יְרִיעָה
𐤉𐤓𐤉𐤏𐤄
yᵉrîyʻâh
H3407 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A large piece of fabric, often woven or embroidered, used as a covering, screen, or curtain. Most commonly, the term refers to the textile panels comprising the tabernacle in the wilderness, serving both a functional and symbolic role as partitions or coverings. The word can also describe tent panels or sheets of cloth, especially those that comprise structures or enclosures.
Semantic Range
panel of fabric (tabernacle curtain), tent sheet, large woven covering, architectural partition, sail (rare, poetic)
Root / Etymology
The root is ירע (y-r-ʻ), but the original meaning of the root and its connection to יְרִיעָה remain uncertain. The word appears to be an ancient Northwest Semitic term for a piece of fabric used for screening or covering. Its formation fits nominal patterns for tools or objects, but the precise etymological meaning is debated.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, יְרִיעָה almost exclusively designates the woven panels used for the tabernacle's structure (Exodus 26, 36), constituting both the inner sanctuary and the screening of the entire enclosure. Occasionally, the term refers to sheets or panels used in tent construction (Isaiah 54:2), emphasizing flexibility and expansiveness. While often rendered 'curtain' or 'hanging' in English translations, this may understate its scale and structural function, which in context resembles a tent wall or section of fabric serving as an architectural partition. Unlike מִסְכָּן (misḵān, 'dwelling, tabernacle') or פָּרֹכֶת (parokhet, 'veil'), יְרִיעָה refers specifically to the fabric panels themselves, not the sacred space or the special veil. Over time, the term became less common, largely restricted to cultic or poetic texts, but it retained the nuance of significant fabric structure, and was not simply a decorative drapery. In later Hebrew, similar terms are used for sails or large cloths, providing a semantic link beyond cultic furniture. Standard English translations may obscure the large, architectural connotation of the term in its ancient context.
Translation Consistency
יְרִיעָה most often names the large textile panels that partition and cover the tabernacle and tents. “Curtain” is the natural, commonly used English term for such woven coverings (it also plausibly covers related senses like tent-sheet, veil, or partition) and will read naturally across all occurrences.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from יָרַע; a hanging (as tremulous); curtain.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
ירע (Yeriot) — to spread out, stretch, cover (root uncertain)
Word Forms
10 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3407-03 |
הַ/יְרִיעָֽה | hayeriah | HTd/Ncfsa |
of the curtain | the woven covering-panel | the curtain | 21 |
H3407-08 |
יְרִיעֽוֹת | yeriot | HNcfpa |
curtains | woven covering panels | curtain panels | 14 |
H3407-04 |
הַ/יְרִיעֹֽת | hayeriot | HTd/Ncfpa |
the curtains | the fabric panels | the curtains | 10 |
H3407-01 |
בַּ/יְרִיעָ֣ה | bayeriah | HRd/Ncfsa |
on the curtain | in the fabric panel | on the curtain | 2 |
H3407-09 |
יְרִיעֹתָֽ/י | yeriotay | HNcfpc/Sp1cs |
my curtains | my fabric panels | my curtains | 2 |
