What does יָחִיד (yāḥîḏ) mean in the Bible?
יָחִיד (yāḥîḏ): Singularity as emotional condition: what is alone is beloved, irreplaceable, or bereft—never neutral
Hebrew · H3173
יָחִיד
Properly, united , i.e. sole ; by implication, beloved ; also lonely ; (feminine) the life (as not to be replaced)
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יָחִיד H3173
Pronunciation yāḥîḏ
What does יָחִיד (yāḥîḏ) mean in the Bible?
יָחִיד (yāḥîḏ): Singularity as emotional condition: what is alone is beloved, irreplaceable, or bereft—never neutral
Full entry for יָחִיד (H3173) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3173?
The BSB source-word alignment has 12 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include your only (3), for an only son (2), my precious life (2), am lonely (1), an only child (1).
Where does יָחִיד (yāḥîḏ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 22:2. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (4), Genesis (3), Amos (1), Jeremiah (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It your only 3× Genesis 22:2, Genesis 22:12, Genesis 22:16
for an only son 2× Jeremiah 6:26, Amos 8:10
my precious life 2× Psalms 22:20, Psalms 35:17
am lonely 1× Psalms 25:16
an only child 1× Zechariah 12:10
and the only child 1× Proverbs 4:3
the lonely 1× Psalms 68:6
was his only child 1× Judges 11:34
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 22:2 יְחִֽידְךָ֤ to your only Adjective - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular Genesis 22:12 יְחִידְךָ֖ to your only Adjective - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular Genesis 22:16 יְחִידֶֽךָ׃ to your only Adjective - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular Judges 11:34 יְחִידָ֔ה to was his only child Adjective - feminine singular Psalms 22:20 יְחִידָתִֽי׃ to my precious life Adjective - feminine singular construct | first person common singular Psalms 25:16 יָחִ֖יד to am lonely Adjective - masculine singular Psalms 35:17 יְחִידָתִֽי׃ to my precious life Adjective - feminine singular construct | first person common singular Psalms 68:6 יְחִידִ֨ים׀ to the lonely Adjective - masculine plural Proverbs 4:3 וְ֝יָחִ֗יד to and the only child Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular Jeremiah 6:26 יָחִיד֙ to for an only son Adjective - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 22:2
Aligned rows 12
Books represented 7
Genesis 3 Judges 1 Psalms 4 Proverbs 1 Jeremiah 1 Amos 1 Zechariah 1
Source forms
יְחִידָתִֽי׃ 2x yə·ḥî·ḏā·ṯî Psalms 22:20, Psalms 35:17
הַיָּחִ֔יד 1x hay·yā·ḥîḏ Zechariah 12:10
וְ֝יָחִ֗יד 1x wə·yā·ḥîḏ Proverbs 4:3
יָחִ֖יד 1x yā·ḥîḏ Psalms 25:16
יָחִיד֙ 1x yā·ḥîḏ Jeremiah 6:26
יָחִ֔יד 1x yā·ḥîḏ Amos 8:10
יְחִידָ֔ה 1x yə·ḥî·ḏāh Judges 11:34
יְחִידִ֨ים׀ 1x yə·ḥî·ḏîm Psalms 68:6
Parsing patterns
Adjective - masculine singular 3x Psalms 25:16, Jeremiah 6:26, Amos 8:10
Adjective - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular 3x Genesis 22:2, Genesis 22:12, Genesis 22:16
Adjective - feminine singular construct | first person common singular 2x Psalms 22:20, Psalms 35:17
Adjective - feminine singular 1x Judges 11:34
Adjective - masculine plural 1x Psalms 68:6
Article | Adjective - masculine singular 1x Zechariah 12:10
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular 1x Proverbs 4:3
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Singularity as emotional condition: what is alone is beloved, irreplaceable, or bereft—never neutral
Source Gloss
properly, united , i.e. sole ; by implication, beloved ; also lonely ; (feminine) the life (as not to be replaced)
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Singularity as emotional condition: what is alone is beloved, irreplaceable, or bereft—never neutral
properly, united, i.e. sole; by implication, beloved; also lonely; (feminine) the life (as not to be replaced) BDB: only Usage: darling, desolate, only (child, son), solitary.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
Lonely; solitary; unique; only one; emphasizes the total lack of human support
Showing 1 selected witness from 12 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
יָחִיד is built from this root:
יָחַד H3161
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain