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יַתִּיר

𐤉𐤕𐤉𐤓

Yatir

H3492 noun

SILEX Entry

Root יתר to remain over, to be abundant, to be left over, to have excess

Definition

Yattir – a proper noun denoting a specific town located in the southern hill country of ancient Judah, identified as an important Levitical city. The name itself likely means 'abundant' or 'excellent,' reflecting a sense of excess or prominence, rooted in the meaning 'to remain over, be abundant.'

Semantic Range

Yattir (town name), abundant, preeminent (as a toponymic adjective); as a proper noun, denotes a specific Levitical city in Judah

Root / Etymology

From the root יָתַר (y-t-r), meaning 'to remain over, be left, have excess.' The form יַתִּיר likely functions as an adjective meaning 'abundant' or 'excellent,' and as a proper name serves as a toponym indicative of the town's position or attributes. The place-name is formed from this root, possibly suggesting the fertility or advantageous location of the original settlement.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Yattir appears in Joshua 15:48 and 21:14 as one of the towns allocated to the territory of Judah, and subsequently as a Levitical city given to the descendants of Aaron. Its specific status as a Levitical city distinguished it from surrounding settlements. The town is identified with modern Khirbet Attir, situated in the southern Hebron hills. The name's root meaning (abundance, excess) likely conveys a sense of fertility, elevation, or distinction, though the direct reason for the name is not preserved. English translations often simply transliterate the name, but the meaning and historical setting point to its importance in Israelite tribal allocation and priestly life. The site is mentioned exclusively in territorial and genealogical lists; there is no narrative attached to it. The underlying root is also used in Aramaic to mean 'superior, outstanding.'

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from יָתַר; redundant; Jattir, a place in Palestine; Jattir.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

יתר (y-t-r) — to remain over, to be abundant, to have excess, to be preeminent

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1956 הוֹתִיר Hothir
H3148 יוֹתֵר and surplus
H3491 יָתוּר leftover gleaning
H3493 יַתִּיר Exceeding-One
H3498 יָתַר in the one remaining

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3492-03 יַתִּר֙ yatir HNp Jattir Abundance-town 2
H3492-01 בְּ/יַתִּֽר beyatir HR/Np in Jattir in Yattir 1
H3492-02 וְ/יַתִּ֖יר veyatir HC/Np and Jattir and Yattir 1

Occurrences in Scripture

4 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3492-02 Joshua 15:48 וְ/יַתִּ֖יר veyatir HC/Np and Jattir and Yattir
H3492-03 Joshua 21:14 יַתִּר֙ yatir HNp Jattir Abundance-town
H3492-01 1 Samuel 30:27 בְּ/יַתִּֽר beyatir HR/Np in Jattir in Yattir
H3492-03 1 Chronicles 6:42 יַתִּ֥ר yatir HNp Jattir Abundance-town
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