H3407-02 |
בִּ/ירִיעֹ֖ת | biriot | HR/Ncfpc |
of the curtains | fabric-panels of | fabric-panels of | 1 |
H3407-05 |
כַּ/יְרִיעָֽה | kayeriah | HRd/Ncfsa |
like a curtain | like a covering panel | like a curtain | 1 |
H3407-06 |
כִּ/ירִיע֖וֹת | kiriot | HR/Ncfpc |
like the curtains of | fabric panels of | like the curtains of | 1 |
H3407-07 |
וִ/ירִיע֧וֹת | viriot | HC/Ncfpc |
and the curtains | and the covering-panels of | and the covering-panels of | 1 |
H3407-10 |
יְרִיעוֹתֵי/הֶ֧ם | yerioteyhem | HNcfpc/Sp3mp |
their curtains | their covering panels | their curtains | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
54 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3407-08 |
Exodus 26:1 | יְרִיעֹ֑ת | yeriot | HNcfpa |
curtains | woven covering panels | curtain panels |
H3407-03 |
Exodus 26:2 | הַ/יְרִיעָ֣ה | hayeriah | HTd/Ncfsa |
of the curtain | the woven covering-panel | the curtain |
H3407-03 |
Exodus 26:2 | הַ/יְרִיעָ֖ה | hayeriah-2 | HTd/Ncfsa |
the curtain | the woven covering-panel | the curtain |
H3407-04 |
Exodus 26:2 | הַ/יְרִיעֹֽת | hayeriot | HTd/Ncfpa |
the curtains | the fabric panels | the curtains |
H3407-04 |
Exodus 26:3 | הַ/יְרִיעֹ֗ת | hayeriot | HTd/Ncfpa |
curtains | the fabric panels | the curtains |
H3407-08 |
Exodus 26:3 | יְרִיעֹת֙ | yeriot | HNcfpa |
curtains | woven covering panels | curtain panels |
H3407-03 |
Exodus 26:4 | הַ/יְרִיעָה֙ | hayeriah | HTd/Ncfsa |
of the curtain | the woven covering-panel | the curtain |
H3407-03 |
Exodus 26:4 | הַ/יְרִיעָ֔ה | hayeriah-2 | HTd/Ncfsa |
of the curtain | the woven covering-panel | the curtain |
H3407-01 |
Exodus 26:5 | בַּ/יְרִיעָ֣ה | bayeriah | HRd/Ncfsa |
on the one curtain | in the fabric panel | on the curtain |
H3407-03 |
Exodus 26:5 | הַ/יְרִיעָ֔ה | hayeriah | HTd/Ncfsa |
of the curtain | the woven covering-panel | the curtain |
H3407-04 |
Exodus 26:6 | הַ/יְרִיעֹ֜ת | hayeriot | HTd/Ncfpa |
the curtains | the fabric panels | the curtains |
H3407-08 |
Exodus 26:7 | יְרִיעֹ֣ת | yeriot | HNcfpc |
curtains | woven covering panels | curtain panels |
H3407-08 |
Exodus 26:7 | יְרִיעֹ֖ת | yeriot-2 | HNcfpa |
curtains | woven covering panels | curtain panels |
H3407-03 |
Exodus 26:8 | הַ/יְרִיעָ֣ה | hayeriah | HTd/Ncfsa |
of-the-curtain | the woven covering-panel | the curtain |
H3407-03 |
Exodus 26:8 | הַ/יְרִיעָ֖ה | hayeriah-2 | HTd/Ncfsa |
the-curtain | the woven covering-panel | the curtain |
H3407-08 |
Exodus 26:8 | יְרִיעֹֽת | yeriot | HNcfpa |
curtains | woven covering panels | curtain panels |
H3407-04 |
Exodus 26:9 | הַ/יְרִיעֹת֙ | hayeriot | HTd/Ncfpa |
curtains | the fabric panels | the curtains |
H3407-04 |
Exodus 26:9 | הַ/יְרִיעֹ֖ת | hayeriot-2 | HTd/Ncfpa |
curtains | the fabric panels | the curtains |
H3407-03 |
Exodus 26:9 | הַ/יְרִיעָ֣ה | hayeriah | HTd/Ncfsa |
curtain | the woven covering-panel | the curtain |
H3407-03 |
Exodus 26:10 | הַ/יְרִיעָה֙ | hayeriah | HTd/Ncfsa |
the curtain | the woven covering-panel | the curtain |
H3407-03 |
Exodus 26:10 | הַ/יְרִיעָ֔ה | hayeriah-2 | HTd/Ncfsa |
the curtain | the woven covering-panel | the curtain |
H3407-02 |
Exodus 26:12 | בִּ/ירִיעֹ֖ת | biriot | HR/Ncfpc |
of the curtains | fabric-panels of | fabric-panels of |
H3407-03 |
