Language Studies

Hebrew Thoughts

Yârâh - יָרָה (Strong's #03384)
Point, teach, show

The root verb yârâh יָרָה (Strong's #03384) is used some 84 times in the Hebrew Bible and is variously translated in the KJV by the following:

• "teach" x42; "teacher" x4; "direct" x1; "inform" x1; "instructed" x1; "shewed" x1 - all
describing functions of guidance and instruction.


• "shoot" x18; "archers" x5; "shooters" x1; "shot through" x1, used in Exodus 19:13 to describe someone yârôh yiyyâreh "thoroughly shot through" by using the infintive and imperfect verbs together!
  
  
• "cast" x5, e.g., of the heap of witness in Genesis 31:51 between Laban and Jacob; of "casting lots" (Joshua 18:6); of throwing things into the sea (Exodus 15:4,25).
  
  
• "laid" x1, used in Job 38:6 of God's laying the earth's foundations and cornerstone.
  
  
• "rain" x2; "watered" x1, in Proverbs 11:25 of being refreshed.

Indeed "teaching" (yârâh יָרָה) is linked to rain in 1 Kings 8:36 "then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants ... that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on Your land...". and conversely the receipt of "early rain" (yârâh יָרָה) is compared to finding the knowledge of God, "Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD ... He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter and former rain to the earth" (Hosea 6:3). Physical blessing such as rain was often linked to living a life that followed God's instruction, although paradoxically the rain also falls upon the wicked as well as the righteous (Matthew 5:45).

יָרָה yârâh begins with the letter י yôdh which is the picture letter of a hand, hence its uses in shooting arrows, showing direction or casting/throwing/laying - all hand actions. Perhaps even the rain looks like moving fingers, the very action children use to portray rain in kindergarten songs. In English idiom we use the phrases "raining arrows down on us" to describe an opponent's archery attack or "rain/lightning like arrows" to describe heavy downpours.

Although the KJV uses "teach" in Proverbs 6:13 the NKJV's "points" is probably more apt to describe the wicked's "pointing of the finger": "He winks with his eyes, He shuffles his feet, He points with his fingers".

Again, Psalm 45:4 combines teaching and anthropomorphic hand gestures, "...Your right hand shall teach You awesome things".

The first part of Job 27:11 is translated various ways "I will teach you about the hand of God" (NKJV); "I will teach you about the power of God" (NIV) but the KJV's idiomatic "I will teach you by the hand of God" may well be correct although the Greek Septuagint translation, "I will tell you what is in the hand of the Lord" may suggest the idiom means "that which is in the power of God to do/show".

Isaiah 2:3; 28:26; Psalms 25:8,12 and 32:8, are all good examples of יָרָה yârâh being used to describe God's teaching of man, the constant prayer of the Psalmist (Psalms 27:11; 86:11; 119:33). Exodus 4:12 could almost be replaced with "show" rather than "teach" of Moses being encouraged that God would "be with his mouth" and tell him what to say.

We see the verb used in the Hiphil causative of those that bring teaching, i.e., "teachers" in such verses as Proverbs 5:13, "I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers..." and twice in Isaiah 30:20, "...your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, But your eyes shall see your teachers".

Words we derive from יָרָה yârâh include:

י^.רֶה yôreh (Strong's #3138), meaning the "early rain" which prepares the ground for seed planting, as opposed to the מלקוֹש malqôwsh (Strong's #4456) "latter rain", which comes to ripen the crop before harvest. Perhaps, just as raining arrows down upon your foe softens up a weakened enemy for an infantry or cavalry charge.

מוֹרֶה môwreh (Strong's #4175), a "teacher", even of "prophets", or an "archer".

תוֹרָה tôwrâh (Strong's #08451), "instruction, teaching, law". Given the gentle nature of the root verb's meaning in terms of guidance and rain (despite the aggressive nature of arrows!) this helps us to remember that תוֹרָה tôwrâh is a positive word of caring instruction rather than a judgemental list of criminal laws.

In all of the above we find that יָרָה yârâh is almost "foundational", whether breaking up the ground by rain, preparing the enemy by a storm of arrows, laying a cornerstone, or simply in guidance and teaching.

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