Hebrew · H3335, G2763 · unreviewed

יֹצֵר

To mould into a form; especially as a potter ; figuratively, to determine (i.e. form a resolution) · a potter

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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant

יָצַר H3335 to mould into a form; especially as a potter ; figuratively, to determine (i.e. form a resolution)
Pronunciation yāṣar
Divine shaping of humanity and history—God's intentional formation of persons and purposes, not mere accident.
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κεραμεύς G2763 a potter
Pronunciation kerameús
Craftsperson who shapes clay; metaphorically represents God's sovereign power to mold nations and individuals.
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What does יֹצֵר (yotser) mean in the Bible?

יָצַר · κεραμεύς is a Hebrew word meaning "one who shapes or forms clay vessels".

Full entry for יֹצֵר (H3335, G2763) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

one who shapes or forms clay vessels
Grammatical Forms

How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.

Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 19×
Participle active Amos 4:13 · Amos 7:1 · Hab 2:18 · Isa 44:9 · Isa 45:7 · Isa 45:18 · Jer 10:16 · Jer 18:11 · Jer 19:1 · Jer 33:2 · Jer 51:19 · Ps 94:9 · Ps 94:20 13×
Perfect Gen 2:8 · Isa 44:10 · Isa 43:21 · Isa 46:11 · Ps 95:5 · Ps 104:26
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action
Perfect Isa 43:10
Hophal causative passive — the subject is caused to perform the action
Imperfect Isa 54:17
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject
Perfect Ps 139:16
Hebrew Verb Forms

How this verb appears across 22 occurrences in the Hebrew OT (OSHB Leningrad Codex).

Aspect / Form
Participle 13 Perfect 8 Imperfect 1
Stem
Qal 19 Niphal 1 Hophal 1 Pual 1
Mood
Indicative 8 Indicative/jussive 1

Aspect in Hebrew reflects grammatical form, not tense. "Perfect" (Perfective) typically denotes completed action; "Imperfect" (Imperfective) denotes incomplete or ongoing action. Stem modifies the action type (Qal=simple, Niphal=passive, Piel=intensive, etc.).

Morphology: OSHB WLC (Open Scriptures, CC BY 4.0) · STEPBible TEHMC (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0)

Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources