לְהַדְרַת קֹדֶשׁ = in holy adornment (cf. בְּ׳ ψ 29:2; 96:9). And of a concomitant circumstance (Germ. bei), in presence of, at, Jb 29:3 לְאוֹרוֹ, Hb 3:11, לקול … Jb 21:2 Ezr 3:13.
6. Of time: a. towards, against, sometimes with collat. idea of in view of, much rarer than בְּ, but expressing concurrence (at) rather than duration (in): Gn 3:8 לְרוּחַ הַיּום at the breeze of the day, לְעֵת in various connexions, as לְעֵת עֶרֶב Gn 8:11 + (v. עֵת); לְעִתִּים מְזֻמָּנִים †Ezr 10:14 Ne 10:35; בַּצָּרָה לְעִתּוֹת† ψ 9:10; 10:1; לְיוֹם … at, on the day of, ψ 81:4 Pr 7:20 Jb 21:30 +, מה תעשׂו לְיוֹם … Is 10:3 Ho 9:5 (cf. Je 5:31); לַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר … †Ez 22:14; לַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר … †Mal 3:17; לתשׁובת השׁנה 2 S 11:1 +; לתקופת הימים †1 S 1:20, לתקופת השׁנה †2 Ch 24:23 (Ex 34:22 without לְ), (יָמִים) לְקֵץ שָׁנִים (late) 2 Ch 18:2 Ne 13:6 Dn 11:6, 13 (in early Heb. מִקֵּץ יָמִים); לשׁנת … †2 Ch 15:10; לַבֹּקֶר ψ 30:6; 49:15 + (Ex 34:2 after הֱיֵה נָכוֹן = against for; cf. 19:11 Pr 21:31); (לַבְּקָרִים Is 33:2, v. 5 i); לערב Gn 49:27 (‖ בבקר) +; לְמָחָר †Ex 8:6 (in answer to v 5 לְמָתַי), v 19 Est 5:12 (Nu 11:18 Jos 7:13 after הִתְקַדְּשׁוּ = against), לַמָּחֳרָת Jon 4:7 (cf. 1 Ch 29:21); לָאוֹר Jb 24:14; לַמּוֹעֵד, לְמוֹעֵד …, Gn 17:21 Ex 23:15 +; לְפָנִים and לִפְנֵי before (often); לְאָחוֹר hereafter, †Is 41:23; 42:23; ψ 32:6b; with inf. (rare), in the phr. (עֶרֶב) לִפְנוֹת (הַ)בֹּקֶר Gn 24:63 +, 2 S 18:29 Is 7:15 לְדַעְתּוֹ when he knoweth. b. to denote the close of a period (rare), Gn 7:4 לימים עוד שׁבעה, v 10 Ex 19:15 2 S 13:23 Am 4:4 לשׁלשׁת ימים (We); Ezr 10:8, 9 Ne 6:15 Dn 12:7 (cf. עַד 7:25) 2 Ch 21:19 (so Syriac v. PS ܠ 5). c. towards, to, Ex 34:25 לא ילין לַבֹּקֶר (usually עַד, as 23:18), Dt 16:4 1 S 13:8 (after נוֹחַל), Am 4:7 בעוד שׁלשׁה חדשׁים לַקָּצִיר to the harvest; often in the expressions לְעוֹלָם, לָנֶצַח, לְדוֹר וַדוֹר, לְדֹר דֹּר; rather differently in מִיּוֹם לָיוֹם ψ 96:2 (‖ 1 Ch 16:23 אל), Est 3:7 (i.e. passing from day to day), cf. 2 S 14:26 (Gie ^{30 f.}). d. for, during, Is 63:18 לַמִּצְעָר (si vera l.), 2 Ch 11:17 לשׁנים שׁלושׁ, 29:17.
