יֶרֶק
𐤉𐤓𐤒
yereq
H3418 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Plant growth characterized by green foliage; primarily refers to tender, green, herbaceous vegetation, including grass, edible greens, and other leafy plants. In biblical contexts, can encompass general vegetation that is eaten by livestock or humans, or serves as a symbol of freshness, vitality, and sometimes ephemeral life.
Semantic Range
green vegetation, leafy greens, edible plants (for humans or livestock), grass, verdure, plant life, greenery
Root / Etymology
From the root ירק (yrq), meaning 'to be green' or 'to become green.' The noun יֶרֶק (yereq) denotes that which is green or verdant, especially in reference to plants. The root’s core meaning pertains to green coloration, but in context, the noun is used for green plant life, not merely color.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, יֶרֶק most often appears in contexts describing edible plant life, especially in Genesis 1:30 and 9:3, where it denotes vegetation provided for food for animals and postdiluvian humanity. Occasionally, it is used for grass more generally or for green vegetation as a marker of lushness (e.g., Isaiah 15:6). The term is distinct from חָצִיר (ḥatsir, 'grass'), which more narrowly refers to grass as fodder and as a symbol of fleeting mortality. יֶרֶק is broader, including young greens, leafy vegetables, and general verdure. In the Septuagint and later translations, this term is sometimes rendered as 'herb,' 'vegetable,' or 'green thing,' occasionally interpreted in later periods as a class of greens or legumes consumed during fasts. There is no evidence that it ever referred exclusively to grain or crops such as wheat or barley. The semantic scope roughly corresponds to 'greens' in modern usage. Over time, translation tradition has sometimes narrowed the connotation to 'grass,' though the Hebrew originally encompassed both cultivated and wild edible vegetation.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from יָרָק (in the sense of vacuity of color); properly, pallor, i.e. hence, the yellowish green of young and sickly vegetation; concretely, verdure, i.e. grass or vegetation; grass, green (thing).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ירק (y-r-q) — to be green, to grow fresh, to appear verdant
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3387 | יָרוֹק | he will grow green |
| H3417 | יָרָק | and she spat |
| H3419 | יָרָק | the green produce |
| H3420 | יֵרָקוֹן | to greenish-pallor |
| H3422 | יְרַקְרַק | sickly yellow-green |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3418-03 |
יֶ֥רֶק | yereq | HNcmsa |
green thing | green growth | 4 |
H3418-02 |
וּ/כְ/יֶ֥רֶק | ukheyereq | HC/R/Ncmsc |
and like green | and like green vegetation of | 1 |
H3418-01 |
כְּ/יֶ֣רֶק | keyereq | HR/Ncmsa |
like the green | like green vegetation | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3418-03 |
Genesis 1:30 | יֶ֥רֶק | yereq | HNcmsa |
green plant | green growth |
H3418-01 |
Genesis 9:3 | כְּ/יֶ֣רֶק | keyereq | HR/Ncmsa |
like the green | like green vegetation |
H3418-03 |
Exodus 10:15 | יֶ֧רֶק | yereq | HNcmsa |
green thing | green growth |
H3418-03 |
Numbers 22:4 | יֶ֣רֶק | yereq | HNcmsc |
the green herbage | green growth |
H3418-03 |
Isaiah 15:6 | יֶ֖רֶק | yereq | HNcmsa |
green thing | green growth |
H3418-02 |
Psalms 37:2 | וּ/כְ/יֶ֥רֶק | ukheyereq | HC/R/Ncmsc |
and like green | and like green vegetation of |