נָעוּר
𐤍𐤏𐤅𐤓
nâʻûwr
H5271 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Youth, the period of early life following childhood and preceding maturity, often encompassing adolescence. The term denotes the state or condition of being young, especially in relation to physical development and societal standing. It can refer both to the period itself (youthfulness) and to those characterized as 'youths' or 'young people' collectively. Depending on context, it may highlight inexperience, vigor, or the formative condition of an individual or group.
Semantic Range
youth (the period of being young); youths (collective of young people); youthfulness; adolescence; early life stage; inexperience of youth; young womanhood (in feminine form)
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root נער ('to be young, lad, youth'). נָעוּר is a passive participle form, indicating 'having been made/being young.' The feminine נְעֻרָה follows Hebrew gender morphology. The form is denominative, built from the noun נער. Thus, while the root indicates youthfulness or being young, נָעוּר refers specifically to the state of being a youth or to youths as a class, especially in collective or emphatic plural forms.
Historical & Contextual Notes
נָעוּר is usually found in the plural (נְעוּרִים), emphasizing either the collective group of 'youths' or the abstract concept of 'youth.' It denotes the period of youth after childhood, preceding full adulthood and societal responsibility. The period marked by נָעוּר is often associated with strength, inexperience, and formative character in Israelite social life. Contrasted with זִקְנָה ('old age') or יַלְדוּת ('childhood'). In legal and narrative contexts in the Hebrew Bible, the term usually captures the formative, transitional age and is occasionally tied to rites of passage, eligibility for certain roles, or markers of accountability. Standard English translations ('youth,' 'childhood,' 'youths') sometimes miss the nuance that the term can refer both to the phase and the group collectively. Unlike the word נער ('boy, lad, servant'), which denotes a person, נָעוּר emphasizes the state or age. Its feminine counterpart, נְעֻרָה, can represent 'girlhood' or 'young women' in collective form. The word's usage remains consistent from early biblical texts through post-exilic writings, though in later periods it can appear in more abstract or metaphorical senses.
Translation Consistency
Most frequent and natural rendering in the SILEX data (29 of 47 occurrences). It captures the primary semantic range—the period of being young, youthfulness, and young people collectively—and can be consistently inflected (youths, youth’s, youthful) where needed. An adjectival alternative (e.g., “young”) is less appropriate because the lemma functions mainly as a noun.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or נָעֻר; and (feminine) נְעֻרָה; properly, passive participle from נַעַר as denominative; (only in plural collectively or emphatic form) youth, the state (juvenility) or the persons (young people); childhood, youth.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
נער (Naarah) — to be young, to be youthful, to act as a young person
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5286 | נָעַר | they roared |
| H5287 | נָעַר | Shake yourself off |
| H5288 | נַעַר | in the young male |
| H5289 | נַעַר | the youth |
| H5290 | נֹעַר | in the youth-period |
Word Forms
20 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5271-07 |
מִ/נְּעֻרָֽ/י | mineuray | HR/Ncbpc/Sp1cs |
from my youth | from my youthfulness | from my youth | 9 |
