What does יָעַץ (yāʿaṣ) mean in the Bible?
יָעַץ (yāʿaṣ): Counsel that shapes decisions: advising others or deliberating internally to determine a course of action.
Hebrew · H3289
יָעַץ
To advise ; reflexively, to deliberate or resolve
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יָעַץ H3289
Pronunciation yāʿaṣ
What does יָעַץ (yāʿaṣ) mean in the Bible?
יָעַץ (yāʿaṣ): Counsel that shapes decisions: advising others or deliberating internally to determine a course of action.
Full entry for יָעַץ (H3289) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3289?
The BSB source-word alignment has 79 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include counselor (5), counselors (3), has drawn up (3), - (2), . . . (2).
Where does יָעַץ (yāʿaṣ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 18:19. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (16), 2 Chronicles (14), 1 Kings (8), 2 Samuel (7).
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 counselor 5× 2 Samuel 15:12, 1 Chronicles 26:14, 1 Chronicles 27:33, Isaiah 9:6
counselors 3× 2 Chronicles 22:4, Ezra 4:5, Proverbs 11:14
has drawn up 3× Jeremiah 49:20, Jeremiah 49:30, Jeremiah 50:45
- 2× 2 Samuel 16:23, 1 Kings 12:13
. . . 2× 2 Samuel 17:7, Isaiah 19:17
advise 2× 1 Kings 12:9, 2 Chronicles 10:9
advise me 2× 1 Kings 12:6, 2 Chronicles 10:6
consulted 2× 1 Kings 12:6, 2 Chronicles 10:6
his counselors 2× Ezra 7:28, Ezra 8:25
instead, he consulted 2× 1 Kings 12:8, 2 Chronicles 10:8
the counselor 2× 2 Chronicles 25:16, Isaiah 3:3
a counselor 1× Nahum 1:11
advice 1× 2 Samuel 17:21
advisers 1× Proverbs 15:22
After consulting 1× 2 Kings 6:8
After seeking advice 1× 1 Kings 12:28
agreed 1× 2 Chronicles 30:23
and conspire 1× Psalms 83:3
and counselors 1× Job 3:14
and give 1× Ezekiel 11:2
and let me advise 1× 1 Kings 1:12
and your counselors 1× Isaiah 1:26
but the counselors 1× Proverbs 12:20
conferred 1× 1 Chronicles 13:1
conspire 1× Psalms 71:10
counseled 1× Micah 6:5
counsels me 1× Psalms 16:7
devised 1× Isaiah 14:26
did He consult 1× Isaiah 40:14
had decided 1× 2 Chronicles 30:2
has advised 1× 2 Samuel 17:15
has determined 1× 2 Chronicles 25:16
has planned 1× Isaiah 19:12
has plotted 1× Isaiah 7:5
has purposed 1× Isaiah 14:27
hatches 1× Isaiah 32:7
have advised 1× 2 Samuel 17:15
he consulted 1× 2 Chronicles 32:3
He leads counselors 1× Job 12:17
I advise 1× 2 Samuel 17:11
I give you advice 1× Jeremiah 38:15
I have purposed 1× Isaiah 14:24
I will give you counsel 1× Psalms 32:8
I will give you some advice 1× Exodus 18:19
intend 1× Psalms 62:4
let me warn you 1× Numbers 24:14
let them take counsel 1× Isaiah 45:21
let us confer 1× Nehemiah 6:7
makes 1× Isaiah 32:8
of counselors 1× Proverbs 24:6
planned 1× Isaiah 23:8
planned it 1× Isaiah 23:9
the well-advised 1× Proverbs 13:10
Then [Jehoshaphat] consulted 1× 2 Chronicles 20:21
they plot 1× Psalms 83:5
took counsel 1× 2 Chronicles 25:17
vvv 1× 1 Kings 12:8
was a counselor 1× 1 Chronicles 27:32
was his counselor 1× 2 Chronicles 22:3
you have counseled 1× Job 26:3
You have plotted 1× Habakkuk 2:10
your counselor 1× Micah 4:9
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 18:19 אִיעָ֣צְךָ֔ to I will give you some advice Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular | second person masculine singular Numbers 24:14 אִיעָ֣צְךָ֔ to let me warn you Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular | second person masculine singular 2 Samuel 15:12 יוֹעֵ֣ץ to counselor Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct 2 Samuel 16:23 יָעַץ֙ to - Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 2 Samuel 17:7 יָעַ֥ץ to . . . Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 2 Samuel 17:11 יָעַ֗צְתִּי to I advise Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular 2 Samuel 17:15 יָעַ֤ץ to has advised Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 2 Samuel 17:15 יָעַ֥צְתִּי to have advised Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular 2 Samuel 17:21 יָעַ֥ץ to advice Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 1 Kings 1:12 אִיעָצֵ֥ךְ to and let me advise Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular | second person feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Exodus 18:19
