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יֵשׁ

𐤉𐤔

yêsh

H3426 particle

SILEX Entry

Definition

A particle indicating the existence or presence of someone or something; used to assert 'there is', 'there are', or 'there exists'. Its primary function is to mark or specify existence, presence, or possession, whether of persons, objects, qualities, or conditions. It commonly appears in constructions with prepositions or pronouns to declare the presence or availability of a state or entity, and provides the existential or possessive sense absent from finite verbal forms.

Semantic Range

existence; presence; being present; actuality; there is/are; existential assertion; possession (in certain syntactic constructions)

Root / Etymology

Probably related to the root י-ש, though the root is not attested as a verb in Biblical Hebrew. Some scholars note an affinity with the notion of being or existence. יֵשׁ is best understood as an independent existential particle rather than a true verbal form. Not derived from a productive verbal root. Forms in other Semitic languages suggest a shared Proto-Semitic existential particle.

Historical & Contextual Notes

יֵשׁ appears frequently throughout the Hebrew Bible as an existential particle, filling the function of indicating existence or presence not otherwise marked due to the lack of an equivalent of the English verb 'to be' in Hebrew's present tense. Common phrases include יֵשׁ לְ (yêsh lə-, 'there is to' = 'someone has') and יֵשׁ אִישׁ (yêsh ʼîsh, 'there is a man'). In contrast, its negative counterpart is אַיִן (ayin, 'there is not'). While English translations often render יֵשׁ as 'is', 'are', or 'have', the Hebrew concept is existential rather than simply copulative or possessive. Over time, especially in later Hebrew (post-biblical), forms derived from יֵשׁ remain central in indicating existence or possession, even though their syntactic integration shifts. The term does not inherently imply material 'substance' but simply the presence or actualization of an entity or state. In modern Hebrew, יֵשׁ continues as the standard existential particle ('there is/are').

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

perhaps from an unused root meaning to stand out, or exist; entity; used adverbially or as a copula for the substantive verb (הָיָה); there is or are (or any other form of the verb to be, as may suit the connection); (there) are, (he, it, shall, there, there may, there shall, there should) be, thou do, had, hast, (which) hath, (I, shalt, that) have, (he, it, there) is, substance, it (there) was, (there) were, ye will, thou wilt, wouldest.

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

ישׁ (Yishay) — to exist, to be present

Root ישׁ to exist, to be present
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3448 יִשַׁי to Yishay

Word Forms

9 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H3426-06 יֶשׁ yesh HTm there is there exists there is 90
H3426-01 הֲ/יֵ֥שׁ hayesh HTi/Tm is there is there? is there 19
H3426-05 וְ/יֵ֣שׁ veyesh HC/Tm and-there-is and there is and there is 18
H3426-09 יֶשְׁנ֛/וֹ yesheno HTm/Sp3ms he is there is to him he is 4
H3426-07 יֶשְׁ/ךָ yeshekha HTm/Sp2ms you are there is to you there is to you 3
H3426-02 הֲ/יִשְׁ/כֶ֤ם hayishekhem HTi/Tm/Sp2mp you(pl) is there among you (masculine plural) whether there is among you 1
H3426-03 שֶׁ/יֵּ֥שׁ sheyesh HTr/Tm that there is that there is 1
H3426-04 וָ/יֵ֖שׁ vayesh HC/Tm Yea, it is and there is and there is 1
H3426-08 יֶשְׁ/כֶ֨ם yeshekhem HTm/Sp2mp you have there is for you there is for you 1

