יָסַר
𐤉𐤎𐤓
yâçar
H3256 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To discipline, train, or correct, with the aim of imparting instruction, guidance, or moral formation. The word encompasses both physical correction (such as punishment or chastisement) and verbal instruction or admonition, emphasizing formative discipline designed to result in moral, intellectual, or behavioral growth. While often translated 'chasten', 'discipline', or 'instruct', the nuance can include a range from punitive correction to nurturing guidance, depending on context.
Semantic Range
to discipline, to correct, to chasten, to admonish, to instruct, to train, to reform, to rebuke, to teach by correction, to bring up (with guidance)
Root / Etymology
From the root יסר (y-s-r), meaning 'to discipline' or 'to correct.' The core sense of the root is to bring under moral training or correction through various means, which may include physical punishment but is not limited to it. The verb is a primary root, and its derivatives often pertain to education or correction with an aim toward improvement or reform.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, יָסַר appears primarily in contexts emphasizing the importance of discipline for personal or communal growth. In earlier (pre-exilic) literature, it may involve both corporal punishment and verbal instruction, especially within the parental or royal spheres. Notably, in Proverbs and other wisdom literature, the emphasis shifts heavily toward didactic instruction, where discipline is viewed as an essential path to wisdom and flourishing. In prophetic literature, יָסַר is also used for divine correction—Israelites and Judahites are depicted as being 'disciplined' by YHWH through hardship or rebuke, not merely as punishment but as a means of restoration. The concept is broader than modern English 'chasten' or 'punish', as it emphasizes the educative or formative intent of correction. The English term 'instruct' may not always capture the corrective or disciplinary aspect, while 'chasten' can overly emphasize retribution rather than training. Related roots such as למד (lamad, 'to learn/teach') lack the aspect of correction inherent in יָסַר. Over time, the term was foundational for later educational and ethical concepts in post-biblical Hebrew.
Translation Consistency
Most occurrences translate the verb as some form of “discipline,” and that English verb naturally covers both corrective punishment and formative training/ instruction. It is common, clear, and captures the SILEX range (chasten, correct, train, admonish) better than the more archaic “chasten” or the narrower “correct.” Using “discipline” keeps renderings consistent and idiomatic.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to chastise, literally (with blows) or figuratively (with words); hence, to instruct; bind, chasten, chastise, correct, instruct, punish, reform, reprove, sore, teach.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
יסר (yiççôwr) — to chasten, to discipline, to instruct, to correct
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3250 | יִסּוֹר | discipliner |
| H4147 | מוֹסֵר | to my restraints |
| H4148 | מוּסָר | in the discipline |
| H4561 | מֹסָר | and in their discipline |
Word Forms
