What does יֵצֶר (yēṣer) mean in the Bible?
יֵצֶר (yēṣer): Inner inclination or impulse that shapes behavior; the human heart's tendency toward good or evil
Hebrew · H3336
יֵצֶר
A form ; figuratively, conception (i.e. purpose)
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יֵצֶר H3336
Pronunciation yēṣer
What does יֵצֶר (yēṣer) mean in the Bible?
יֵצֶר (yēṣer): Inner inclination or impulse that shapes behavior; the human heart's tendency toward good or evil
Full entry for יֵצֶר (H3336) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3336?
The BSB source-word alignment has 9 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include Can the pottery (1), desire (1), every inclination (1), in his own creation (1), inclination (1).
Where does יֵצֶר (yēṣer) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 6:5. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Chronicles (2), Genesis (2), Isaiah (2), Deuteronomy (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 Can the pottery 1× Isaiah 29:16
desire 1× 1 Chronicles 29:18
every inclination 1× Genesis 8:21
in his own creation 1× Habakkuk 2:18
inclination 1× Genesis 6:5
of mind 1× Isaiah 26:3
our frame 1× Psalms 103:14
the intent 1× 1 Chronicles 28:9
their inclination 1× Deuteronomy 31:21
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 6:5 יֵ֙צֶר֙ to inclination Noun - masculine singular construct Genesis 8:21 יֵ֣צֶר to every inclination Noun - masculine singular construct Deuteronomy 31:21 יִצְר֗וֹ to their inclination Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular 1 Chronicles 28:9 יֵ֥צֶר to the intent Noun - masculine singular construct 1 Chronicles 29:18 לְיֵ֥צֶר to desire Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct Psalms 103:14 יִצְרֵ֑נוּ to our frame Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common plural Isaiah 26:3 יֵ֣צֶר to of mind Noun - masculine singular Isaiah 29:16 וְיֵ֛צֶר to Can the pottery Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular Habakkuk 2:18 יִצְרוֹ֙ to in his own creation Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 6:5
Aligned rows 9
Books represented 6
Genesis 2 Deuteronomy 1 1 Chronicles 2 Psalms 1 Isaiah 2 Habakkuk 1
Source forms
יֵ֣צֶר 2x yê·ṣer Genesis 8:21, Isaiah 26:3
וְיֵ֛צֶר 1x wə·yê·ṣer Isaiah 29:16
יֵ֙צֶר֙ 1x yê·ṣer Genesis 6:5
יֵ֥צֶר 1x yê·ṣer 1 Chronicles 28:9
יִצְר֗וֹ 1x yiṣ·rōw Deuteronomy 31:21
יִצְרוֹ֙ 1x yiṣ·rōw Habakkuk 2:18
יִצְרֵ֑נוּ 1x yiṣ·rê·nū Psalms 103:14
לְיֵ֥צֶר 1x lə·yê·ṣer 1 Chronicles 29:18
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular construct 3x Genesis 6:5, Genesis 8:21, 1 Chronicles 28:9
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular 2x Deuteronomy 31:21, Habakkuk 2:18
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular 1x Isaiah 29:16
Noun - masculine singular 1x Isaiah 26:3
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common plural 1x Psalms 103:14
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct 1x 1 Chronicles 29:18
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Inner inclination or impulse that shapes behavior; the human heart's tendency toward good or evil
Source Gloss
a form ; figuratively, conception (i.e. purpose)
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Inner inclination or impulse that shapes behavior; the human heart's tendency toward good or evil
a form; figuratively, conception (i.e. purpose) BDB: form Usage: frame, thing framed, imagination, mind, work.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
The thoughts and inclinations of the human heart, emphasizing evil intent
Human propensity toward sin from youth, describing inner disposition or nature
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 10 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
יֵצֶר is built from this root:
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