יַלְדוּת
𐤉𐤋𐤃𐤅𐤕
yaldûwth
H3208 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A period of human life defined by being young or immature; childhood, youth, the state or experience of being a child. The term commonly designates the phase of life prior to adolescence or adulthood and can refer to both boys and girls, although occasionally context may suggest a masculine focus due to the derivation from 'child, boy.'
Semantic Range
childhood, youth, early years, the period of being a child, immaturity, state of being young
Root / Etymology
Root: ילד, meaning 'to bear, bring forth, beget, engender.' The noun יַלְדוּת (yaldûwth) is an abstract formation from ילד (child, boy/girl), with the abstract suffixed -וּת denoting a state or quality. Thus, יַלְדוּת literally means 'the state of being a child.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, יַלְדוּת appears rarely (notably in Ecclesiastes 11:10 and 12:1), always in poetic or reflective contexts characterizing the fleeting and formative period before maturity. The term is used without explicit gender in biblical usage, though etymologically related to 'boy' (יֶלֶד). In contrast to נַעֲרוּת (naʿarût, 'youth, young adulthood'), יַלְדוּת denotes a more foundational stage, preceding adolescence. English translations often render it as 'childhood' or 'youth' but may not distinguish carefully between יַלְדוּת (childhood) and נַעֲרוּת (young adulthood). In later Hebrew literature and modern usage, יַלְדוּת continues to denote early childhood. There is no overt religious or ethnic connotation inherent in the term; it is descriptive of age and developmental state, not status within the Israelite community.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
abstractly from יֶלֶד; boyhood (or girlhood); childhood, youth.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ילד (y-l-d) — to bear, bring forth, beget, engender
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2056 | וָלָד | male-born child |
| H3205 | יָלַד | in being born |
| H3206 | יֶלֶד | the boy |
| H3207 | יַלְדָּה | the female child |
| H3209 | יִלּוֹד | the one born |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3208-02 |
הַ/יַּלְד֥וּת | hayaledut | HTd/Ncfsa |
childhood | the child-state | 1 |
H3208-03 |
יַלְדֻתֶֽי/ךָ | yaleduteykha | HNcfpc/Sp2ms |
of your youth | your childhood years | 1 |
H3208-01 |
בְּ/יַלְדוּתֶ֗י/ךָ | beyaleduteykha | HR/Ncfpc/Sp2ms |
in your youth | in your childhood-years | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3208-03 |
Psalms 110:3 | יַלְדֻתֶֽי/ךָ | yaleduteykha | HNcfpc/Sp2ms |
of your youth | your childhood years |
H3208-01 |
Ecclesiastes 11:9 | בְּ/יַלְדוּתֶ֗י/ךָ | beyaleduteykha | HR/Ncfpc/Sp2ms |
in your youth | in your childhood-years |
H3208-02 |
Ecclesiastes 11:10 | הַ/יַּלְד֥וּת | hayaledut | HTd/Ncfsa |
childhood | the child-state |