Occurrences in Scripture

138 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H3426-06 Genesis 18:24 יֵ֛שׁ yesh HTm there are there exists there are
H3426-06 Genesis 23:8 יֵ֣שׁ yesh HTm there is there exists there is
H3426-01 Genesis 24:23 הֲ/יֵ֧שׁ hayesh HTi/Tm is there is there? is there
H3426-07 Genesis 24:42 יֶשְׁ/ךָ yeshekha HTm/Sp2ms you are there is to you there is to you
H3426-08 Genesis 24:49 יֶשְׁ/כֶ֨ם yeshekhem HTm/Sp2mp you have there is for you there is for you
H3426-06 Genesis 28:16 יֵ֣שׁ yesh HTm is there exists there is
H3426-06 Genesis 31:29 יֶשׁ yesh HTm there is there exists there is
H3426-06 Genesis 33:9 יֶשׁ yesh HTm I have there exists there exists
H3426-06 Genesis 33:11 יֶשׁ yesh HTm there is there exists there is
H3426-06 Genesis 39:4 יֶשׁ yesh HTm that there exists that was
H3426-06 Genesis 39:5 יֶשׁ yesh HTm there was there exists there was
H3426-06 Genesis 39:5 יֶשׁ yesh-2 HTm there was there exists there was
H3426-06 Genesis 39:8 יֶשׁ yesh HTm there is there exists there is
H3426-06 Genesis 42:1 יֶשׁ yesh HTm there was there exists there is
H3426-06 Genesis 42:2 יֶשׁ yesh HTm there is there exists there is
H3426-07 Genesis 43:4 יֶשְׁ/ךָ֛ yeshekha HTm/Sp2ms you send there is to you you have
H3426-01 Genesis 43:7 הֲ/יֵ֣שׁ hayesh HTi/Tm is there is there? is there
H3426-01 Genesis 44:19 הֲ/יֵשׁ hayesh HTi/Tm have you is there? is there
H3426-06 Genesis 44:20 יֶשׁ yesh HTm we have there exists there is
H3426-06 Genesis 44:26 יֵשׁ֩ yesh HTm there is there exists there is
H3426-05 Genesis 47:6 וְ/יֶשׁ veyesh HC/Tm and there are and there is and there are
H3426-01 Exodus 17:7 הֲ/יֵ֧שׁ hayesh HTi/Tm Is there is there? is there
H3426-05 Numbers 9:20 וְ/יֵ֞שׁ veyesh HC/Tm and it was and there is and there was
H3426-05 Numbers 9:21 וְ/יֵ֞שׁ veyesh HC/Tm And it was and there is and there was
H3426-01 Numbers 13:20 הֲ/יֵֽשׁ hayesh HTi/Tm is-there is there? is there
H3426-06 Numbers 22:29 יֶשׁ yesh HTm there were there exists there was
H3426-02 Deuteronomy 13:4 הֲ/יִשְׁ/כֶ֤ם hayishekhem HTi/Tm/Sp2mp you(pl) is there among you (masculine plural) whether there is among you
H3426-09 Deuteronomy 29:14 יֶשְׁנ֜/וֹ yesheno HTm/Sp3ms is there is to him is
H3426-06 Deuteronomy 29:17 יֵ֣שׁ yesh HTm there-be there exists there exists
H3426-06 Deuteronomy 29:17 יֵ֣שׁ yesh-2 HTm there-be there exists there exists
H3426-01 Judges 4:20 הֲ/יֵֽשׁ hayesh HTi/Tm is there is there? is there
H3426-05 Judges 6:13 וְ/יֵ֤שׁ veyesh HC/Tm and is and there is and there is
H3426-07 Judges 6:36 יֶשְׁ/ךָ֞ yeshekha HTm/Sp2ms you are there is to you there is to you
H3426-06 Judges 18:14 יֵ֣שׁ yesh HTm there is there exists there is
H3426-06 Judges 19:19 יֵ֣שׁ yesh HTm there is there exists there is
H3426-06 Judges 19:19 יֶשׁ yesh-2 HTm there is there exists there is
H3426-01 1 Samuel 9:11 הֲ/יֵ֥שׁ hayesh HTi/Tm is there is there? is there
H3426-06 1 Samuel 9:12 יֵּ֖שׁ yesh HTm there is there exists there is
H3426-09 1 Samuel 14:39 יֶשְׁנ֛/וֹ yesheno HTm/Sp3ms it be there is to him there is him
H3426-06 1 Samuel 17:46 יֵ֥שׁ yesh HTm there is there exists there is
H3426-06 1 Samuel 20:8 יֶשׁ yesh HTm there is there exists there exists
H3426-06 1 Samuel 21:4 יֵּ֧שׁ yesh HTm is there there exists is there
H3426-06 1 Samuel 21:5 יֵ֔שׁ yesh HTm there is there exists there exists
H3426-06 1 Samuel 21:9 יֶשׁ yesh HTm there is there exists there is
H3426-09 1 Samuel 23:23 יֶשְׁנ֣/וֹ yesheno HTm/Sp3ms he is there is to him he is
H3426-06 2 Samuel 9:1 יֶשׁ yesh HTm still there exists there is
H3426-06 2 Samuel 14:32 יֶשׁ yesh HTm there is there exists there is
H3426-06 2 Samuel 19:29 יֶּשׁ yesh HTm is there exists there exists
H3426-06 1 Kings 17:12 יֶשׁ yesh HTm there is there exists there is
H3426-06 1 Kings 18:10 יֶשׁ yesh HTm there is there exists there is
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