יָתוֹם (H3490) — Hebrew Lexicon

יָתוֹם

𐤉𐤕𐤅𐤌

yâthôwm

H3490 noun

SILEX Entry

Root יתים to be left alone, to be deprived, to lack parental protection

Definition

A child (typically male, but can refer generically) who has lost his father, i.e. a fatherless child; by extension, one who lacks parental protection or family support. The term is often used in legal and social contexts to denote a vulnerable member of Israelite society in need of special protection. The semantic range includes not only the literal meaning of 'orphan' (as conventionally translated), but more precisely and commonly 'fatherless child,' since the loss of the mother is not its primary reference.

Semantic Range

fatherless child, orphan (especially fatherless), one bereaved of a parent, one lacking family support or protection

Root / Etymology

Root: יתם (ytm). The root is not attested in other Hebrew words, and appears to denote the idea of being left alone, lacking, or deprived. The specific noun יָתוֹם (yathom) is derived from this root, indicating a state of bereavement or loss. The root is attested in related Semitic languages (e.g., Ugaritic ytm and Aramaic), where it similarly means 'orphan' or 'fatherless child.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, יָתוֹם consistently refers to a child without a father, rather than a child without both parents; the loss of paternal support is the primary concern, reflecting ancient Near Eastern social structure where the father was the legal and economic provider. The term is most prominent in legal and prophetic texts as emblematic of the marginalized and vulnerable, often paired with 'widow' (אַלְמָנָה) as objects of special care in Israelite law (Exod 22:21-23; Deut 24:17-21) and prophetic critique (Isa 1:17; Jer 7:6). It occurs less frequently in narrative texts. The Septuagint usually translates יָתוֹם with ὀρφανός (orphanos), which came to mean 'orphan' in Greek but also emphasizes legal status. In post-exilic and later Jewish tradition, the meaning broadens to any parentless child, but in the Hebrew Bible the reference is almost always to loss of the father. Standard English translations as 'orphan' cover some but not all the underlying sense, as modern usage implies loss of both parents, whereas the biblical term emphasizes loss of paternal status and protection.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from an unused root meaning to be lonely; a bereaved person; fatherless (child), orphan.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

יתם (y-t-m) — to be left alone, to be deprived, to lack parental protection

Word Forms

9 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H3490-06`	יָת֖וֹם	yatom	`HNcmsa`	orphan	fatherless child	17
`H3490-09`	יְתֹמִֽים	yetomim	`HNcmpa`	orphans	fatherless children	8
`H3490-01`	לַ/יָּת֥וֹם	layatom	`HRd/Ncmsa`	for the orphan	to the fatherless child	5
`H3490-04`	וְ/יָת֖וֹם	veyatom	`HC/Ncmsa`	and the fatherless	fatherless child	5
`H3490-03`	וְ/הַ/יָּת֤וֹם	vehayatom	`HC/Td/Ncmsa`	and the orphan	and the fatherless child	3
`H3490-08`	יְתֹמֶ֖י/ךָ	yetomeykha	`HNcmpc/Sp2ms`	your orphans	your fatherless children	1
`H3490-07`	יְתֹמָ֤י/ו	yetomayv	`HNcmpc/Sp3ms`	orphans	his fatherless children	1
`H3490-05`	וִֽ/יתוֹמִ֣ים	vitomim	`HC/Ncmpa`	and-orphans	fatherless children	1
`H3490-02`	לִ/יתוֹמָֽי/ו	litomayv	`HR/Ncmpc/Sp3ms`	to his orphans	to his fatherless children	1