34 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3256-26 |
יִסַּ֤ר | yisar | HVpp3ms |
disciplined | he disciplined | he disciplined | 4 |
H3256-01 |
אֲיַסֵּ֥ר | ayaser | HVpi1cs |
will-chastise | I will discipline | I will discipline | 2 |
H3256-10 |
תְיַסְּרֵֽ/נִי | teyasereni | HVpi2ms/Sp1cs |
chasten me | you discipline me | discipline me | 2 |
H3256-17 |
וְ/יִסַּרְתִּ֨י/ךָ֙ | veyisaretikha | HC/Vpq1cs/Sp2ms |
and I will discipline you | and I will discipline you | and I will discipline you | 2 |
H3256-22 |
יַסֵּ֣ר | yaser | HVpv2ms |
Correct | Discipline! | Discipline | 2 |
H3256-24 |
יָסֹר֙ | yasor | HVqa |
has disciplined | intensively discipline | he instructed | 2 |
H3256-27 |
יִסַּ֣רְתָּ | yisareta | HVpp2ms |
you-have-chastened | you disciplined | you disciplined | 2 |
H3256-02 |
אַיְסִרֵ֕/ם | ayesirem | HVhi1cs/Sp3mp |
I will chastise them | I will discipline them | I will discipline them | 1 |
H3256-03 |
הֲ/יֹסֵ֣ר | hayoser | HTi/Vqrmsc |
Will He discipline | disciplining one of | disciplining one of | 1 |
H3256-04 |
הִוָּסְרִי֙ | hivaseri | HVNv2fs |
Be instructed | Be disciplined | Be instructed | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
43 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3256-06 |
Leviticus 26:18 | לְ/יַסְּרָ֣ה | leyaserah | HR/Vpc |
to discipline | to discipline | to discipline |
H3256-12 |
Leviticus 26:23 | תִוָּסְר֖וּ | tivaseru | HVNi2mp |
you are chastised | you will be disciplined | you are chastised |
H3256-16 |
Leviticus 26:28 | וְ/יִסַּרְתִּ֤י | veyisareti | HC/Vpq1cs |
and I will discipline | and I will discipline | and I will discipline |
H3256-07 |
Deuteronomy 4:36 | לְ/יַסְּרֶ֑/ךָּ | leyaserekha | HR/Vpc/Sp2ms |
to discipline you | to discipline you | to discipline you |
H3256-25 |
Deuteronomy 8:5 | יְיַסֵּ֥ר | yeyaser | HVpi3ms |
disciplines | he will discipline | a man disciplines |
H3256-08 |
Deuteronomy 8:5 | מְיַסְּרֶֽ/ךָּ | meyaserekha | HVprmsc/Sp2ms |
disciplines-you | your discipliner | disciplines you |
H3256-21 |
Deuteronomy 21:18 | וְ/יסְּר֣וּ | veyseru | HC/Vpq3cp |
and they discipline | and they disciplined | and they discipline |
H3256-20 |
Deuteronomy 22:18 | וְ/יִסְּר֖וּ | veyiseru | HC/Vpq3cp |
and chastise | and they disciplined | and they shall discipline |
H3256-26 |
1 Kings 12:11 | יִסַּ֤ר | yisar | HVpp3ms |
chastised | he disciplined | he disciplined |
H3256-01 |
1 Kings 12:11 | אֲיַסֵּ֥ר | ayaser | HVpi1cs |
will-chastise | I will discipline | I will discipline |
H3256-26 |
1 Kings 12:14 | יִסַּ֤ר | yisar | HVpp3ms |
disciplined | he disciplined | he disciplined |
H3256-01 |
1 Kings 12:14 | אֲיַסֵּ֥ר | ayaser | HVpi1cs |
will discipline | I will discipline | I will discipline |
H3256-18 |
Isaiah 8:11 | וְ/יִסְּרֵ֕/נִי | veyisereni | HC/Vqi3ms/Sp1cs |
and-warned-me | and he disciplines me | and he warned me |
H3256-19 |
Isaiah 28:26 | וְ/יִסְּר֥/וֹ | veyisero | HC/Vpq3ms/Sp3ms |
and instructs him | and disciplined him | and instructs him |
H3256-09 |
Jeremiah 2:19 | תְּיַסְּרֵ֣/ךְ | teyaserekhe | HVpi3fs/Sp2fs |
will discipline you | she will discipline you | she will discipline you |
H3256-04 |
Jeremiah 6:8 | הִוָּסְרִי֙ | hivaseri | HVNv2fs |
Be instructed | Be disciplined | Be instructed |
H3256-23 |
Jeremiah 10:24 | יַסְּרֵ֥/נִי | yasereni | HVpv2ms/Sp1cs |
