how to say “a lion” in Hebrew

אַרְיֶה, לָבִיא
If you’ve toured northern Israel, you may have come across a place called Kibbutz Lavi – קִבּוּץ לָבִיא listen and repeat.
 
The word לָבִיא listen and repeat, in Modern Hebrew, is a flowery term for lion – whereas אַרְיֶה listen and repeat is the common word:
 
יֵשׁ אֲרָיוֹת בְּאַפְרִיקָה.
There are lions in Africa.
 
Adding a feminine suffix to לביא, we get the word for lioness: לְבִיאָה listen and repeat.
 
In the blessings he gives to the People of Israel, Balaam refers to this nation as a lion, using both terms:
 
הֶן עָם כְּלָבִיא יָקוּם, וְכַאֲרִי יִתְנַשָּׂא…
Here, a nation rising like a lion (לביא), and as a lion (ארי, short for אריה) standing tall… (Numbers 23:24)
 
and:
 
כָּרַע שָׁכַב כַּאֲרִי וּכְלָבִיא, מִי יְקִימֶנּוּ; מְבָרְכֶיךָ בָרוּךְ, וְאֹרְרֶיךָ אָרוּר.
Crouching, lying down like a lion (ארי) and like a lion (לביא), who will rouse him up; he who blesses you is blessed, and he who curses you is cursed. (Numbers 24:9)

Similar Posts