What does יָרַד (yered) mean in the Bible?
יָרַד (yered): Descent from high to low, physically or morally; often implies loss of status, power, or divine favor.
Hebrew · H3381
יָרַד
To descend (literally, to go downwards ; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall ); causatively, to bring down (in all the above applications)
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יָרַד H3381
Pronunciation yered
What does יָרַד (yered) mean in the Bible?
יָרַד (yered): Descent from high to low, physically or morally; often implies loss of status, power, or divine favor.
Full entry for יָרַד (H3381) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3381?
The BSB source-word alignment has 380 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include went down (28), came down (20), go down (17), down (13), Come down (11).
Where does יָרַד (yered) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 11:5. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Samuel (42), Genesis (39), Judges (32), Ezekiel (29).
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 went down 28× Genesis 12:10, Genesis 42:3, Exodus 2:5, Exodus 19:25
came down 20× Genesis 11:5, Exodus 19:14, Exodus 34:29, Numbers 11:25
go down 17× Genesis 26:2, Genesis 42:2, Exodus 19:21, Numbers 34:11
down 13× Genesis 37:25, Genesis 42:38, Genesis 44:29, Genesis 44:31
Come down 11× Genesis 45:9, Judges 7:24, 1 Samuel 6:21, 1 Samuel 23:11
Those who descend 9× Isaiah 38:18, Ezekiel 26:20, Ezekiel 31:16, Ezekiel 32:18
and went down 6× Exodus 32:15, Joshua 18:13, Joshua 18:18, 1 Samuel 25:1
go 6× Genesis 43:5, 1 Samuel 23:4, 1 Samuel 26:6, 2 Samuel 11:10
. . . 5× Genesis 43:20, Exodus 32:7, Joshua 8:29, Judges 11:37
descended 4× Genesis 15:11, Exodus 19:20, Exodus 34:5, Ezekiel 31:17
he went down 4× 1 Samuel 23:25, 2 Chronicles 18:2, Jeremiah 36:12, Jonah 1:3
lowered 4× Genesis 24:18, Genesis 24:46, Genesis 44:11, 1 Samuel 19:12
and come down 3× Psalms 144:5, Proverbs 30:4, Isaiah 64:1
and go down 3× Deuteronomy 9:12, 1 Kings 18:44, 1 Kings 21:18
coming down 3× 1 Samuel 10:5, 1 Samuel 25:20, 2 Chronicles 7:3
to go down 3× Genesis 46:3, Nehemiah 6:3, Isaiah 30:2
went 3× Judges 7:11, Judges 14:10, Judges 15:11
who descend 3× Psalms 115:17, Psalms 143:7, Ezekiel 31:14
will fall 3× Isaiah 34:7, Ezekiel 26:11, Haggai 2:22
will go down 3× Genesis 46:4, Numbers 34:12, 1 Samuel 26:6
- 2× Exodus 34:29, 1 Samuel 23:20
and bring them down 2× Psalms 59:11, Joel 3:2
and came down 2× 2 Samuel 22:10, Psalms 18:9
and he went down 2× Deuteronomy 26:5, Judges 14:19
are coming down 2× Judges 9:36, Judges 9:37
Benaiah went against 2× 2 Samuel 23:21, 1 Chronicles 11:23
Bring 2× Genesis 43:7, Deuteronomy 21:4
comes down 2× Genesis 44:23, Exodus 9:19
falls 2× Psalms 7:16, Isaiah 38:8
flow 2× Lamentations 1:16, Lamentations 3:48
get up 2× 2 Kings 1:4, 2 Kings 1:6
go down there 2× Genesis 42:38, Genesis 44:26
had gone down 2× 2 Kings 9:16, Jonah 1:5
have fallen 2× Deuteronomy 28:52, Jeremiah 13:18
I will bring them down 2× Jeremiah 51:40, Hosea 7:12
I will bring you down 2× Jeremiah 49:16, Obadiah 1:4
I will go down 2× Genesis 18:21, Genesis 37:35
it had descended 2× 2 Kings 20:11, Isaiah 38:8
left 2× Genesis 38:1, Ezekiel 31:12
let them go down 2× Psalms 55:15, Jeremiah 50:27
let Us go down 2× Genesis 11:7, 1 Samuel 14:36
running down 2× Psalms 133:2
then go down 2× Judges 7:10, Amos 6:2
they went down 2× 1 Samuel 22:1, 1 Chronicles 7:21
those descending 2× Psalms 28:1, Psalms 88:4
