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יָחַל

𐤉𐤇𐤋

yâchal

H3176 verb

SILEX Entry

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.

Translation Consistency

primary "wait" 33 occurrences

יָחַל typically denotes expectant, patient waiting or enduring hope—often directed toward God or a promised outcome. "Wait" best captures the primary sense of expectant, patient endurance and is the most common and natural English rendering across occurrences; other senses ("hope," "trust") are close but secondary and can be expressed by context or modifiers.

Alternatives (9 occurrences):
"cause yourself to hope expectantly" (3x) "hope" (2x) "hopes" (1x) "those who hope expectantly" (1x) "hoped" (1x) "made me hope" (1x)

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

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

Root Family

יחל (Yacheleeli) — to wait, hope, expect

Root יחל 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 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H3176-24 יִחָֽלְתִּי yichaleti HVpp1cs I wait I have waited expectantly I have waited expectantly 5
H3176-01 אֲיַחֵ֑ל ayachel HVpi1cs I will hope I will earnestly hope I will wait earnestly 4
H3176-03 הוֹחַ֨לְתִּי hochaleti HVhp1cs I-have-waited I placed my hope I waited 3
H3176-04 הוֹחִ֣ילִי hochili HVhv2fs hope cause yourself to hope expectantly cause yourself to hope expectantly 3
H3176-08 אוֹחִ֥יל ochil HVhi1cs I have hope I will wait expectantly I will wait expectantly 3
H3176-09 אֹחִ֣ילָה ochilah HVhi1cs I will wait I will wait expectantly I will wait expectantly 3
H3176-02 הַ֝/מְיַחֲלִ֗ים hameyachalim HTd/Vprmpa those-who-hope the ones waiting expectantly the ones waiting expectantly 2
H3176-15 וְ/יִֽחֲל֖וּ veyichalu HC/Vpq3cp and they hope and they waited expectantly and they waited expectantly 2
H3176-18 יַחֵ֥ל yachel HVpv2ms hope he will wait expectantly he will wait expectantly 2
H3176-05 לַֽ/מְיַחֲלִ֥ים lameyachalim HRd/Vprmpa those who hope to the ones hoping expectantly for those who hope expectantly 1

