יֶלֶד
𐤉𐤋𐤃
yeled
H3206 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A male child, generally used for a boy or youth—less commonly, a generic term for child regardless of gender. In some contexts, it denotes a son or descendant. Its primary use is to identify one who is young, most often male, and still dependent or under the care of parents. Less often, it denotes children collectively, offspring, or progeny, especially in construct or plural patterns.
Semantic Range
male child, boy, youth, son, offspring, young man (in certain contexts), children (collectively), descendant
Root / Etymology
From the root ילד (y-l-d), which primarily means 'to bear, to bring forth, to beget.' The nominal pattern gives יֶלֶד (yeled) the sense of 'one who is born' or 'born one,' focusing on the status of being a child or juvenile.
Historical & Contextual Notes
יֶלֶד is generally used for a male child, but can occasionally (particularly in construct forms or in aggregate) refer generically to children (of either gender), contrasting with יַלְדָּה (yaldah, 'girl') for a female child. Throughout the Hebrew Bible, yeled most frequently describes young males prior to maturity or military age and can be used of infants, boys, or occasionally youths approaching adolescence. In genealogical or narrative contexts, 'yeled' often simply means 'son,' though it can also mean 'offspring' more broadly. In some poetic or wisdom texts, yeled can refer generically to the young or to future generations. The English translation 'boy' or 'child' usually covers its sense, but 'son' or 'offspring' may be contextually appropriate. Unlike נַעַר (naʿar, 'youth, adolescent'), yeled implies younger age or more dependence, though the terms may overlap. The term is not used to denote religious or ethnic identity. In later periods (Second Temple and after), Rabbinic usage shifted somewhat, but yeled retained its basic meaning as 'child' or 'boy.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from יָלַד; something born, i.e. a lad or offspring; boy, child, fruit, son, young man (one).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ילד (y-l-d) — to bear, give birth, beget
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2056 | וָלָד | male-born child |
| H3205 | יָלַד | in being born |
| H3207 | יַלְדָּה | the female child |
| H3208 | יַלְדוּת | in your childhood-years |
| H3209 | יִלּוֹד | the one born |
Word Forms
23 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3206-03 |
הַ/יֶּ֖לֶד | hayeled | HTd/Ncmsa |
the child | the boy | 26 |
H3206-02 |
הַ/יְלָדִ֗ים | hayeladim | HTd/Ncmpa |
the young men | the boys | 17 |
H3206-01 |
הַ/יָּ֑לֶד | hayaled | HTd/Ncmsa |
the child | the boy | 9 |
H3206-20 |
יְלָדִ֔ים | yeladim | HNcmpa |
children | boys | 5 |
H3206-16 |
יַלְדֵי/הֶ֖ן | yaledeyhen | HNcmpc/Sp3fp |
their young | their born-ones | 4 |
H3206-08 |
וְ/הַ/יְלָדִים֙ | vehayeladim | HC/Td/Ncmpa |
and the children | and the boys | 3 |
H3206-21 |
יֶ֣לֶד | yeled | HNcmsa |
child | male child | 3 |
H3206-18 |
יְלָדָ֑י/ו | yeladayv | HNcmpc/Sp3ms |
children | his born-ones | 3 |
H3206-13 |
וִֽ/ילָדֶ֨י/הָ֙ | viladeyha | HC/Ncmpc/Sp3fs |
and her children | and her born-ones | 3 |
H3206-12 |
וְ/יֶ֖לֶד | veyeled | HC/Ncmsa |
and a child | male child | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
90 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3206-12 |
Genesis 4:23 | וְ/יֶ֖לֶד | veyeled | HC/Ncmsa |
and a young man | male child |
H3206-03 |
Genesis 21:8 | הַ/יֶּ֖לֶד | hayeled | HTd/Ncmsa |
the child | the boy |
H3206-03 |
Genesis 21:14 | הַ/יֶּ֖לֶד | hayeled | HTd/Ncmsa |
the child | the boy |
H3206-03 |
Genesis 21:15 | הַ/יֶּ֔לֶד | hayeled | HTd/Ncmsa |
the child | the boy |
H3206-01 |
Genesis 21:16 | הַ/יָּ֑לֶד | hayaled | HTd/Ncmsa |
of the child | the boy |
H3206-17 |
Genesis 30:26 | יְלָדַ֗/י | yeladay | HNcmpc/Sp1cs |
my children | my children |
H3206-18 |
Genesis 32:23 | יְלָדָ֑י/ו | yeladayv | HNcmpc/Sp3ms |
children | his born-ones |
H3206-02 |
Genesis 33:1 | הַ/יְלָדִ֗ים | hayeladim | HTd/Ncmpa |
children | the boys |
H3206-16 |
Genesis 33:2 | יַלְדֵי/הֶ֖ן | yaledeyhen | HNcmpc/Sp3fp |
their children | their born-ones |
H3206-13 |
Genesis 33:2 | וִֽ/ילָדֶ֨י/הָ֙ | viladeyha | HC/Ncmpc/Sp3fs |
and her children | and her born-ones |