to come down 2× Judges 1:34, 2 Samuel 19:20
will come down 2× Exodus 19:11, Isaiah 31:4
will descend 2× 1 Samuel 13:12, Ezekiel 26:16
You came down 2× Nehemiah 9:13, Isaiah 64:3
[and] go down 1× Judges 7:9
[and] went 1× 1 Kings 21:16
[then] sunk 1× Psalms 107:26
abandoned 1× Judges 4:15
And after they had come down 1× 1 Samuel 9:25
And bring 1× Genesis 45:13
and bring them 1× Isaiah 43:14
and brings down 1× 2 Samuel 22:48
and brought him down 1× Judges 16:21
and carry them down 1× Genesis 43:11
and consign 1× Ezekiel 32:18
and continue along 1× Numbers 34:11
and continued down 1× Joshua 18:17
and down 1× Genesis 28:12
and down go 1× Isaiah 5:14
and downward 1× Joshua 18:16
and dumped 1× Isaiah 14:19
and get away 1× 1 Samuel 15:6
and goes down 1× Ezekiel 47:8
and gone down 1× 1 Samuel 15:12
and have him come down 1× 1 Samuel 17:8
And I will come down 1× Numbers 11:17
and I will lead you 1× 1 Samuel 30:15
and poured out 1× Isaiah 63:6
and pulls down 1× Proverbs 21:22
and ran down 1× Joshua 18:16
and she went down 1× Genesis 24:45
and take him down 1× 1 Kings 1:33
and then went down 1× Judges 15:8
and they brought 1× 2 Kings 11:19
and they climbed down 1× 2 Samuel 17:18
and we have come down 1× 2 Kings 10:13
and went aboard 1× Jonah 1:3
And you shall go 1× 1 Samuel 10:8
are to take it down 1× Numbers 1:51
As the Arameans came down 1× 2 Kings 6:18
Bring him down 1× Genesis 44:21
brought him down 1× 1 Kings 17:23
brought them down 1× 1 Kings 18:40
can bring me down 1× Obadiah 1:3
carried it down 1× Deuteronomy 1:25
cast down 1× Psalms 56:7
continued 1× Joshua 17:9
descending 1× Proverbs 7:27
descends 1× Ecclesiastes 3:21
fall 1× Isaiah 55:10
falling 1× Psalms 133:3
falling down 1× Isaiah 15:3
fell 1× Numbers 11:9
flow down 1× Psalms 78:16
flowing 1× Joshua 3:13
from descending 1× Psalms 30:3
from going down 1× Job 33:24
get up from 1× 2 Kings 1:16
goes 1× Genesis 44:26
going down 1× Isaiah 63:14
gone 1× Judges 19:11
got off 1× 1 Samuel 25:23
had been taken down 1× Genesis 39:1
had brought 1× 1 Samuel 23:6
had come 1× 2 Kings 7:17
had come down 1× 2 Samuel 19:31
had descended 1× Exodus 19:18
had taken him 1× Genesis 39:1
has been brought down 1× Isaiah 14:11
has been cut down 1× Zechariah 11:2
has come down 1× 2 Kings 1:14
has gone down 1× Song Of Solomon 6:2
have bowed 1× Lamentations 2:10
have gone down 1× Jeremiah 48:15
have you come down 1× 1 Samuel 17:28
He brings 1× 1 Samuel 2:6
he came down 1× 1 Kings 2:8
he has gone 1× 1 Kings 21:18
he has gone down 1× 1 Kings 1:25
He sends 1× Joel 2:23
he stepped down 1× Leviticus 9:22
He took down 1× 2 Kings 16:17
he who goes down 1× Job 7:9
He will 1× 1 Samuel 23:11
He will come down 1× Micah 1:3
he will go 1× 1 Samuel 26:10
he will pull down 1× Amos 3:11
Her downfall 1× Lamentations 1:9
I descended 1× Jonah 2:6
I have come down 1× Exodus 3:8
I subdued 1× Isaiah 10:13
I went down 1× Song Of Solomon 6:11
I will pull them down 1× Amos 9:2
I will send down 1× Ezekiel 34:26
in coming down 1× Exodus 32:1
in my descent 1× Psalms 30:9
it falls 1× Deuteronomy 20:20
it was brought down 1× Ezekiel 31:15
it went down 1× Joshua 16:7
it will come down 1× Isaiah 34:5
it will descend 1× Deuteronomy 28:24
like those descending 1× Proverbs 1:12
marched down 1× Judges 1:9
may overflow 1× Jeremiah 9:18
of the one who went 1× 1 Samuel 30:24
of yours will come 1× Exodus 11:8
on the road down 1× 2 Kings 12:20
Others went 1× Psalms 107:23
overflow 1× Jeremiah 14:17
run 1× 1 Samuel 21:13
