יְצַב

𐤉𐤑𐤁

yᵉtsab

H3321 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To stand firm, be stable, be established, hold fast; in derived contexts, to be steadfast in speech or action, to speak with assurance, or to set in place. The primary meaning is to stand or remain steadfastly, with derived nuance in Aramaic usage of 'to speak firmly' or 'speak the truth.'

Semantic Range

to stand firm, to be stable, to be established, to remain unshaken, to speak firmly, to declare truth, to set in place, to be steadfast in speech

Root / Etymology

Root יָצַב (יצב), meaning 'to stand, to set, to place.' יְצַב is the imperfect (usually jussive or apocopated) form of the root, occurring in Aramaic sections of the Hebrew Bible. The root relates fundamentally to the ideas of firmness and stability, whether in physical position or metaphorical sense (such as reliability or truthfulness).

Historical & Contextual Notes

יְצַב occurs only in Aramaic sections of the Hebrew Bible, notably in Daniel and Ezra. In these contexts, it carries the sense of something being established or spoken with assurance, reflecting a firm stance either in physical posture or in speech. The Hebrew root יצב in its basic stem is rare in Biblical Hebrew; functions linked with it are more common in the Hiphil stem (causative), meaning 'to place' or 'to set.' In Aramaic, by contrast, the root also expresses firmness in speech ('to declare surely' or 'to speak true'). English translations (e.g., 'to be firm,' 'to speak surely,' or 'speak truth') capture some, but not all, of the nuances, as the original term might emphasize the unchanging or trustworthy quality of the action or statement. The semantic range overlaps with related Hebrew roots such as עמד ('to stand') and כון ('to be firm, established'), but יצב emphasizes the aspect of remaining unmoved or resolutely fixed.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

lemma יְצב missing vowel, corrected to יְצַב; xlit yᵉtsêb corrected to yᵉtsab; (Aramaic) corresponding to יָצַב; to be firm; hence, to speak surely; truth.

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

יצב (y-ṣ-b) — standing firm, stability, steadfastness, establishment

Root יצב to stand, be firmly placed, remain steadfast
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3320 יָצַב Set yourself firmly
H3330 יַצִּיב and firm

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H3321-01 לְ/יַצָּבָ֔א leyatsava AR/Vpc to know the truth to firmly establish to know for sure 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H3321-01 Daniel 7:19 לְ/יַצָּבָ֔א leyatsava AR/Vpc to know the truth to firmly establish to know for sure