יַעֲרָה
𐤉𐤏𐤓𐤄
yaʻărâh
H3295 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A thicket, wooded area, or dense growth of trees and underbrush; by extension, a forest. In some contexts, particularly poetic or descriptive passages, also denotes the place where wild honey is found (often in natural tree hollows or combs within the woodland).
Semantic Range
thicket, copse, dense woodland, forest, wooded area, (metonymically) honeycomb, wild honey in the forest
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root יער (y-'-r), which means 'to be thick, grow luxuriantly, be forested.' יַעֲרָה (yaʻărâh) is the feminine form of יַעַר (yaʻar, 'woodland, forest') and in its concrete usage refers to a wooded region, thicket, or copse. The extension to 'honeycomb' or 'comb' emerges from the propensity of wild bees to create honeycombs in such forested areas.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, יַעֲרָה appears primarily in poetry or as a figurative description, emphasizing a densely wooded area, often as a primary habitat for wild animals or a source of untamed natural resources. While the more common masculine form יַעַר broadly covers 'forest' or 'woods,' יַעֲרָה (feminine) can also refer by metonymy to the honeycomb or honey found within forests, as wild bees would nest in tree crevices or thickets. English translations sometimes narrow יַעֲרָה to 'honeycomb,' but this derives from the association with wild honey in forests rather than an independent semantic field. The term lacks direct reference to cultivated or constructed hives, as would develop in later apicultural contexts. The use of יַעֲרָה remained within the semantic domain of natural, untamed woodland during the biblical period, with occasional extended metaphorical use in reference to abundance or the natural provision found within such areas. The distinction between יַעַר and יַעֲרָה is subtle, mostly grammatical (gender), with potential emphasis on natural, uncultivated growth (copse, thicket) in the feminine form.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of יַעַר, and meaning the same; {a copse of bushes; hence, a forest; hence, honey in the comb (as hived in trees)}; (honey-) comb, forest.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
יער (y-ʿ-r) — to be thick, grow luxuriantly, be forested
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3265 | יָעוּר | Wooded One |
| H3293 | יַעַר | in the dense-woodland |
| H3294 | יַעְרָה | and Forest-one |
| H3297 | יְעָרִים | forests |
| H5782 | עוּר | forest |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3295-01 |
בְּ/יַעְרַ֣ת | beyaerat | HR/Ncfsc |
in the honeycomb | in thicket of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3295-01 |
1 Samuel 14:27 | בְּ/יַעְרַ֣ת | beyaerat | HR/Ncfsc |
in the honeycomb | in thicket of |