chastise me | Discipline me | Discipline me |
H3256-17 |
Jeremiah 30:11 | וְ/יִסַּרְתִּ֨י/ךָ֙ | veyisaretikha | HC/Vpq1cs/Sp2ms |
but I will discipline you | and I will discipline you | and I will discipline you |
H3256-28 |
Jeremiah 31:18 | יִסַּרְתַּ֨/נִי֙ | yisaretani | HVpp2ms/Sp1cs |
You disciplined me | You disciplined me | You disciplined me |
H3256-13 |
Jeremiah 31:18 | וָֽ/אִוָּסֵ֔ר | vaivaser | HC/VNw1cs |
and I was disciplined | and I was disciplined | and I was disciplined |
H3256-17 |
Jeremiah 46:28 | וְ/יִסַּרְתִּ֨י/ךָ֙ | veyisaretikha | HC/Vpq1cs/Sp2ms |
and I will discipline you | and I will discipline you | and I will discipline you |
H3256-15 |
Ezekiel 23:48 | וְ/נִֽוַּסְּרוּ֙ | venivaseru | HC/VDq3cp |
and-they-will-be-warned | and they disciplined themselves | and they will be disciplined |
H3256-02 |
Hosea 7:12 | אַיְסִרֵ֕/ם | ayesirem | HVhi1cs/Sp3mp |
I will chastise them | I will discipline them | I will discipline them |
H3256-29 |
Hosea 7:15 | יִסַּ֔רְתִּי | yisareti | HVpp1cs |
trained | I disciplined | I disciplined |
H3256-14 |
Hosea 10:10 | וְ/אֶסֳּרֵ֑/ם | veesorem | HC/Vqi1cs/Sp3mp |
I will bind them | I will discipline them | I will discipline them |
H3256-05 |
Psalms 2:10 | הִ֝וָּסְר֗וּ | hivaseru | HVNv2mp |
be instructed | Be disciplined | Be disciplined |
H3256-10 |
Psalms 6:2 | תְיַסְּרֵֽ/נִי | teyasereni | HVpi2ms/Sp1cs |
chasten me | you discipline me | discipline me |
H3256-32 |
Psalms 16:7 | יִסְּר֥וּ/נִי | yiseruni | HVpp3cp/Sp1cs |
instruct me | they disciplined me | they instruct me |
H3256-10 |
Psalms 38:2 | תְיַסְּרֵֽ/נִי | teyasereni | HVpi2ms/Sp1cs |
chasten me | you discipline me | you will discipline me |
H3256-27 |
Psalms 39:12 | יִסַּ֬רְתָּ | yisareta | HVpp2ms |
you-have-chastened | you disciplined | you disciplined |
H3256-03 |
Psalms 94:10 | הֲ/יֹסֵ֣ר | hayoser | HTi/Vqrmsc |
Will He discipline | disciplining one of | disciplining one of |
H3256-11 |
Psalms 94:12 | תְּיַסְּרֶ֣/נּוּ | teyaserenu | HVpi2ms/Sp3ms |
You discipline | you discipline him | you discipline him |
H3256-24 |
Psalms 118:18 | יַסֹּ֣ר | yasor | HVpa |
has disciplined | intensively discipline | to intensively discipline |
H3256-30 |
Psalms 118:18 | יִסְּרַ֣/נִּי | yiserani | HVpp3ms/Sp1cs |
me | he disciplined me | he disciplined me |
H3256-34 |
Proverbs 9:7 | יֹ֤סֵ֨ר | yoser | HVqrmsa |
corrects | one who disciplines | one who disciplines |
H3256-22 |
Proverbs 19:18 | יַסֵּ֣ר | yaser | HVpv2ms |
Discipline | Discipline! | Discipline |
H3256-22 |
Proverbs 29:17 | יַסֵּ֣ר | yaser | HVpv2ms |
Correct | Discipline! | Discipline |
H3256-33 |
Proverbs 29:19 | יִוָּ֣סֶר | yivaser | HVNi3ms |
will be corrected | he will be disciplined | will be disciplined |
H3256-31 |
Proverbs 31:1 | יִסְּרַ֥תּ/וּ | yiseratu | HVpp3fs/Sp3ms |
she disciplined him | she disciplined him | she disciplined him |
H3256-27 |
Job 4:3 | יִסַּ֣רְתָּ | yisareta | HVpp2ms |
you have instructed | you disciplined | you instructed |
H3256-24 |
1 Chronicles 15:22 | יָסֹר֙ | yasor | HVqa |
he instructed | intensively discipline | he instructed |
H3256-26 |
2 Chronicles 10:11 | יִסַּ֤ר | yisar | HVpp3ms |
disciplined | he disciplined | he disciplined |
H3256-26 |
2 Chronicles 10:14 | יִסַּ֤ר | yisar | HVpp3ms |
disciplined | he disciplined | he disciplined |