Occurrences in Scripture

42 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H3176-12 Genesis 8:12 וַ/יִּיָּ֣חֶל vayiyachel HC/VNw3ms he waited and he waited expectantly and he waited expectantly
H3176-10 1 Samuel 10:8 תּוֹחֵל֙ tochel HVhj2ms you shall wait may you set to hopeful waiting you shall wait
H3176-17 1 Samuel 13:8 ו/ייחל vyychl HC/VNw3ms and he waited and he waited expectantly and he waited expectantly
H3176-13 1 Samuel 13:8 וַ/יּ֣וֹחֶל vayochel HC/Vhw3ms and he waited and he set his hope and he waited expectantly
H3176-09 2 Samuel 18:14 אֹחִ֣ילָה ochilah HVhi1cs will I wait I will wait expectantly I will wait expectantly
H3176-08 2 Kings 6:33 אוֹחִ֥יל ochil HVhi1cs should I wait I will wait expectantly should I wait
H3176-21 Isaiah 42:4 יְיַחֵֽילוּ yeyacheylu HVpi3mp will wait they will wait expectantly they will wait expectantly
H3176-20 Isaiah 51:5 יְיַחֵלֽוּ/ן yeyachelun HVpi3mp/Sn they shall hope they will earnestly hope they will hope
H3176-09 Jeremiah 4:19 אוֹחִ֜ילָה ochilah HVhh1cs I writhe I will wait expectantly I will wait expectantly
H3176-15 Ezekiel 13:6 וְ/יִֽחֲל֖וּ veyichalu HC/Vpq3cp and they hope and they waited expectantly and they waited expectantly
H3176-07 Ezekiel 19:5 נֽוֹחֲלָ֔ה nochalah HVNp3fs she had waited she waited expectantly she waited expectantly
H3176-19 Micah 5:6 יְיַחֵ֖ל yeyachel HVpi3ms does hope he eagerly awaits he hopes
H3176-09 Micah 7:7 אוֹחִ֖ילָה ochilah HVhh1cs I will wait I will wait expectantly I will wait expectantly
H3176-02 Psalms 31:25 הַ֝/מְיַחֲלִ֗ים hameyachalim HTd/Vprmpa who hope the ones waiting expectantly the ones waiting expectantly
H3176-05 Psalms 33:18 לַֽ/מְיַחֲלִ֥ים lameyachalim HRd/Vprmpa those who hope to the ones hoping expectantly for those who hope expectantly
H3176-22 Psalms 33:22 יִחַ֥לְנוּ yichalenu HVpp1cp we hope we have earnestly hoped we have hoped
H3176-03 Psalms 38:16 הוֹחָ֑לְתִּי hochaleti HVhp1cs I-have-waited I placed my hope I waited
H3176-04 Psalms 42:6 הוֹחִ֣ילִי hochili HVhv2fs hope cause yourself to hope expectantly cause yourself to hope expectantly
H3176-04 Psalms 42:12 הוֹחִ֣ילִי hochili HVhv2fs hope cause yourself to hope expectantly cause yourself to hope expectantly
H3176-04 Psalms 43:5 הוֹחִ֣ילִי hochili HVhv2fs Hope cause yourself to hope expectantly cause yourself to hope expectantly
H3176-06 Psalms 69:4 מְ֝יַחֵ֗ל meyachel HVprmsa while waiting the one awaiting expectantly while waiting
H3176-01 Psalms 71:14 אֲיַחֵ֑ל ayachel HVpi1cs I will hope I will earnestly hope I will wait earnestly
H3176-24 Psalms 119:43 יִחָֽלְתִּי yichaleti HVpp1cs I wait I have waited expectantly I have waited expectantly
H3176-23 Psalms 119:49 יִֽחַלְתָּֽ/נִי yichaletani HVpp2ms/Sp1cs You have made me hope you caused me to hope you have made me hope
H3176-24 Psalms 119:74 יִחָֽלְתִּי yichaleti HVpp1cs I have hoped I have waited expectantly I have waited expectantly
H3176-24 Psalms 119:81 יִחָֽלְתִּי yichaleti HVpp1cs I wait I have waited expectantly I have waited expectantly
H3176-24 Psalms 119:114 יִחָֽלְתִּי yichaleti HVpp1cs I hope I have waited expectantly I have waited expectantly
H3176-24 Psalms 119:147 יִחָֽלְתִּי yichaleti HVpp1cs I hoped I have waited expectantly I have waited expectantly
H3176-03 Psalms 130:5 הוֹחָֽלְתִּי hochaleti HVhp1cs I hope I placed my hope I waited
H3176-18 Psalms 130:7 יַחֵ֥ל yachel HVpv2ms hope he will wait expectantly he will wait expectantly
H3176-18 Psalms 131:3 יַחֵ֣ל yachel HVpv2ms hope he will wait expectantly he will wait expectantly
H3176-02 Psalms 147:11 הַֽ/מְיַחֲלִ֥ים hameyachalim HTd/Vprmpa those-who-hope the ones waiting expectantly the ones waiting expectantly
H3176-01 Job 6:11 אֲיַחֵ֑ל ayachel HVpi1cs I should hope I will earnestly hope I should hope
H3176-01 Job 13:15 אֲיַחֵ֑ל ayachel HVpi1cs I will hope I will earnestly hope I will wait earnestly
H3176-01 Job 14:14 אֲיַחֵ֑ל ayachel HVpi1cs I will wait I will earnestly hope I will wait earnestly
H3176-16 Job 29:21 וְ/יִחֵ֑לּוּ veyichelu HC/Vpp3cp and waited they waited expectantly and they waited expectantly
H3176-15 Job 29:23 וְ/יִֽחֲל֣וּ veyichalu HC/Vpp3cp And they waited and they waited expectantly and they waited expectantly
H3176-11 Job 30:26 וַֽ/אֲיַחֲלָ֥ה vaayachalah HC/Vph1cs and I waited let me earnestly hope and I waited
H3176-03 Job 32:11 הוֹחַ֨לְתִּי hochaleti HVhp1cs I waited I placed my hope I waited
H3176-14 Job 32:16 וְ֭/הוֹחַלְתִּי vehochaleti HC/Vhq1cs And I waited and I hoped expectantly and I waited expectantly
H3176-08 Lamentations 3:21 אוֹחִֽיל ochil HVhi1cs I have hope I will wait expectantly I will wait expectantly
H3176-08 Lamentations 3:24 אוֹחִ֥יל ochil HVhi1cs I will hope I will wait expectantly I will wait expectantly
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