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יָמִין

𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤍

Yamin

H3225 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ימן to be right, turn right, use the right hand, go south

Definition

The right hand or right side, often denoting power, strength, or direction (the right as opposed to the left); by extension, the southern direction, especially when orienting oneself facing east, as was customary for ancient Israelites. The term may also refer to the right foot or eye, and is used in idiomatic expressions involving action, support, or distinction of sides. In poetic and metaphorical contexts, it frequently symbolizes favor, skill, or authority.

Semantic Range

right hand, right side, right eye, right foot, right direction, (geo) south, strength, power, favor, skill, authority

Root / Etymology

Root ימן (y-m-n), with the core sense 'to be right (not left), to go right, to use the right hand.' יָמִין is the nominal form signifying the right as the position or member, i.e., right hand, right side.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, יָמִין is both a literal anatomical term ('right hand', 'right side') and a marker of directionality (the 'south', when facing east). Its association with strength and skill is culturally rooted in the predominance of right-handedness and the right hand's role in oath-taking, blessing, and combat. The right hand is often depicted as the seat of power or honor (e.g., being at someone's right hand), and this symbolic use recurs throughout the monarchic and later periods. In orientation, the south was called 'right' since ancient Israelites faced east—thus 'on the right' pointed southward. Standard English translations render יָמִין variably as 'right hand', 'right side', or 'south', but may obscure the cultural nuance behind these uses. In legal or military contexts, the word distinguishes left- from right-handedness. In later periods, it sometimes signals blessing, favor, or strength by association with the right hand. Distinct from צָפוֹן (tsafon, 'north'), which means 'hidden' or 'dark', and from שְׂמֹאל (səmo'l, 'left'), which often carries contrasting or even negative associations. The English term 'south' can mask the original directional logic of the term within the ancient Israelite worldview.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from יָמַן; the right hand or side (leg, eye) of a person or other object (as the stronger and more dexterous); locally, the south; [phrase] left-handed, right (hand, side), south.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

ימן (y-m-n) — be right, turn right, use the right hand, go south

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3117 יוֹם the right side
H3226 יָמִין to Yamin
H3227 יְמִינִי right-side man
H3228 יְמִינִי the Jaminite
H3231 יָמַן Turn to the right

Word Forms

32 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3225-29 יְמִינְ/ךָ֖ yeminekha HNcfsc/Sp2ms your right hand your right hand 22
H3225-31 יְמִינ֜/וֹ yemino HNcfsc/Sp3ms his right his right hand 22
H3225-26 יָמִ֖ין yamin HNcfsa right right hand 21
H3225-27 יְמִ֥ין yemin HNcfsc right hand right side of 12
H3225-06 הַ/יָּמִ֖ין hayamin HTd/Ncfsa the right the right side 11
H3225-18 מִ/יָּמִ֔ין miyamin HR/Ncfsa on the right from the right side 7
H3225-12 מִ/ימִ֣ין mimin HR/Ncfsc on the right right side of 5
H3225-05 בִּֽ/ימִינ/וֹ֙ bimino HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms in his right hand in his right hand 4
H3225-30 יְמִינִ֑/י yemini HNcfsc/Sp1cs my right hand Benjaminite 3
H3225-17 מִֽ/ימִינ֕/וֹ mimino HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms from his right hand from his right hand 3

Occurrences in Scripture

141 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3225-06 Genesis 13:9 הַ/יָּמִ֖ין hayamin HTd/Ncfsa the right the right side
H3225-26 Genesis 24:49 יָמִ֖ין yamin HNcfsa the right right hand
H3225-05 Genesis 48:13 בִּֽ/ימִינ/וֹ֙ bimino HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms in his right hand in his right hand
H3225-12 Genesis 48:13 מִ/ימִ֣ין mimin HR/Ncfsc toward Israel's right right side of
H3225-31 Genesis 48:14 יְמִינ֜/וֹ yemino HNcfsc/Sp3ms his right hand his right hand
H3225-31 Genesis 48:17 יְמִינ֛/וֹ yemino HNcfsc/Sp3ms his right his right hand
H3225-29 Genesis 48:18 יְמִינְ/ךָ֖ yeminekha HNcfsc/Sp2ms your right hand your right hand
H3225-13 Exodus 14:22 מִֽ/ימִינָ֖/ם miminam HR/Ncfsc/Sp3mp on their right from their right side
H3225-13 Exodus 14:29 מִֽ/ימִינָ֖/ם miminam HR/Ncfsc/Sp3mp on their right from their right side
H3225-29 Exodus 15:6 יְמִֽינְ/ךָ֣ yeminekha HNcfsc/Sp2ms your right hand your right hand
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