What does יָסַד (yasad) mean in the Bible?
יָסַד (yasad): Foundational establishment—moving from physical placement to permanent institutional or covenantal structures, often divine action.
Hebrew · H3245
יָסַד
To set (literally or figuratively); intensively, to found ; reflexively, to sit down together, i.e. settle , consult
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יָסַד H3245
Pronunciation yasad
What does יָסַד (yasad) mean in the Bible?
יָסַד (yasad): Foundational establishment—moving from physical placement to permanent institutional or covenantal structures, often divine action.
Full entry for יָסַד (H3245) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3245?
The BSB source-word alignment has 43 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include founded (3), The foundation (2), was laid (2), You have established them (2), a sure (1).
Where does יָסַד (yasad) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 9:18. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (10), Isaiah (9), 1 Kings (4), Ezra (4).
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 founded 3× Psalms 89:11, Proverbs 3:19, Isaiah 48:13
The foundation 2× 2 Chronicles 3:3, Ezra 3:12
was laid 2× 1 Kings 6:37, Haggai 2:18
You have established them 2× Psalms 119:152, Habakkuk 1:12
a sure 1× Isaiah 28:16
and founds 1× Amos 9:6
and laid the foundations 1× Isaiah 51:13
and lay your foundations 1× Isaiah 54:11
and lays the foundation 1× Zechariah 12:1
and of the restoration 1× 2 Chronicles 24:27
building up 1× 2 Chronicles 31:7
destined it 1× Isaiah 23:13
gather 1× Psalms 2:2
had appointed 1× 1 Chronicles 9:22
had been laid 1× Ezra 3:11
had laid the foundation 1× Ezra 3:10
had not been laid 1× Ezra 3:6
has founded 1× Isaiah 14:32
has founded it 1× Psalms 24:2
have laid the foundation 1× Zechariah 4:9
He has established 1× Psalms 78:69
he laid its foundation 1× 1 Kings 16:34
He set 1× Psalms 104:5
he will lay its foundations 1× Joshua 6:26
I lay 1× Isaiah 28:16
it was founded 1× Exodus 9:18
Let its foundation be laid 1× Isaiah 44:28
order 1× Esther 1:8
set 1× Song Of Solomon 5:15
The foundations 1× 1 Kings 7:10
the foundations were laid 1× Zechariah 8:9
They conspire 1× Psalms 31:13
to found 1× Isaiah 51:16
to lay the foundation 1× 1 Kings 5:17
when I laid the foundations 1× Job 38:4
You assigned 1× Psalms 104:8
You have ordained 1× Psalms 8:2
You laid the foundations 1× Psalms 102:25
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 9:18 הִוָּסְדָ֖ה to it was founded Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular Joshua 6:26 יְיַסְּדֶ֔נָּה to he will lay its foundations Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular 1 Kings 5:17 לְיַסֵּ֥ד to to lay the foundation Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct 1 Kings 6:37 יֻסַּ֖ד to was laid Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person masculine singular 1 Kings 7:10 וּמְיֻסָּ֕ד to The foundations Conjunctive waw | Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singular 1 Kings 16:34 יִסְּדָ֗הּ to he laid its foundation Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular 1 Chronicles 9:22 יִסַּ֥ד to had appointed Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular 2 Chronicles 3:3 הוּסַ֣ד to The foundation Verb - Hofal - Infinitive construct 2 Chronicles 24:27 וִיסוֹד֙ to and of the restoration Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct 2 Chronicles 31:7 לְיִסּ֑וֹד to building up Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Exodus 9:18
Aligned rows 43
Books represented 16
Exodus 1 Joshua 1 1 Kings 4 1 Chronicles 1 2 Chronicles 3 Ezra 4 Esther 1 Job 1 Psalms 10 Proverbs 1 Song Of Solomon 1 Isaiah 9 Amos 1 Habakkuk 1 Haggai 1 Zechariah 3
Source forms
וְיֹסֵ֣ד 2x wə·yō·sêḏ Isaiah 51:13, Zechariah 12:1
יִסַּ֥ד 2x yis·saḏ 1 Chronicles 9:22, Isaiah 28:16
יִסַּ֣ד 2x yis·saḏ Esther 1:8, Isaiah 14:32
יָֽסַד־ 2x yā·saḏ- Psalms 104:5, Proverbs 3:19
יְסָדָ֑הּ 2x yə·sā·ḏāh Psalms 24:2, Amos 9:6
יְסַדְתָּֽם׃ 2x yə·saḏ·tām Psalms 89:11, Psalms 119:152
בְּהִוָּסְדָ֣ם 1x bə·hiw·wā·sə·ḏām Psalms 31:13
בְּיָסְד֔וֹ 1x bə·yā·sə·ḏōw Ezra 3:12
Parsing patterns
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular 4x 1 Chronicles 9:22, Esther 1:8, Isaiah 14:32, Isaiah 28:16
Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person masculine singular 4x 1 Kings 6:37, Ezra 3:6, Haggai 2:18, Zechariah 8:9
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular 4x Psalms 24:2, Psalms 78:69, Isaiah 23:13, Amos 9:6
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 2x Isaiah 51:13, Zechariah 12:1
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular 2x Psalms 102:25, Psalms 104:8
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine plural 2x Psalms 89:11, Psalms 119:152
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 2x Psalms 104:5, Proverbs 3:19
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural 1x Ezra 3:10
Evidence Summary
CreationWisdom
Hebrew word. Foundational establishment—moving from physical placement to permanent institutional or covenantal structures, often divine action.
Strong's H3245
Lexical occurrences 42 verses Word forms 5 forms 21 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Isaiah 14:28-32 Source Gloss
to set (literally or figuratively); intensively, to found ; reflexively, to sit down together, i.e. settle , consult
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Foundational establishment—moving from physical placement to permanent institutional or covenantal structures, often divine action.
to set (literally or figuratively); intensively, to found; reflexively, to sit down together, i.e. settle, consult BDB: establish Usage: appoint, take counsel, establish, (lay the, lay for a) found(-ation), instruct, lay, ordain, set, × sure.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 5 Aligned forms 21
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 6×
Perfect 1Chr 9:22 · Esth 1:8 · Isa 14:32 · Isa 28:16 · Ps 8:3 · Zech 4:9 6×
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject 5×
Perfect 1Kgs 6:37 · Ezra 3:6 · Hag 2:18 · Zech 8:9 4×
Participle passive Song 5:15 1×
Hophal causative passive — the subject is caused to perform the action 3×
Perfect 2Chr 3:3 · Ezra 3:11 2×
Participle passive Isa 28:16 1×
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 5×
Perfect Prov 3:19 · Ps 104:5 · Ps 102:26 · Ps 104:8 · Isa 48:13 5×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 2×
Imperfect Isa 44:28 1×
Perfect Ps 2:2 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
To establish or lay a foundation.
To establish or lay a foundation.
to establish or lay a foundation
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 42 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
יָסַד is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
Creation is portrayed as intentionally established through divine wisdom. Isaiah 14:28-32
Zion’s security rests in God’s deliberate and sovereign establishment. Isaiah 48:12-16
Emphasizes God’s active role in creation. Proverbs 8:22-31
Canonical Themes
Creation Wisdom
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
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