Exodus 26:12 | הַ/יְרִיעָה֙ | hayeriah | HTd/Ncfsa |
curtain | the woven covering-panel | the curtain |
H3407-08 |
Exodus 26:13 | יְרִיעֹ֣ת | yeriot | HNcfpc |
of the curtains | woven covering panels | curtain panels |
H3407-08 |
Exodus 36:8 | יְרִיעֹ֑ת | yeriot | HNcfpa |
curtains | woven covering panels | curtain panels |
H3407-03 |
Exodus 36:9 | הַ/יְרִיעָ֣ה | hayeriah | HTd/Ncfsa |
of the curtain | the woven covering-panel | the curtain |
H3407-03 |
Exodus 36:9 | הַ/יְרִיעָ֖ה | hayeriah-2 | HTd/Ncfsa |
the curtain | the woven covering-panel | the curtain |
H3407-04 |
Exodus 36:9 | הַ/יְרִיעֹֽת | hayeriot | HTd/Ncfpa |
the curtains | the fabric panels | the curtains |
H3407-04 |
Exodus 36:10 | הַ/יְרִיעֹ֔ת | hayeriot | HTd/Ncfpa |
the curtains | the fabric panels | the curtains |
H3407-08 |
Exodus 36:10 | יְרִיעֹת֙ | yeriot | HNcfpa |
curtains | woven covering panels | curtain panels |
H3407-03 |
Exodus 36:11 | הַ/יְרִיעָה֙ | hayeriah | HTd/Ncfsa |
of the curtain | the woven covering-panel | the curtain |
H3407-03 |
Exodus 36:11 | הַ/יְרִיעָ֔ה | hayeriah-2 | HTd/Ncfsa |
of the curtain | the woven covering-panel | the curtain |
H3407-01 |
Exodus 36:12 | בַּ/יְרִיעָ֣ה | bayeriah | HRd/Ncfsa |
on the curtain | in the fabric panel | on the curtain |
H3407-03 |
Exodus 36:12 | הַ/יְרִיעָ֔ה | hayeriah | HTd/Ncfsa |
of the curtain | the woven covering-panel | the curtain |
H3407-04 |
Exodus 36:13 | הַ/יְרִעֹ֜ת | hayeriot | HTd/Ncfpa |
the curtains | the fabric panels | the curtains |
H3407-08 |
Exodus 36:14 | יְרִיעֹ֣ת | yeriot | HNcfpc |
curtains | woven covering panels | curtain panels |
H3407-08 |
Exodus 36:14 | יְרִיעֹ֖ת | yeriot-2 | HNcfpa |
curtains | woven covering panels | curtain panels |
H3407-03 |
Exodus 36:15 | הַ/יְרִיעָ֣ה | hayeriah | HTd/Ncfsa |
of the curtain | the woven covering-panel | the curtain |
H3407-03 |
Exodus 36:15 | הַ/יְרִיעָ֣ה | hayeriah-2 | HTd/Ncfsa |
of the curtain | the woven covering-panel | the curtain |
H3407-08 |
Exodus 36:15 | יְרִיעֹֽת | yeriot | HNcfpa |
curtains | woven covering panels | curtain panels |
H3407-04 |
Exodus 36:16 | הַ/יְרִיעֹ֖ת | hayeriot | HTd/Ncfpa |
the-curtains | the fabric panels | the curtains |
H3407-04 |
Exodus 36:16 | הַ/יְרִיעֹ֖ת | hayeriot-2 | HTd/Ncfpa |
the-curtains | the fabric panels | the curtains |
H3407-03 |
Exodus 36:17 | הַ/יְרִיעָ֔ה | hayeriah | HTd/Ncfsa |
of the curtain | the woven covering-panel | the curtain |
H3407-03 |
Exodus 36:17 | הַ/יְרִיעָ֔ה | hayeriah-2 | HTd/Ncfsa |
of the curtain | the woven covering-panel | the curtain |
H3407-08 |
Numbers 4:25 | יְרִיעֹ֤ת | yeriot | HNcfpc |
the curtains | woven covering panels | curtain panels |
H3407-03 |
2 Samuel 7:2 | הַ/יְרִיעָֽה | hayeriah | HTd/Ncfsa |
curtains | the woven covering-panel | the curtain |
H3407-07 |
Isaiah 54:2 | וִ/ירִיע֧וֹת | viriot | HC/Ncfpc |
and the curtains | and the covering-panels of | and the covering-panels of |
H3407-09 |
Jeremiah 4:20 | יְרִיעֹתָֽ/י | yeriotay | HNcfpc/Sp1cs |
my curtains | my fabric panels | my curtains |
H3407-09 |
Jeremiah 10:20 | יְרִיעוֹתָֽ/י | yeriotay | HNcfpc/Sp1cs |
my curtains | my fabric panels | my curtains |
H3407-10 |
Jeremiah 49:29 | יְרִיעוֹתֵי/הֶ֧ם | yerioteyhem | HNcfpc/Sp3mp |
their curtains | their covering panels | their curtains |