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יָרַד

𐤉𐤓𐤃

yârad

H3381 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To go down, descend, or move from a higher to a lower position, either physically (such as descending a mountain, moving from inland to the coast, or traveling to a region of lesser elevation) or metaphorically (such as a decline in status or fortune). The term also extends to causing something or someone to move downward or to a lower status, including bringing, leading, or letting down. It is used for descending geographically, as when traveling from the central highlands of ancient Israel to the coastal plain, or for entering lower regions such as Egypt—which was often described as 'going down' due to its geographic position relative to the land of Israel.

Semantic Range

descend, go down, come down, bring down, let down, lead down, fall (metaphorically), move to a lower region or status, travel from uplands to lowlands, move from central regions to periphery, lower oneself in status or fortune, decline, go down into the underworld (Sheol)

Root / Etymology

From the root י-ר-ד, which conveys the idea of going or moving downward. The verbal form יָרַד is the basic Qal stem, while other stems (Hiphil) indicate causative or active letting down.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the biblical context, יָרַד is frequently used of descending from higher elevations (e.g., Jerusalem to the valleys or to the coast), reflecting ancient Israel's topography, where journeys to or from Jerusalem are described as ascending or descending regardless of compass direction. 'To go down to Egypt' is a formulaic expression, signifying not only geographic movement but also symbolic undertones, particularly in Israelite literature, where Egypt represents a place of dependency or danger. Metaphorically, the verb is sometimes used for a decline in strength, prestige, or fortune, and in poetic contexts, for going down into Sheol (the underworld). In later Hebrew and in rabbinic literature, the basic geographical sense remains but can be extended by context. The term is not inherently moral or negative but acquires such coloring where context indicates a downfall or loss. Distinct from verbs such as נָפַל ('to fall'), which often imply abruptness or defeat, יָרַד primarily emphasizes the movement downward, whether gradual or controlled.

Translation Consistency

primary "go down" 22 occurrences

Natural, common English that covers the full range of יָרַד: physical descent (down a mountain, to the coast, into Egypt), movement to a lower region, and metaphorical decline. It maps directly to the frequent English renderings (descended, went down, come down) and yields natural inflected forms (goes down, went down, going down). Causative or bringing-down senses can be expressed in context (e.g., “cause/bring down” as needed) while keeping a single consistent base verb.

Alternatives (28 occurrences):
"went down" (14x) "descend" (5x) "brought down" (3x) "descending" (1x) "bring down" (1x) "go down, you (plural males)" (1x) "bring him down" (1x) "descended" (1x) "come down" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to bring down (in all the above applications); [idiom] abundantly, bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down, fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, [idiom] indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to, let) run down, sink, subdue, take down.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

יָרַד (yârad) — to go down, descend, move downward, bring down

Root יָרַד to go down, descend, move downward, bring down
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4174 מוֹרָד on the descent-slope

Word Forms

111 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H3381-58 וַ/יֵּ֥רֶד vayered HC/Vqw3ms and he went down and he descended and he went down 42
H3381-93 יָרַ֞ד yarad HVqp3ms went down he went down he went down 21
H3381-59 וַ/יֵּרְד֡וּ vayeredu HC/Vqw3mp and they went down and they went down and they went down 19
H3381-106 י֨וֹרְדֵי yoredey HVqrmpc those who go down descending ones of descending ones of 18
H3381-83 וְ/יָרַ֧ד veyarad HC/Vqq3ms and went down and he went down and he went down 17
H3381-99 יָרְד֔וּ yaredu HVqp3cp went down they descended they went down 16
H3381-102 יֵרֵֽד yered HVqi3ms will descend Descending One He who will go down 15
H3381-34 רֵ֗ד red HVqv2ms go down Go down Go down 12
H3381-44 תֵּרֵ֣ד tered HVqj2ms let come down may you descend may you go down 11
H3381-23 לָ/רֶ֛דֶת laredet HR/Vqc to go down to descend to go down 10