7. With an inf. (Ges^{§ 114, 2}), ל denotes a. most commonly the end or purpose of an action (= the Lat. gerund with ad, e.g. ad faciendum, to do): Gn 1:17 and he placed them in the firmament לְהָאִיר וְלִמְשֹׁל … וּלְהַבְדִּיל to give light …, and to rule …, and to divide, etc., 2:15 set him in the garden לְעָבְדָהּ וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ to till it, and to keep it, v 19 brought them to Adam לִרְאוֹת to see, etc., + very often; Gn 19:20 קְרֹבָה לָנוּס שָׁ֫מָּה near for fleeing thither, Ec 3:2 עֵת לָלֶדֶת a time for bringing forth. The neg. is expressed by לְבִלְתִּי, q.v. b. with reference to, limiting or qualifying the idea expressed by the principal vb., and so resolvable sometimes into so as to, to, sometimes into in respect of, in:—(a) so as to, to, Dt 8:6 and keep the commands of לָלֶכֶת בִּדְרָכָיו וּלְיִרְאָה אֹתוֹ י׳ to walk in his ways, and to fear him, 10:15; 11:22; 19:9 1 K 2:3, 4; 11:2 1 S 20:20, 36 Jo 2:26 אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה עִמָּכֶם לְהַפְלִיא so as to do wondrously, Ez 5:6; Ju 5:18 עַם חֵרֵף נַפְשׁוֹ לָמוּת so as to die, for dying [not ‘unto death’], 16:16 2 K 20:1 חָלָה לָמוּת; Gn 2:3 לַעֲשׂוֹת so as to make (or in making) which, he created; and in the very freq. לֵאמֹר, introducing the words spoken, so as to say = saying (Germ. indem er sagte), Gn 1:22, etc. (b) in respect of, in (cf. 5 e (b)) Gn 34:7 1 S 12:17 your evil is great that ye have done לִשְׁאוֹל לכם מלך in asking for yourselves a king, v 29 14:33 the people sin against J. לאכל על־הדם in eating with the blood, 19:5 2 S 19:7 2 K 4:24 Je 44:18 ψ 36:3; 63:3; 78:18; 101:8; 103:20 Ne 13:18. And with the tert. compar., above, 5 e (b). Especially with verbs expressing what with us would be denoted by an adv. adjunct, but in Heb. idiom forms the principal idea, as 1 S 1:12 הִרְבְּתָה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל lit. did much in respect of praying (= prayed long or much), Is 55:7 בִּי יַרְבֶּה לִסְלוֹחַ +; 2 K 2:10 הִקְשִׁיתָ לִשְׁאוֹל thou hast done hardly in respect of asking (= asked a hard thing), 1 K 14:9 הֵרַע לַעֲשׂוֹת; so with הקריב Gn 12:11, מִהַר 27:20, הרחיק Ex 8:24 הֶעְפִּיל Nu 14:44, הֵהִין Dt 1:41, בֹּשֵׁשׁ Ju 5:28, הפליא 13:19 2 Ch 26:15 (with pass. vb.), שׁוּב 1 K 13:17 Ezr 9:14, היטיב Je 1:12 + (without לְ 1 S 16:17), העמיק Is 29:15 +, קֵרֵב Ez 36:9, הגדיל Jo 2:2 +, קִדַּמְתִּי לִבְרֹחַ Jon 4:2, הגביהּ ψ 113:5, השׁפיל v 6; Gn 31:27 נַחְבֵּאתָ לִבְרֹחַ hast hidden thyself in regard to fleeing = hast fled secretly, 2 S 19:4 וַיִּתְגַּנֵּב לָבוֹא = come in stealthily. (c) by an extension of (b), the inf. with לְ so forms the complement of a verb that, if the verb be trans., it becomes virtually its object: so very often with such verbs as הוסיף to add Gn 4:2, 12, הֵחֵל to begin 6:1, חדל 11:8, יכל 13:6, מִהָר 18:7, נתן to permit 20:6, אבה 24:5, בקשׁ Ex 2:15, מֵאֵן 7:14, למד Dt 14:23, חפץ 25:8, ידע 1 K 5:20 (these all occur also without לְ); הואיל to undertake, consent, Gn 18:27, 31, בִּלָּה to finish, תָּמַם Dt 2:16 (to come to an end in respect of), קִוָּה Is 5:2; also צִוָּה