Lexical Definition
לוּלֵא lûwlêʼ (loo-lay') unless H:Cond
or לוּלֵי lûwlêy (loo lay'); from לוּא and לֹא
except, had not, if (...not), unless, were it not that.
- if not
1) unless, if not, except
| Form | Translated As | In Verse(s) |
|---|---|---|
| לוּלֵי֙ | if not | Isa.1.9 |
| לוּלֵא֙ | if not | Judg.14.18 |
| לוּלֵ֣י | if not | 1Sam.25.34 • Ps.94.17 • Ps.119.92 • Ps.124.1 • Ps.124.2 |
| לוּלֵ֣א | if not | Gen.43.10 |
| לוּלֵ֡י | if not | Gen.31.42 • Ps.106.23 |
| לוּלֵ֛י | if not | 2Kgs.3.14 |
| לוּלֵ֗י | if not | Deut.32.27 |
| לוּלֵ֖א | if not | 2Sam.2.27 |
| לׅׄוּלֵׅׄ֗אׅׄ | if not | Ps.27.13 |
Brown-Driver-Briggs
לוּלֵא Gen 43:10; Judg 14:18; 2Sam 2:27; Ps 27:13, elsewhere לוּלֵי10 if not, unless (from לוּ if, and לֵא, by dissimilation (Köii. 236, 489) for לֹא not; compare Arabic 
), the negative of לוּ, and used similarly: —
a. followed by perfect, Judg 14:18 לולא חרשׁתם ֗֗֗ לא מצאתם unless ye had ploughed with my heifer, ye would not have found out my riddle, 1Sam 25:34 (second כי resumptive: כִּי 1 d), Ps 106:23 with apod, introd. by כִּי עַתָּה Gen 31:42; Gen 43:10 by אָז 2Sam 2:27 (כי resumptive); by כִּמְעַט Isa 1:9 with an aposiop. Ps 27:13 if I had not believed ...!
b. followed by imperfect Deut 32:27 אמרתי ֗֗֗ לולי אגור I should have said, &c . . . . except I dreaded, &c.
c. followed by participle, 2Kgs 3:14.
d. without a verb, Ps 94:17 (apodosis כמעט), Ps 119:92 (apodosis אָז). In the later language, Ps 124:1; Ps 124:2 -שֶׁ ׳לוּלֵי י (apodosis אֲזַי except that ... (compare Aramaic, 
Ps 106:23, אִילּוּלֵי ֗֗֗ דִּי Ps 27:13 ᵑ7). — Read also לוּלֵי for אוּלַי in Num 22:33 (apodosis כִּי עַתָּה). See further on לוּ and לוּלֵא Dr§§ 139-145 Köiii. 487f; 565.
Brown-Driver-Briggs References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| Genesis | 31:42 · 43:10 |
| Numbers | 22:33 |
| Deuteronomy | 32:27 |
| Judges | 14:18 |
| 1 Samuel | 25:34 |
| 2 Samuel | 2:27 |
| 2 Kings | 3:14 |
| Psalms | 27:13 · 94:17 · 106:23 · 119:92 · 124:1 · 124:2 |
| Isaiah | 1:9 |