יַצַע
𐤉𐤑𐤏
yatsaʻ
H3331 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To spread out or arrange, especially with reference to preparing a surface on which to lie or rest (such as a bed, mat, or couch); more broadly, to set in order or arrange by spreading. In biblical usage, it most commonly refers to the act of spreading bedding or preparing a resting place, whether for sleep, illness, or ceremonial purposes. Occasionally used in an extended sense for arranging other items by spreading.
Semantic Range
to spread out (a bed, mat, or similar surface), to arrange bedding, to prepare a resting place, to make a bed, to strew, to lay out for rest or sleep
Root / Etymology
From the root יָצַע (yatsaʻ), likely deriving from the core concept of spreading or laying out. Related to the notion of making something flat or setting in order by arranging on a surface. The word is a verbal form directly derived from the root.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical texts, יָצַע appears almost exclusively in contexts involving the preparation of bedding or a surface for resting, such as making a bed for oneself or another, notably in narratives describing illness or waiting. This act was culturally significant in ancient Israelite society, where sleeping arrangements involved mats or bedding being laid out and then gathered up, rather than fixed furniture. The root is not widely attested in later Hebrew, and the meaning remains consistent in the Hebrew Bible. Greek and Latin translations often interpret the term as 'to strew' or 'to spread' (στρωννύω in the Septuagint; sternere in the Vulgate). In English translations, 'make (one's) bed' typically captures the primary sense, but the act sometimes held ceremonial or practical significance beyond the modern notion of bed-making. The idiomatic use 'to lie down' relates to preparing oneself or another to rest, not the act of lying down itself.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to strew as a surface; make (one's) bed, [idiom] lie, spread.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
יצע (y-ṣ-ʿ) — to spread out, to arrange, to lay a surface
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3331-03 |
יֻצַּ֣ע | yutsa | HVHi3ms |
is spread | will be spread out | 2 |
H3331-01 |
וְ/אַצִּ֖יעָה | veatsiah | HC/Vhh1cs |
and I make my bed | and let me spread out | 1 |
H3331-02 |
יַצִּ֔יעַ | yatsia | HVhi3ms |
he will spread | spread-out bed | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3331-03 |
Isaiah 14:11 | יֻצַּ֣ע | yutsa | HVHi3ms |
is spread | will be spread out |
H3331-02 |
Isaiah 58:5 | יַצִּ֔יעַ | yatsia | HVhi3ms |
he will spread | spread-out bed |
H3331-01 |
Psalms 139:8 | וְ/אַצִּ֖יעָה | veatsiah | HC/Vhh1cs |
and I make my bed | and let me spread out |
H3331-03 |
Esther 4:3 | יֻצַּ֖ע | yutsa | HVHi3ms |
was laid | will be spread out |