Strong's Lexicon

H3334

H3334 — יָצַר

Hebrew / Aramaic entry for Bible study and original-language reference.

HebrewyatsarverbOccurrences: 10TWOT: 1973

Definition / Gloss

Strong's Number:H3334
Word:יָצַר
Part of Speech:verb
Etymology:a primitive root
Language:Hebrew
Occurrences:10
Transliteration:yatsar
Phonetic Spelling/Pronunciation:yaw-tsar'
Meaning:1. to press (intransitive), i.e. be narrow 2. (figuratively) be in distress
KJV Renderings:be distressed, be narrow, be straitened (in straits), be vexed.

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Brown-Driver-Briggs Enhanced

BDB7254

I. צָרַר verb bind, tie up, be restricted, narrow, scant, cramped (Late Hebrew id.; Arabic [untranscribed source text 4646] bind, tie up; so Aramaic צְרַר, [untranscribed source text 4647]); —

A. transitive:
Qal Perfect 3 masculine singular צָרַר Hos 4:19; Prov 30:4 Imperative צוֺר Isa 8:16 Infinitive construct צְרוֺר Prov 26:8 (?); Participle active צֹרֵר Job 26:8 passive צָרוּר Hos 13:12, feminine צְרוּרָה 1Sam 25:29 feminine plural צְרֻרֹת Exod 12:34; 2Sam 20:3 — bind or tie up, of kneading-troughs Exod 12:34 ( E ); figurative of a life preserved by ׳ י, נֶפֶשׁ צְרוּרָה בִּצְרוֺר הַחַיִּים 1Sam 25:29 of preserving prophetic teaching Isa 8:16 of retention of guilt Hos 13:12 of ׳ י's binding waters in (a garment of) cloud Prov 30:4; Job 26:8 = shut up 2Sam 20:3צָרַר רוּחַ אֹתָהּ בִּכְנָפֶיהָ Hos 4:19 (si vera lectio) pregnantly, the wind hath wrapped her up in its wings, to carry her off; כִּצְרוֺר אֶבֶן Prov 26:8 like the tying up of a stone, but unintellig. in context (see Toy).
Pu`al Participle plural מְצֹרָרִים Josh 9:4 tied up (mended by tying), of old wine-skins.
B. intransitive:
Qal Perfect 3 feminine singular צָ֫רָה Isa 28:20 Imperfect 3 masculine singular יֵצַר Prov 4:12 , יֵ֫צֶר לוֺ Job 20:22 , וַ֫יֵּצֶד Gen 32:8 +, etc.; — be scant, cramped, in straits; of scanty bed-covering Isa 28:20 (in figurative); of land too small for (מִן) its people Isa 49:19 + Josh 19:47 (for וַיֵּצֵא) DrExpos. Jan. 1887, 59 Benn, compare ᵐ5 ; of steps = be cramped, or impeded, Prov 4:12; Job 18:7 (both in figure); especially impersonal with ל person, וַיֵּצֶר לוֺ Gen 32:8 and it was narrow for him = he was in straits, distress, so Judg 2:15; 2Sam 13:2; Job 20:22 , also 3 feminine singular וַתֵּ֫צֶר לְ Judg 10:9; 1Sam 30:6 (see Dr).
Hiph`il Perfect 3 masculine singular וְהֵצַר Deut 28:52 (twice in verse) consecutive; 1 singular וַהֲצֵרֹתִי Jer 10:18 ; Zeph 1:17 Imperfect 3 masculine singular יָצַרלֿוֺ 1Kgs 8:37 = 2Chr 6:28 , וַיָּ֫צַד 2Chr 28:20 3 masculine plural וַיָּצֵרוּ Neh 9:27 Infinitive construct הָצֵר 2Chr 28:22 ; 2Chr 33:12 — make narrow for, press hard upon, cause distress to, with ל person, Jer 10:18 (subject ׳ י), Zeph 1:17 (subject id.); Deut 28:52 (twice in verse); 1Kgs 8:37 = 2Chr 6:28 ; Neh 9:27 (all subject foe), 2Chr 28:20 (subject Tiglath-pileser); indefinite subject 2Chr 28:22 (but read כִּי אִם לְצָרָה לוֺ, and join to 2Chr 28:21, opposed to לְעֶזְרָה לוֺ, ᵐ5 Kit BuhlLex), 2Chr 33:12.


Other Resources

Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament
R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, and Bruce K. Waltke

Englishman's Hebrew Concordance

יצר (yah-tzar’)

Proverbs 4:12

KJV: When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
EHCC: thy steps shall not be straitened ;

Proverbs 14:49

EHCC: 19. skull even now be too narrow by reason
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