Lehabim

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Lehabim , occurring only in   Genesis 10:18 (=   1 Chronicles 1:11 ), are descendants of Mizraim, the Egyptian eponym. The general opinion is that they are the same as the Lubim (wh. see), whether the word is an alternative traditional pronunciation of the name of this people, or whether, as is more probable, the form here given is due to textual corruption. The fact that Lubim or Libyans is a fairly common word, and that it is not found in the ethnological list of   Genesis 10:1-32 , where it would naturally appear in the place of Lehabim, adds something to the evidence of identity. Perhaps Ludim (wh. see) in the same verse is another variant.

J. F. M’Curdt.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Or "the Lubim", western neighbours to the Egyptians ( Genesis 10:13); the Rebu or Lebu of the monuments; the Libyans in Roman phrase. They served in the Egyptian armies ( 2 Chronicles 12:3;  2 Chronicles 16:8;  Nahum 3:9;  Daniel 11:43). The modern Tuariks and Berbers, aborigines of N. Africa, dwelling in the desert and sides of Atlas.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Le'habim. (Fiery, Flaming). Occurring only in  Genesis 10:13, the name of a Mizraite people or tribe. There can be no doubt that they are the same as the Rebu or Lebu of the Egyptian inscriptions, and that from them Libya and the Libyans derived their name. These primitive Libyans appear to have inhabited the northern part of Africa to the west of Egypt, though latterly driven from the coast by the Greek colonists of the Cyrenaica.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

Son of Mizraim.  Genesis 10:13;  1 Chronicles 1:11 . Probably the founder of the Lubim. See LIBYA.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Genesis 10:13LubimLibya

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See Libya .

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Lehabim', לְהָבַים , preb.for לוּבַים , Lubim; Sept. Λαβιείμ , v. r. in Chron. Λαβείν ; Vulg. Laabim ) , a people reckoned among the Midianitish stock ( Genesis 10:13;  1 Chronicles 1:11). See Ethnology The word is in the plural, and evidently signifies a tribe, doubtless taking the name of Lehab, Mizraim's third son ( Genesis 10:13). Bochart affirms that the Lehabim are not, as is generally supposed, identical with the Libyans. His reasons are, That Libya was much too large a country to have been peopled by one son of Mizraim; and that in other parts of Scripture Libya is either called Phut ( פוט ,  Jeremiah 46:9;  Ezekiel 30:5), or Lubim לובים ,  2 Chronicles 12:3;  Nahum 3:9), and Phut was a brother, and not a son of Mizraim ( Genesis 10:6; Bochart, Opera, 1:279). These arguments do not stand the test of historical criticism. Phut and Lubim are not identical ( Nahum 3:9); and the Lehabim may have been joined by other tribes in colonizing Libya. It is quite true there is no direct evidence to identify the Lehabim and Lubim; yet there seems a high probability that the words are only different forms of the same name — the former being the more ancient, the middle radical ה was afterwards softened (as is not unusual in Hebrew, Gesenius, Thesaur. p. 743, 360) into ו quiescent.

The Lehabim are not again mentioned in Scripture, but we find the Lubim connected with Mizraim ( 2 Chronicles 12:3), and the Kushites or Ethiopians (16:8). We may therefore safely infer that the Lehabim were the ancient Lubim or Libyans, who perhaps first settled on the borders of the Nile, among or beside the Mizraim; but, as they increased in number, migrated to the wide regions south-west, and occupied the vast territory known to classical geographers as Libya (Kalisch On  Genesis 10:13; see also Michaelis, Spicileg. Geogr.; Knobel V Ö Lkertafel Des Pent. ) . Dr. Beke maintains that the Lehabim, as well as the Mizraim, were a people of north-western Arabia; but his views are opposed alike to the opinions of ancient and modern geographers, and his arguments (do not appear of sufficient weight to command acceptance ( Origines Biblicae, P. 167, 198 sq.). There can be no doubt that the Lubim are the same as the ReBU or LeBU of the Egyptian inscriptions, and that from them Libya and the Libyans derived their name. These primitive Libyans appear, in the period at which they are mentioned in these two historical sources, that is, from the time of Menptah, B.C. cir. 1250, to that of Jeremiah's notice of them late in the 6th century B.C., and probably in the case of Daniel's, prophetically to the earlier part of the second century B.C., to have inhabited the northern part of Africa to the west of Egypt, though latterly driven from the coast by the Greek colonists of the Cyrenaica, as is more fully shown under LUBIM. Geographically, the position of the Lehabim in the enumeration of the Mizraites immediately before the Naphtuhim suggests that they at first settled to the westward of Egypt, and nearer to it, or not more distant from it than the tribes or peoples mentioned before them. (See Mizraim). Historically and ethnologically, the connection of the ReBU and Libyans with Egypt and its people suggests their kindred origin with the Egyptians. (See Libya).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

lḗ - hā´bim ( להבים , lehābhı̄m ): Named in   Genesis 10:13;  1 Chronicles 1:11 as descendants of Mizraim. They are probably to be identified with the Lubim (which see), and the one word may be a corruption of the other.