H5271-15 |
נְעוּרָ֑יִ/ךְ | neurayikhe | HNcbpc/Sp2fs |
of your youth | your youthful years | your youthful years | 6 |
H5271-13 |
נְעֻרַ֖/י | neuray | HNcbpc/Sp1cs |
of my youth | my youths | of my youth | 4 |
H5271-17 |
נְעוּרֶ֔י/הָ | neureyha | HNcbpc/Sp3fs |
of her youth | her youthful years | her youth (her youthful years) | 4 |
H5271-08 |
מִ/נְּעוּרָ֑יִ/ךְ | mineurayikhe | HR/Ncbpc/Sp2fs |
from your youth | from your youthful-years | from your youth-years | 3 |
H5271-09 |
מִ/נְּעֻרָֽי/ו | mineurayv | HR/Ncbpc/Sp3ms |
from his youth | from his youthful-years | from his youth-years | 3 |
H5271-11 |
מִ/נְּעוּרֵ֣י/נוּ | mineureynu | HR/Ncbpc/Sp1cp |
from our youth | from our youthfulness | from our youth | 3 |
H5271-02 |
בִּ/נְעֻרֶֽי/הָ | bineureyha | HR/Ncbpc/Sp3fs |
her youth | in her youthful years | in her youth | 2 |
H5271-18 |
נְעוּרֶ֗י/ךָ | neureykha | HNcbpc/Sp2ms |
of your youth | your youthfulness | your youth | 2 |
H5271-01 |
בִּ/נְעוּרָֽי/ו | bineurayv | HR/Ncbpc/Sp3ms |
in his youth | in his youths | in his youth | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
47 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5271-09 |
Genesis 8:21 | מִ/נְּעֻרָ֑י/ו | mineurayv | HR/Ncbpc/Sp3ms |
from his youth | from his youthful-years | from his youth-years |
H5271-11 |
Genesis 46:34 | מִ/נְּעוּרֵ֣י/נוּ | mineureynu | HR/Ncbpc/Sp1cp |
from our youth | from our youthfulness | from our youth |
H5271-06 |
Leviticus 22:13 | כִּ/נְעוּרֶ֔י/הָ | kineureyha | HR/Ncbpc/Sp3fs |
as in her youth | her youthful-years | as in her youthful years |
H5271-02 |
Numbers 30:4 | בִּ/נְעֻרֶֽי/הָ | bineureyha | HR/Ncbpc/Sp3fs |
in her youth | in her youthful years | in her youth |
H5271-02 |
Numbers 30:17 | בִּ/נְעֻרֶ֖י/הָ | bineureyha | HR/Ncbpc/Sp3fs |
her youth | in her youthful years | in her youth |
H5271-07 |
1 Samuel 12:2 | מִ/נְּעֻרַ֖/י | mineuray | HR/Ncbpc/Sp1cs |
from-my-youth | from my youthfulness | from my youth |
H5271-09 |
1 Samuel 17:33 | מִ/נְּעֻרָֽי/ו | mineurayv | HR/Ncbpc/Sp3ms |
from his youth | from his youthful-years | from his youth-years |
H5271-10 |
2 Samuel 19:8 | מִ/נְּעֻרֶ֖י/ךָ | mineureykha | HR/Ncbpc/Sp2ms |
from your youth | from your youthful years | from your youth |
H5271-07 |
1 Kings 18:12 | מִ/נְּעֻרָֽ/י | mineuray | HR/Ncbpc/Sp1cs |
from my youth | from my youthfulness | from my youth |
H5271-08 |
Isaiah 47:12 | מִ/נְּעוּרָ֑יִ/ךְ | mineurayikhe | HR/Ncbpc/Sp2fs |
from your youth | from your youthful-years | from your youth-years |
H5271-08 |
Isaiah 47:15 | מִ/נְּעוּרַ֗יִ/ךְ | mineurayikhe | HR/Ncbpc/Sp2fs |
from-your-youth | from your youthful-years | from your youth-years |
H5271-19 |
Isaiah 54:6 | נְעוּרִ֛ים | neurim | HNcbpa |
of-youth | youths | youth |
H5271-15 |
Jeremiah 2:2 | נְעוּרַ֔יִ/ךְ | neurayikhe | HNcbpc/Sp2fs |
of-your-youth | your youthful years | your youthful years |
H5271-13 |
Jeremiah 3:4 | נְעֻרַ֖/י | neuray | HNcbpc/Sp1cs |
of my youth | my youths | of my youth |
H5271-11 |
Jeremiah 3:24 | מִ/נְּעוּרֵ֑י/נוּ | mineureynu | HR/Ncbpc/Sp1cp |
from our youth | from our youthfulness | from our youth |
H5271-11 |
Jeremiah 3:25 | מִ/נְּעוּרֵ֖י/נוּ | mineureynu | HR/Ncbpc/Sp1cp |
from our youth | from our youthfulness | from our youth |
H5271-08 |
Jeremiah 22:21 | מִ/נְּעוּרַ֔יִ/ךְ | mineurayikhe | HR/Ncbpc/Sp2fs |
from your youth | from your youthful-years | from your youth-years |
H5271-13 |
Jeremiah 31:19 | נְעוּרָֽ/י | neuray | HNcbpc/Sp1cs |
of my youth | my youths | my youths |
H5271-12 |
Jeremiah 32:30 | מִ/נְּעֻרֹֽתֵי/הֶ֑ם | mineuroteyhem | HR/Ncbpc/Sp3mp |
