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יָחַל

𐤉𐤇𐤋

yâchal

H3176 verb

SILEX Entry

Root יחל to wait, to expect, to hope

Definition

To wait for with expectancy; to hope for an anticipated outcome, often in the context of future deliverance or change. The verb can imply patient endurance, confident hope, or expectant waiting, commonly directed toward deity or fulfillment of a promise. In some contexts, it can carry a nuance of enduring adversity while looking forward to relief.

Semantic Range

to await expectantly, to hope (for); to remain in anticipation, to be patient (for); to endure (with longing), to trust (in the sense of expecting fulfillment)

Root / Etymology

Root: יחל (y-ḥ-l). Derived from a verbal root meaning 'to wait with anticipation' or 'to hope.' The root core conveys an active, expectant waiting, as opposed to mere passive delay. The Hebrew lexeme generally focuses on the attitude or state of unwavering expectation, with possible nuances of emotional tension or endurance.

Historical & Contextual Notes

יָחַל appears chiefly in poetic and wisdom texts (e.g., Psalms, Job, Lamentations), where it expresses patient expectation or steadfast hope, often regarding divine action or deliverance. Unlike קָוָה (H6960), another Hebrew root for 'hope' that can also highlight a sense of binding or gathering together, יָחַל emphasizes the emotional and psychological dimension of waiting. In later biblical periods and post-biblical literature, the term acquires more overt associations with religious hope, but in classical usage, it retains a sense of tension between present hardship and anticipated change. English translations may foreground notions of 'hope' or 'wait,' yet sometimes fail to capture the active, almost courageous expectation signaled by יָחַל. The word rarely signifies a resigned or indefinite waiting; instead, it implies a purposeful stance toward the future. Distinct from passive waiting, which might use שָׁהָה (H7584), יָחַל involves intentional expectation. Usage patterns are consistent throughout the monarchic and exilic periods, often framing the faithful attitude of an individual or community in times of distress.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to wait; by implication, to be patient, hope; (cause to, have, make to) hope, be pained, stay, tarry, trust, wait.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

יחל (y-ḥ-l) — to wait, to expect, to hope

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3175 יָחִיל hopeful one
H3178 יַחְלְאֵלִי the Yachleelite
H8431 תּוֹחֶלֶת my enduring hope

Word Forms

24 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3176-24 יִחָֽלְתִּי yichaleti HVpp1cs I wait I have waited expectantly 5
H3176-01 אֲיַחֵ֑ל ayachel HVpi1cs I will hope I will earnestly hope 4
H3176-09 אֹחִ֣ילָה ochilah HVhi1cs I will wait I will wait expectantly 3
H3176-03 הוֹחָ֑לְתִּי hochaleti HVhp1cs I-have-waited I placed my hope 3
H3176-04 הוֹחִ֣ילִי hochili HVhv2fs hope cause yourself to hope expectantly 3
H3176-08 אוֹחִ֥יל ochil HVhi1cs I have hope I will wait expectantly 3
H3176-15 וְ/יִֽחֲל֖וּ veyichalu HC/Vpq3cp and they hope and they waited expectantly 2
H3176-02 הַ֝/מְיַחֲלִ֗ים hameyachalim HTd/Vprmpa those-who-hope the ones waiting expectantly 2
H3176-18 יַחֵ֥ל yachel HVpv2ms hope he will wait expectantly 2
H3176-22 יִחַ֥לְנוּ yichalenu HVpp1cp we hope we have earnestly hoped 1

Occurrences in Scripture

42 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3176-12 Genesis 8:12 וַ/יִּיָּ֣חֶל vayiyachel HC/VNw3ms he waited and he waited expectantly
H3176-10 1 Samuel 10:8 תּוֹחֵל֙ tochel HVhj2ms you shall wait may you set to hopeful waiting
H3176-17 1 Samuel 13:8 ו/ייחל vyychl HC/VNw3ms and he waited and he waited expectantly
H3176-13 1 Samuel 13:8 וַ/יּ֣וֹחֶל vayochel HC/Vhw3ms and he waited and he set his hope
H3176-09 2 Samuel 18:14 אֹחִ֣ילָה ochilah HVhi1cs will I wait I will wait expectantly
H3176-08 2 Kings 6:33 אוֹחִ֥יל ochil HVhi1cs should I wait I will wait expectantly
H3176-21 Isaiah 42:4 יְיַחֵֽילוּ yeyacheylu HVpi3mp will wait they will wait expectantly
H3176-20 Isaiah 51:5 יְיַחֵלֽוּ/ן yeyachelun HVpi3mp/Sn they shall hope they will earnestly hope
H3176-09 Jeremiah 4:19 אוֹחִ֜ילָה ochilah HVhh1cs I writhe I will wait expectantly
H3176-15 Ezekiel 13:6 וְ/יִֽחֲל֖וּ veyichalu HC/Vpq3cp and they hope and they waited expectantly
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