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יִזְרְעֵאל

𐤉𐤆𐤓𐤏𐤀𐤋

Yizereel

H3157 noun

SILEX Entry

Root זרע to sow, scatter seed

Definition

The proper noun Yizre‘el refers primarily to (1) a city in the territory of Issachar, notably the site of Ahab's palace and Naboth's vineyard; (2) a significant valley (the Jezreel Valley), a fertile plain distinguished for its agricultural richness and strategic location; (3) a descendant of Judah; and (4) a descendant from the tribe of Ephraim. The name encapsulates the idea of 'El (God) will sow' or 'God sows,' reflecting both agricultural fertility and divine action. The word functions as both a place name and a personal name in biblical literature.

Semantic Range

a city in northern Israel (Issachar), the Jezreel Valley (a major plain), an individual descended from Judah, a descendant of Ephraim, symbol of divine sowing or judgment (esp. in prophetic literature), name containing theophoric element ('El')

Root / Etymology

Derived from the verb זָרַע (zara‘), 'to sow, scatter seed,' combined with אֵל ('El', a name for God), yielding 'El sows' or 'God will sow.' The root meaning (to sow) is agricultural, but the nominal form here is applied to a proper name rather than describing the act itself.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The city of Yizre‘el is significant in narratives from the monarchic period, especially in the stories of King Ahab, Jezebel, and Naboth's vineyard (1 Kings 21). The valley by this name, also often termed 'the plain of Yizre‘el,' became emblematic of abundance due to its fertility, but also of conflict, as many battles took place there. The use of theophoric elements (El) reflects common naming patterns in Iron Age Israelite culture. The English 'Jezreel' derives from the Septuagint rendering, which standardized the pronunciation according to later traditions; in KJV and other translations this term is consistently rendered 'Jezreel,' but the English transliteration obscures the explicit connection to the Hebrew root and the meaning 'God will sow.' The personal names highlight the use of place names as genealogical identifiers, a common Israelite practice. Later, in prophetic literature, especially in Hosea, 'Yizre‘el' takes on symbolic resonance, illustrating themes of judgment and restoration. The word does not indicate religious identity ('Jew') but rather geo-ethnic, political, and sometimes familial distinction tied to the periods named above.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from זָרַע and אֵל; God will sow; Jizreel, the name of two places in Palestine and of two Israelites; Jezreel.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

זרע (z-r-ʿ) — to sow, scatter seed

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1872 דְּרַע and his arms
H2220 זְרוֹעַ in an outstretched arm
H2221 זֵרוּעַ sown produce
H2232 זָרַע let me sow seed
H2233 זֶרַע in their seed

Word Forms

7 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3157-06 יִזְרְעֶֽאל yizereel HNp Jezreel El-sows 15
H3157-07 יִזְרְעֶ֥אלָ/ה yizereelah HNp/Sd to Jezreel toward El-Sows 7
H3157-01 בְּ/יִזְרְעֶֽאל beyizereel HR/Np in Jezreel in El-sows 7
H3157-04 וְ/יִזְרְעֶ֥אל veyizereel HC/Np in Jezreel El-sows 3
H3157-03 מִֽ/יִּזְרְעֶ֑אל miyizereel HR/Np from Jezreel from El-sows 2
H3157-02 לְ/יִזְרְעֶ֗אל leyizereel HR/Np Jezreel to God-sows 1
H3157-05 בִ/יְזְרְעֶ֗אל viyezereel HR/Np in Jezreel in God-sows 1

Occurrences in Scripture

36 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3157-04 Joshua 15:56 וְ/יִזְרְעֶ֥אל veyizereel HC/Np and Jezreel El-sows
H3157-06 Joshua 17:16 יִזְרְעֶֽאל yizereel HNp of Jezreel El-sows
H3157-07 Joshua 19:18 יִזְרְעֶ֥אלָ/ה yizereelah HNp/Sd Jezreel toward El-Sows
H3157-06 Judges 6:33 יִזְרְעֶֽאל yizereel HNp Jezreel El-sows
H3157-03 1 Samuel 25:43 מִֽ/יִּזְרְעֶ֑אל miyizereel HR/Np from Jezreel from El-sows
H3157-01 1 Samuel 29:1 בְּ/יִזְרְעֶֽאל beyizereel HR/Np in Jezreel in El-sows
H3157-06 1 Samuel 29:11 יִזְרְעֶֽאל yizereel HNp Jezreel El-sows
H3157-06 2 Samuel 2:9 יִזְרְעֶ֑אל yizereel HNp Jezreel El-sows
H3157-03 2 Samuel 4:4 מִֽ/יִּזְרְעֶ֗אל miyizereel HR/Np from Jezreel from El-sows
H3157-02 1 Kings 4:12 לְ/יִזְרְעֶ֗אל leyizereel HR/Np Jezreel to God-sows
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