from their youth | from their youthful-years | from their youth |
H5271-09 |
Jeremiah 48:11 | מִ/נְּעוּרָ֗י/ו | mineurayv | HR/Ncbpc/Sp3ms |
from his youth | from his youthful-years | from his youth-years |
H5271-07 |
Ezekiel 4:14 | מִ/נְּעוּרַ֣/י | mineuray | HR/Ncbpc/Sp1cs |
from my youth | from my youthfulness | from my youth |
H5271-15 |
Ezekiel 16:22 | נְעוּרָ֑יִ/ךְ | neurayikhe | HNcbpc/Sp2fs |
of your youth | your youthful years | your youthful years |
H5271-15 |
Ezekiel 16:43 | נְעוּרַ֔יִ/ךְ | neurayikhe | HNcbpc/Sp2fs |
of your youth | your youthful years | your youthful years |
H5271-15 |
Ezekiel 16:60 | נְעוּרָ֑יִ/ךְ | neurayikhe | HNcbpc/Sp2fs |
your youth | your youthful years | your youthful years |
H5271-04 |
Ezekiel 23:3 | בִּ/נְעוּרֵי/הֶ֖ן | bineureyhen | HR/Ncbpc/Sp3fp |
in their youth | in their youthful years | in their youth |
H5271-20 |
Ezekiel 23:8 | בִ/נְעוּרֶ֔י/הָ | vineureyha | HR/Ncbpc/Sp3fs |
in her youth | in her youthful-years | in her youthful-years |
H5271-17 |
Ezekiel 23:19 | נְעוּרֶ֔י/הָ | neureyha | HNcbpc/Sp3fs |
of her youth | her youthful years | her youth (her youthful years) |
H5271-15 |
Ezekiel 23:21 | נְעוּרָ֑יִ/ךְ | neurayikhe | HNcbpc/Sp2fs |
of your youth | your youthful years | your youthful years |
H5271-15 |
Ezekiel 23:21 | נְעוּרָֽיִ/ךְ | neurayikhe-2 | HNcbpc/Sp2fs |
of your youth | your youthful years | your youthful years |
H5271-17 |
Hosea 2:17 | נְעוּרֶ֔י/הָ | neureyha | HNcbpc/Sp3fs |
of-her-youth | her youthful years | her youth (her youthful years) |
H5271-17 |
Joel 1:8 | נְעוּרֶֽי/הָ | neureyha | HNcbpc/Sp3fs |
of her youth | her youthful years | her youth (her youthful years) |
H5271-07 |
Zechariah 13:5 | מִ/נְּעוּרָֽ/י | mineuray | HR/Ncbpc/Sp1cs |
from my youth | from my youthfulness | from my youth |
H5271-18 |
Malachi 2:14 | נְעוּרֶ֗י/ךָ | neureykha | HNcbpc/Sp2ms |
of your youth | your youthfulness | your youth |
H5271-18 |
Malachi 2:15 | נְעוּרֶ֖י/ךָ | neureykha | HNcbpc/Sp2ms |
of your youth | your youthfulness | your youth |
H5271-13 |
Psalms 25:7 | נְעוּרַ֨/י | neuray | HNcbpc/Sp1cs |
of my youth | my youths | of my youth |
H5271-07 |
Psalms 71:5 | מִ/נְּעוּרָֽ/י | mineuray | HR/Ncbpc/Sp1cs |
from my youth | from my youthfulness | from my youth |
H5271-07 |
Psalms 71:17 | מִ/נְּעוּרָ֑/י | mineuray | HR/Ncbpc/Sp1cs |
from my youth | from my youthfulness | from my youth |
H5271-14 |
Psalms 103:5 | נְעוּרָֽיְ/כִי | neurayekhi | HNcbpc/Sp2fs |
your-youth | your youthful years | your youth |
H5271-05 |
Psalms 127:4 | הַ/נְּעוּרִֽים | haneurim | HTd/Ncbpa |
of the youth | the youths | the youth |
H5271-07 |
Psalms 129:1 | מִ/נְּעוּרַ֑/י | mineuray | HR/Ncbpc/Sp1cs |
from my youth | from my youthfulness | from my youth |
H5271-07 |
Psalms 129:2 | מִ/נְּעוּרָ֑/י | mineuray | HR/Ncbpc/Sp1cs |
from my youth | from my youthfulness | from my youth |
H5271-03 |
Psalms 144:12 | בִּֽ/נְעוּרֵ֫י/הֶ֥ם | bineureyhem | HR/Ncbpc/Sp3mp |
in their youth | their youthful years | in their youthful years |
H5271-17 |
Proverbs 2:17 | נְעוּרֶ֑י/הָ | neureyha | HNcbpc/Sp3fs |
of her youth | her youthful years | her youth (her youthful years) |
H5271-16 |
Proverbs 5:18 | נְעוּרֶֽ/ךָ | neurekha | HNcbsc/Sp2ms |
of your youth | your youth | of your youth |
H5271-13 |
Job 13:26 | נְעוּרָֽ/י | neuray | HNcbpc/Sp1cs |
of my youth | my youths | of my youth |
H5271-07 |
Job 31:18 | מִ֭/נְּעוּרַ/י | mineuray | HR/Ncbpc/Sp1cs |
from my youth | from my youthfulness | from my youth |
H5271-01 |
Lamentations 3:27 | בִּ/נְעוּרָֽי/ו | bineurayv | HR/Ncbpc/Sp3ms |
in his youth | in his youths | in his youth |