Occurrences in Scripture

381 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H3381-58 Genesis 11:5 וַ/יֵּ֣רֶד vayered HC/Vqw3ms came down and he descended and he went down
H3381-31 Genesis 11:7 נֵֽרְדָ֔ה neredah HVqh1cp let us go down let us go down let us go down
H3381-58 Genesis 12:10 וַ/יֵּ֨רֶד vayered HC/Vqw3ms went down and he descended and he went down
H3381-58 Genesis 15:11 וַ/יֵּ֥רֶד vayered HC/Vqw3ms came down and he descended and he went down
H3381-05 Genesis 18:21 אֵֽרֲדָה eradah HVqh1cs I will go down let me go down let me go down
H3381-54 Genesis 24:16 וַ/תֵּ֣רֶד vatered HC/Vqw3fs and she went down and she descended and she went down
H3381-55 Genesis 24:18 וַ/תֹּ֧רֶד vatored HC/Vhw3fs and lowered and she brought down and she caused to go down
H3381-54 Genesis 24:45 וַ/תֵּ֥רֶד vatered HC/Vqw3fs and she went down and she descended and she went down
H3381-55 Genesis 24:46 וַ/תּ֤וֹרֶד vatored HC/Vhw3fs and lowered and she brought down and she caused to go down
H3381-44 Genesis 26:2 תֵּרֵ֣ד tered HVqj2ms go down may you descend descend
H3381-91 Genesis 28:12 וְ/יֹרְדִ֖ים veyoredim HC/Vqrmpa and descending and those descending and descending
H3381-24 Genesis 37:25 לְ/הוֹרִ֥יד lehorid HR/Vhc to carry down to bring down to bring down
H3381-06 Genesis 37:35 אֵרֵ֧ד ered HVqi1cs I will go down I will descend I will go down
H3381-58 Genesis 38:1 וַ/יֵּ֥רֶד vayered HC/Vqw3ms went down and he descended and he went down
H3381-21 Genesis 39:1 הוּרַ֣ד hurad HVHp3ms had been brought down was brought down was brought down
H3381-20 Genesis 39:1 הוֹרִדֻ֖/הוּ horiduhu HVhp3cp/Sp3ms had brought him they brought him down they caused him to go down
H3381-38 Genesis 42:2 רְדוּ redu HVqv2mp go down descend, you (plural males) go down, you (plural males)
H3381-59 Genesis 42:3 וַ/יֵּרְד֥וּ vayeredu HC/Vqw3mp went down and they went down and they went down
H3381-102 Genesis 42:38 יֵרֵ֥ד yered HVqi3ms shall go down Descending One shall go down
H3381-68 Genesis 42:38 וְ/הוֹרַדְתֶּ֧ם vehoradetem HC/Vhq2mp then you will bring down and you (masculine plural) will bring down and you (masculine plural) will cause to go down
H3381-31 Genesis 43:4 נֵרְדָ֕ה neredah HVqh1cp we will go down let us go down let us go down
H3381-30 Genesis 43:5 נֵרֵ֑ד nered HVqi1cp we will go down we will go down we will go down
H3381-19 Genesis 43:7 הוֹרִ֖ידוּ horidu HVhv2mp bring down bring down You (pl.) cause to go down
H3381-75 Genesis 43:11 וְ/הוֹרִ֥ידוּ vehoridu HC/Vhv2mp and carry down and bring down and cause to go down
H3381-59 Genesis 43:15 וַ/יֵּרְד֣וּ vayeredu HC/Vqw3mp and went down and they went down and they went down
H3381-100 Genesis 43:20 יָרֹ֥ד yarod HVqa indeed to descend to descend
H3381-95 Genesis 43:20 יָרַ֛דְנוּ yaradenu HVqp1cp we came down we descended we went down
H3381-14 Genesis 43:22 הוֹרַ֥דְנוּ horadenu HVhp1cp we have brought down we caused to descend we brought down
H3381-63 Genesis 44:11 וַ/יּוֹרִ֛דוּ vayoridu HC/Vhw3mp lowered and they brought down and they brought down
H3381-20 Genesis 44:21 הוֹרִדֻ֖/הוּ horiduhu HVhv2mp/Sp3ms Bring him down they brought him down bring him down
H3381-102 Genesis 44:23 יֵרֵ֛ד yered HVqi3ms comes down Descending One He who will go down
H3381-23 Genesis 44:26 לָ/רֶ֑דֶת laredet HR/Vqc to go down to descend to go down
H3381-84 Genesis 44:26 וְ/יָרַ֔דְנוּ veyaradenu HC/Vqq1cp then we will go down and we descended and we go down
H3381-68 Genesis 44:29 וְ/הֽוֹרַדְתֶּ֧ם vehoradetem HC/Vhq2mp and you will bring down and you (masculine plural) will bring down and you (masculine plural) will cause to go down
H3381-75 Genesis 44:31 וְ/הוֹרִ֨ידוּ vehoridu HC/Vhq3cp and they will bring down and bring down and cause to go down
H3381-35 Genesis 45:9 רְדָ֥/ה redah HVqv2ms/Sh come down Go down Go down
H3381-68 Genesis 45:13 וְ/הוֹרַדְתֶּ֥ם vehoradetem HC/Vhq2mp and bring down and you (masculine plural) will bring down and you (masculine plural) will cause to go down
H3381-25 Genesis 46:3 מֵ/רְדָ֣ה meredah HR/Vqc to go down to descend to descend
H3381-06 Genesis 46:4 אֵרֵ֤ד ered HVqi1cs will go down I will descend I will go down
H3381-54 Exodus 2:5 וַ/תֵּ֤רֶד vatered HC/Vqw3fs And came down and she descended and she went down
H3381-51 Exodus 3:8 וָ/אֵרֵ֞ד vaered HC/Vqw1cs So I have come down and I descended and I descended
H3381-83 Exodus 9:19 וְ/יָרַ֧ד veyarad HC/Vqq3ms the hail will come down and he went down and it will descend
H3381-88 Exodus 11:8 וְ/יָרְד֣וּ veyaredu HC/Vqq3cp and shall come down and they descended and they shall come down
H3381-99 Exodus 15:5 יָרְד֥וּ yaredu HVqp3cp they went down they descended they went down
H3381-102 Exodus 19:11 יֵרֵ֧ד yered HVqi3ms will come down Descending One will descend
H3381-58 Exodus 19:14 וַ/יֵּ֧רֶד vayered HC/Vqw3ms went down and he descended and he went down
H3381-93 Exodus 19:18 יָרַ֥ד yarad HVqp3ms had descended he went down he went down
H3381-58 Exodus 19:20 וַ/יֵּ֧רֶד vayered HC/Vqw3ms and came down and he descended and he went down
H3381-34 Exodus 19:21 רֵ֖ד red HVqv2ms go down Go down Go down
H3381-34 Exodus 19:24 רֵ֔ד red HVqv2ms get down Go down Go down
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