לְבוּשׁ (le.vush)
le.vush
garment
A:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-M
Word Overview
The Aramaic noun le.vush simply means garment or clothing. It appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both times in the book of Daniel. In these instances, it refers to the physical attire worn by individuals, such as the fine clothes given to Daniel and his friends (Daniel 1:5) or the royal garments worn by kings.
This word is the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew le.vush (H3830). Its limited usage reflects the specific context of Daniel’s narrative, which is written largely in Aramaic. The term carries no hidden spiritual metaphor in these verses; it denotes literal dress, often indicating status, favor, or royal appointment.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word levush appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both within the book of Daniel. In each instance, it refers to literal clothing rather than a spiritual metaphor. This simplicity invites us to consider how God works through tangible, everyday realities. Whether in the court of Babylon or in a heavenly vision, physical details matter to the narrative.
In Daniel 3, the faithful men are bound in their tunics and mantles before facing the furnace. Their garments become the visible sign of their identity and resolve. Similarly, in Daniel 7, the Ancient of Days wears clothing white as snow, signaling purity and authority. These descriptions remind us that God notices the physical world and uses it to reveal His character.
For your daily life, this word offers a quiet comfort. It suggests that your ordinary circumstances—your work, your home, your interactions—are seen by God. He is not distant from the material aspects of existence. Instead, He weaves them into His larger story of redemption and justice.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- clothing/ his1×
- and/ clothes/ their1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לְבוּשֵׁ֣/הּ\׀1×
- וּ/לְבֻשֵׁי/ה֑וֹן1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 3:21
Then these men were bound in their pants, their tunics, and their mantles, and their other clothes, and were cast into the middle of the burning fiery furnace.
This occurrence highlights the physical reality of faith under pressure, as the men's garments identify them even in the face of death.
-
Daniel 7:9
“I watched until thrones were placed, and one who was Ancient of Days sat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool. His throne was fiery flames, and its wheels burning fire.
Here the term describes the Ancient of Days' attire, using whiteness to visually communicate divine purity and eternal authority.