Aligned rows 79
Books represented 18
Exodus 1 Numbers 1 2 Samuel 7 1 Kings 8 2 Kings 1 1 Chronicles 4 2 Chronicles 14 Ezra 3 Nehemiah 1 Job 3 Psalms 6 Proverbs 5 Isaiah 16 Jeremiah 4 Ezekiel 1 Micah 2 Nahum 1 Habakkuk 1
Source forms
וַיִּוָּעַ֗ץ 4x way·yiw·wā·‘aṣ 1 Kings 12:8, 2 Chronicles 10:8, 2 Chronicles 25:17, 2 Chronicles 32:3
נֽוֹעָצִ֔ים 4x nō·w·‘ā·ṣîm 1 Kings 12:6, 1 Kings 12:9, 2 Chronicles 10:6, 2 Chronicles 10:9
אִיעָ֣צְךָ֔ 3x ’î·‘ā·ṣə·ḵā Exodus 18:19, Numbers 24:14, Jeremiah 38:15
יָעַץ֙ 3x yā·‘aṣ 2 Samuel 16:23, Jeremiah 49:20, Jeremiah 50:45
יָעַ֥ץ 3x yā·‘aṣ 2 Samuel 17:7, 2 Samuel 17:21, Isaiah 7:5
וַיִּוָּעַ֞ץ 2x way·yiw·wā·‘aṣ 1 Kings 12:6, 2 Chronicles 10:6
וַיִּוָּעַ֣ץ 2x way·yiw·wā·‘aṣ 1 Kings 12:28, 1 Chronicles 13:1
וַיִּוָּעַץ֙ 2x way·yiw·wā·‘aṣ 2 Kings 6:8, 2 Chronicles 20:21
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 15x 2 Samuel 16:23, 2 Samuel 17:7, 2 Samuel 17:15, 2 Samuel 17:21
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 11x 1 Kings 12:6, 1 Kings 12:8, 1 Kings 12:28, 2 Kings 6:8
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular 8x 1 Chronicles 26:14, 1 Chronicles 27:32, 1 Chronicles 27:33, Proverbs 11:14
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural 5x 1 Kings 12:6, 1 Kings 12:9, 2 Chronicles 10:6, 2 Chronicles 10:9
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural 4x 2 Chronicles 22:4, Ezra 4:5, Job 12:17, Proverbs 15:22
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular 3x 2 Samuel 17:11, 2 Samuel 17:15, Isaiah 14:24
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | third person masculine singular 3x 1 Kings 12:8, 1 Kings 12:13, 2 Chronicles 10:8
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular 2x Ezra 7:28, Ezra 8:25
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Counsel that shapes decisions: advising others or deliberating internally to determine a course of action.
Strong's H3289
Lexical occurrences 79 verses Word forms 2 forms 45 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Isaiah 14:24-27 Source Gloss
to advise ; reflexively, to deliberate or resolve
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Counsel that shapes decisions: advising others or deliberating internally to determine a course of action.
to advise; reflexively, to deliberate or resolve BDB: advise Usage: advertise, take advise, advise (well), consult, (give, take) counsel(-lor), determine, devise, guide, purpose.
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 2 Aligned forms 45
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 36×
Perfect 2Chr 25:16 · 2Sam 16:23 · 2Sam 17:7 · 2Sam 17:15 · 2Sam 17:21 · Isa 7:5 · Isa 14:27 · Isa 19:12 · Isa 23:8 · Isa 32:7 · Isa 32:8 · Jer 49:20 · Jer 49:30 · Jer 50:45 · Mic 6:5 · 2Sam 17:11 21×
Participle active 1Chr 26:14 · 1Chr 27:32 · 1Chr 27:33 · 2Chr 22:4 · 2Sam 15:12 · Ezra 4:5 · Isa 9:5 · Isa 19:17 · Isa 41:28 · Job 12:17 · Nah 1:11 · Prov 11:14 · Prov 15:22 · Prov 24:6 14×
Cohortative Ps 32:8 1×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 9×
Participle active 1Kgs 12:6 · 1Kgs 12:9 · 2Chr 10:6 · 2Chr 10:9 · Prov 13:10 5×
Perfect Ps 71:10 · Ps 83:6 · Isa 40:14 3×
Imperfect Isa 45:21 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
To counsel, plan, or determine.
To plan or determine.
To plan or determine.
To counsel or determine purposefully.
To determine or plan deliberately.
advisor or counselor who provides guidance
Showing 6 selected witnesses from 79 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
יָעַץ is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
Wisdom is strengthened through multiple wise advisors. Isaiah 14:24-27
The term highlights intentional divine design rather than random events. Isaiah 19:11-15
Human counsel is contrasted with the unthwartable purpose of the Lord. Isaiah 19:16-17
Egypt’s fear is rooted in God’s settled and effective plan. Isaiah 22:9-14
Events are portrayed as long determined by the Lord. Isaiah 23:8-14
The judgment arises from God’s intentional decree, not accident. Proverbs 11:14
Canonical Themes
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