Gn 50:2, אָמַר Ex 2:14, דִּמָּה Nu 33:56, חשׁב 1 S 18:26, יעץ ψ 62:5, לִמֵּד Je 12:16, אָהֵב Ho 12:8: Dt 10:12 what doth י׳ ask of thee כי אם ליראה except to fear etc.? (cf. Mi 6:8 after דרשׁ without ל). (d) as the subj. of a sentence (rare): Is 10:7 להשׁמיד בלבבו, 1 Ch 29:12; with טוב 1 S 15:22 ψ 118:8, 9 Ec 7:2, 5 Pr 21:9 (usually without לְ, as v 19; 25:24 Ex 14:12); cf. Ex 8:22 לא נכין לעשׁות כן; 2 S 18:11 וְעָלַי לָתֵת, Ne 13:13 Ezr 10:12; Mi 3:1 הלא לכם לדעת, Ezr 4:3 2 Ch 13:5; 20:17; 26:18. (e) with יֵשׁ, אֵין (late), and (more rarely) לֹא, in sense of it is (not) possible to …, or (sometimes) there is no need to …: see יֵשׁ 2 c c (p. 442); אַיִן 5 (p. 34 b), adding Hag 1:6 Est 8:8 2 Ch 22:9; לֹא 1 a b (p. 518): and cf. Dr^{§ 202} Ges^{§ 114 l} Dav ^{§ 94 b, 95 b}. (f) with הָיָה, to express the idea of destination, as Nu 24:22 יהיה לְבָעֵר וקין shall be for consuming, Dt 31:17 Is 5:5; 6:13; 37:26 Ez 30:16 ψ 109:13 +. Cf. מֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת what is (was) to be done? Is 5:4 K 4:13 2 Ch 25:9 +(Dr^{§ 203}). (g) expressing (according to the context) tendency, intention, or obligation (the ‘periphrastic’ future):—Ho 9:13 וְאֶפְרַיִם לְהוֹצִיא אֶל הוֹרֵג בָּנָיו is for bringing forth (= must bring forth), Is 10:32 עוד היום בנֹב לעמד is he for tarrying (must he tarry), 38:20 י׳ להושׁיעני, י׳ is (ready) to save me, 44:14 (si vera l.), Jer 51:49 Hb 1:17 ψ 32:9; 49:15 צוּרָם לְבַלּוֹת שְׁאוֹל = must Sheol waste away, 62:10 בְּמֹאזְנַיִם לַעֲלוֹת, Pr 18:24; 19:8 שׁומר תבונה למצא טוב will be finding prosperity, 20:25 Jb 30:6 1 Ch 22:5 (לִבְנוֹת), Ec 3:15: of past time, Gn 15:12 ויהי השׁמשׁ לבוא was about to go down, Jos 2:5 1 S 14:21b (text. dub.: Dr^{§ 206 Obs.}), 2 Ch 26:5 (strangely) ויהי לדרשׁ אלהים RV set himself to seek; usually without היה, 2 S 4:10 אֲשֶׁר לְתִתִּי לוֹ to whom it was for my giving (I ought to have given), 2 K 13:19 לְהַכּוֹת percutiendum erat, 1 Ch 9:25, and more freely 2 Ch 11:22 כי להמליכו for (he was) for making him king, 12:12 ולא להשׁחית and was no longer for destroying him, 36:19(?): in a question, Gn 30:15 וְלָקַחַת and art thou for taking? Est 7:8 2 Ch 19:2 הֲלָרָשָׁע לַעְזֹר wilt thou help the wicked? Cf. Dr^{§ 204}, Ges^{§ 114 h-k}, Dav ^{§ 94}. (h) with וְ, in contin. (mostly) of a finite vb. or ptcp., Ex 32:29 מַלְאוּ יֶדְכֶם … וְלָתֵת and be for placing etc. Lv 10:10f. (?), 1 S 8:12 יִקַּח … וְלָשׂוּם, Je 19:12 אעשׂה … וְלָתֵת, 44:14 Ho 12:3 ψ 25:14; 109:16 Jb 34:8 Ec 7:25; 9:1 (si vera l.), Dn 12:11 Neh 8:13 1 Ch 10:13 2 Ch 2:8; 7:17; 8:13; 30:9, Ez 13:22; Am 8:4 הַשֹּׁאֲפִים אֶבְיוֹן וְלַשְׁבִּית וג׳ and (that are) for making the poor to cease, Is 44:28 הָאוֹמֵר … וְלֵאמֹר, 56:6 ψ 104:21 Je 17:10; 44:19 1 Ch 6:34 (cf. Dr^{§ 206} Dav ^{§ 96 R. 4}).—On לְמִן, v. מִן.
Note. —1 K 6:19 לְתִתֵּן שָׁם, the supposition that לְ is a conj. (= למען) is too alien to Heb. usage to be justified by the Arabic لِ for لِكَى, and the view that חִתֵּן here 17:14 is an anom. form for תֵת (Ew^{§ 238 c} Kö^{i. 305}) is against analogy: read with Ol^{§ 224 d}, Ges^{§ 67 A. 3}, Klo, לָתֵת (as 17:14 Qr).