יְעָרִים
𐤉𐤏𐤓𐤉𐤌
Yearim
H3297 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Plural form of 'forest,' specifically referring to 'woods' or 'forested regions.' In geographical contexts, יְעָרִים functions as part of the place name 'Kirath-ye'arim' (קִרְיַת יְעָרִים), meaning 'town/settlement of forests.' The term itself denotes areas characterized by tree cover rather than open land or desert.
Semantic Range
woods, forests, wooded regions, as part of place names (e.g., Kiriath-Jearim); rarely, extensive stands of trees
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root יער (y-ʻ-r), which means 'forest' or 'wooded area.' The form יְעָרִים is a masculine plural, indicating 'forests' or 'woods.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, יְעָרִים appears primarily as part of toponyms, notably קִרְיַת יְעָרִים ('Kiriath-jearim')—a settlement in the Judaean hill country. The toponym denotes an area with multiple or extensive wooded tracts, distinguished from agricultural fields or pastureland. This region was significant in the narratives regarding the ark of the covenant after its return from Philistine territory (1 Samuel 7:1-2). The semantic scope is shaped mainly by the environmental features the term describes rather than political or ethnic identity. English translations often preserve the Hebrew form in place names but translate the base noun יַעַר as 'forest(s).' In contrast to related terms such as חֶרֶשׁ (heresh, 'thicket' or 'scrub forest'), יְעָרִים points to denser or broader stretches of wooded land. In post-biblical periods, referents of יְעָרִים may become less topographically precise; in the biblical period, its use is concrete and tied to particular landscapes.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
plural of יַעַר; forests; Jearim, a place in Palestine; Jearim. Compare קִרְיַת יְעָרִים.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
יער (y-ʿ-r) — to be forested, grow thickly, wooded
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3265 | יָעוּר | Wooded One |
| H3293 | יַעַר | in the dense-woodland |
| H3294 | יַעְרָה | and Forest-one |
| H3295 | יַעֲרָה | in thicket of |
| H5782 | עוּר | forest |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3297-01 |
יְעָרִ֛ים | yearim | HNp |
Jearim | forests | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3297-01 |
Joshua 15:10 | יְעָרִ֛ים | yearim | HNp |
Jearim | forests |