לוּ

and לוּא (†1 S 14:30; Is 48:18; 63:19), also לֻא (Qr לוּ), †2 S 18:12; 19:7 (Arabic لَوْ, Aramaic ܠܘܰܝ, לְוַי, Mishn. לְוַי, Assyrian lû, with opt. force, Dl§§ 78 end, 93, 145; cf. Köii. 333), conj. if, O that:— if (stating a case which has not been, or is not likely to be, realized): sq. pf. (so mostly), Dt 32:29 לו חכמו ישׂכילו זאת if they had been wise (which they are not), they would understand this; Mi 2:11 (apod. וְהָיָה); Ju 8:19; 13:23 לו חפץ י׳ להמיתנו לא לקח if J. had desired to slay us, he would not have taken, &c. 1 S 14:30 2 S 19:7. sq. impf. Ez 14:15 if I were to send, &c. (but read prob. אוֹ, cf. v 17, 19). sq. ptcp., 2 S 18:12 וְלֻא אָנֹכִי שֹׁקֵל and though I should be weighing 1000 pieces of silver upon my hand, I would not, &c. ψ 81:14–17 לו עמי שֹׁמֵעַ לי if my people were hearkening to me, … quickly would I bow down, &c. sq. יֵשׁ Job 16:4.—With the apod. omitted, Gn 50:15 לוּ יִשְׁמְמֵנוּ if Joseph were to hate us (how should we fare then?). If only …! i.e. O that! would that! (cf. εἰ γάρ, εἴθε) usually sq. perf., as Nu 14:2(×2) לוּ מַתְנוּ if only we had died in the land of Egypt! 20:3; Jos 7:7 וְלוּ הוֹאַלְנוּ וַנֵּשֶׁב Is 48:18; 63:19; sq. יֵשׁ Nu 22:29; sq. impf. Gn 17:18 לו יחיה O that Ishmael might live before thee! Jb 6:2; sq. juss. Gn 30:34 לו יהי כדברך; sq. imv. 23:13 אם אתה לוּ שׁמעני if thou—O that thou wouldst hear me! (+ prob. v 5 לאמר ׃ לוּ שׁמעני for לאמר לוֹ ׃ שׁ׳, and similarly v 15).—Read also prob. לֻא for Mas. לֹא Ju 21:22 (with כִּי עַתָּה for כָּעֵת), 1 S 13:13; 20:14(×2) Jb 9:33 (sq. יֵשׁ); and perhaps 14:4 (Ew Kö).