Occurrences in Scripture

42 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H3490-04`	Exodus 22:21	וְ/יָת֖וֹם	veyatom	`HC/Ncmsa`	or orphan	fatherless child
`H3490-09`	Exodus 22:23	יְתֹמִֽים	yetomim	`HNcmpa`	orphans	fatherless children
`H3490-06`	Deuteronomy 10:18	יָת֖וֹם	yatom	`HNcmsa`	for the orphan	fatherless child
`H3490-03`	Deuteronomy 14:29	וְ/הַ/יָּת֤וֹם	vehayatom	`HC/Td/Ncmsa`	and the orphan	and the fatherless child
`H3490-03`	Deuteronomy 16:11	וְ/הַ/יָּת֥וֹם	vehayatom	`HC/Td/Ncmsa`	and the orphan	and the fatherless child
`H3490-03`	Deuteronomy 16:14	וְ/הַ/יָּת֥וֹם	vehayatom	`HC/Td/Ncmsa`	and the fatherless	and the fatherless child
`H3490-06`	Deuteronomy 24:17	יָת֑וֹם	yatom	`HNcmsa`	the fatherless	fatherless child
`H3490-01`	Deuteronomy 24:19	לַ/יָּת֥וֹם	layatom	`HRd/Ncmsa`	for the orphan	to the fatherless child
`H3490-01`	Deuteronomy 24:20	לַ/יָּת֥וֹם	layatom	`HRd/Ncmsa`	for the fatherless	to the fatherless child
`H3490-01`	Deuteronomy 24:21	לַ/יָּת֥וֹם	layatom	`HRd/Ncmsa`	for the orphan	to the fatherless child
`H3490-01`	Deuteronomy 26:12	לַ/יָּת֣וֹם	layatom	`HRd/Ncmsa`	to the fatherless	to the fatherless child
`H3490-01`	Deuteronomy 26:13	לַ/יָּת֣וֹם	layatom	`HRd/Ncmsa`	to-the-orphan	to the fatherless child
`H3490-06`	Deuteronomy 27:19	יָת֖וֹם	yatom	`HNcmsa`	the fatherless	fatherless child
`H3490-06`	Isaiah 1:17	יָת֔וֹם	yatom	`HNcmsa`	the fatherless	fatherless child
`H3490-06`	Isaiah 1:23	יָתוֹם֙	yatom	`HNcmsa`	orphan	fatherless child
`H3490-07`	Isaiah 9:16	יְתֹמָ֤י/ו	yetomayv	`HNcmpc/Sp3ms`	orphans	his fatherless children
`H3490-09`	Isaiah 10:2	יְתוֹמִ֖ים	yetomim	`HNcmpa`	orphans	fatherless children
`H3490-06`	Jeremiah 5:28	יָת֖וֹם	yatom	`HNcmsa`	of the fatherless	fatherless child
`H3490-06`	Jeremiah 7:6	יָת֤וֹם	yatom	`HNcmsa`	orphan	fatherless child
`H3490-06`	Jeremiah 22:3	יָת֨וֹם	yatom	`HNcmsa`	orphan	fatherless child
`H3490-08`	Jeremiah 49:11	יְתֹמֶ֖י/ךָ	yetomeykha	`HNcmpc/Sp2ms`	your orphans	your fatherless children
`H3490-06`	Ezekiel 22:7	יָת֥וֹם	yatom	`HNcmsa`	fatherless	fatherless child
`H3490-06`	Hosea 14:4	יָתֽוֹם	yatom	`HNcmsa`	orphan	fatherless child
`H3490-04`	Zechariah 7:10	וְ/יָת֛וֹם	veyatom	`HC/Ncmsa`	and orphan	fatherless child
`H3490-04`	Malachi 3:5	וְ/יָת֤וֹם	veyatom	`HC/Ncmsa`	and-orphan	fatherless child
`H3490-06`	Psalms 10:14	יָ֝ת֗וֹם	yatom	`HNcmsa`	fatherless	fatherless child
`H3490-06`	Psalms 10:18	יָת֗וֹם	yatom	`HNcmsa`	the fatherless	fatherless child
`H3490-09`	Psalms 68:6	יְ֭תוֹמִים	yetomim	`HNcmpa`	orphans	fatherless children
`H3490-04`	Psalms 82:3	וְ/יָת֑וֹם	veyatom	`HC/Ncmsa`	and the fatherless	fatherless child
`H3490-05`	Psalms 94:6	וִֽ/יתוֹמִ֣ים	vitomim	`HC/Ncmpa`	and-orphans	fatherless children
`H3490-09`	Psalms 109:9	יְתוֹמִ֑ים	yetomim	`HNcmpa`	fatherless	fatherless children
`H3490-02`	Psalms 109:12	לִ/יתוֹמָֽי/ו	litomayv	`HR/Ncmpc/Sp3ms`	to his orphans	to his fatherless children
`H3490-06`	Psalms 146:9	יָת֣וֹם	yatom	`HNcmsa`	fatherless	fatherless child
`H3490-09`	Proverbs 23:10	יְ֝תוֹמִ֗ים	yetomim	`HNcmpa`	orphans	fatherless children
`H3490-06`	Job 6:27	יָת֥וֹם	yatom	`HNcmsa`	the fatherless	fatherless child
`H3490-09`	Job 22:9	יְתֹמִ֣ים	yetomim	`HNcmpa`	of orphans	fatherless children
`H3490-09`	Job 24:3	יְתוֹמִ֣ים	yetomim	`HNcmpa`	orphans	fatherless children
`H3490-06`	Job 24:9	יָת֑וֹם	yatom	`HNcmsa`	the orphan	fatherless child
`H3490-04`	Job 29:12	וְ֝/יָת֗וֹם	veyatom	`HC/Ncmsa`	and the orphan	fatherless child
`H3490-06`	Job 31:17	יָת֣וֹם	yatom	`HNcmsa`	orphan	fatherless child
`H3490-06`	Job 31:21	יָת֣וֹם	yatom	`HNcmsa`	the orphan	fatherless child
`H3490-09`	Lamentations 5:3	יְתוֹמִ֤ים	yetomim	`HNcmpa`	orphans	fatherless children

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