run down 1× Lamentations 2:18
sank 1× Psalms 104:8
Shall I go down 1× 1 Samuel 14:37
She went down 1× Genesis 24:16
shed 1× Psalms 119:136
sink down 1× Deuteronomy 28:43
So he led [David] down 1× 1 Samuel 30:16
So I went down 1× Jeremiah 18:3
So Naaman went down 1× 2 Kings 5:14
So she went down 1× Ruth 3:6
so that they go down 1× Numbers 16:30
So they followed him down 1× Judges 3:28
So they went down 1× 2 Kings 2:2
take down 1× Numbers 4:5
take off 1× Exodus 33:5
Take them down 1× Judges 7:4
that came down 1× Deuteronomy 9:21
that descend 1× Nehemiah 3:15
that falls 1× Psalms 72:6
that they be taken down 1× Joshua 10:27
the flowing 1× Joshua 3:16
Then [Rahab] let them down 1× Joshua 2:15
Then [Samson] continued on his way down 1× Judges 14:7
then I will bring you down 1× Ezekiel 26:20
Then it descended 1× Joshua 16:3
Then they hurried down 1× Genesis 43:15
They have come down 1× Ezekiel 32:21
they sank 1× Exodus 15:5
They will bring you down 1× Ezekiel 28:8
to [do so] 1× Judges 7:10
to attack 1× Judges 7:11
to go 1× 1 Samuel 23:8
to those who go down 1× Isaiah 31:1
took down 1× 1 Samuel 6:15
vvv 1× 1 Samuel 25:20
was coming down 1× Ezekiel 47:1
was taken down 1× Numbers 10:17
We have brought 1× Genesis 43:22
We have come down 1× Judges 15:12
we really did come down 1× Genesis 43:20
we will go down 1× Genesis 43:4
were going down 1× 1 Samuel 9:27
when I cast it down 1× Ezekiel 31:16
while the water flowing 1× Joshua 3:16
who go down 1× Psalms 22:29
who went down 1× Ezekiel 32:24
will abandon 1× Ezekiel 27:29
will be brought down 1× Zechariah 10:11
will bring them down 1× Psalms 55:23
will collapse 1× Ezekiel 30:6
will come 1× 1 Samuel 10:8
will haul the logs 1× 1 Kings 5:9
Will it go down 1× Job 17:16
will level 1× Isaiah 32:19
will overflow 1× Jeremiah 13:17
Will you lead me 1× 1 Samuel 30:15
would come down 1× Exodus 33:9
would fall 1× Numbers 11:9
would go down 1× 1 Samuel 13:20
You also will be brought down 1× Ezekiel 31:18
you are to march down 1× 2 Chronicles 20:16
you have come down 1× 1 Samuel 17:28
you let us down 1× Joshua 2:18
you who go down 1× Isaiah 42:10
you will be brought down 1× Isaiah 14:15
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 11:5 וַיֵּ֣רֶד to came down Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 11:7 נֵֽרְדָ֔ה to let Us go down Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural Genesis 12:10 וַיֵּ֨רֶד to went down Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 15:11 וַיֵּ֥רֶד to descended Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 18:21 אֵֽרֲדָה־ to I will go down Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular Genesis 24:16 וַתֵּ֣רֶד to She went down Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular Genesis 24:18 וַתֹּ֧רֶד to lowered Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular Genesis 24:45 וַתֵּ֥רֶד to and she went down Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular Genesis 24:46 וַתּ֤וֹרֶד to lowered Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular Genesis 26:2 תֵּרֵ֣ד to go down Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 11:5
Aligned rows 380
Books represented 32
Genesis 39 Exodus 20 Leviticus 1 Numbers 16 Deuteronomy 12 Joshua 19 Judges 32 Ruth 2 1 Samuel 42 2 Samuel 17 1 Kings 15 2 Kings 26 1 Chronicles 4 2 Chronicles 6 Nehemiah 4 Job 3 Psalms 24 Proverbs 7 Ecclesiastes 1 Song Of Solomon 2 Isaiah 24 Jeremiah 13 Lamentations 5 Ezekiel 29 Hosea 1 Joel 2 Amos 3 Obadiah 2 Jonah 4 Micah 2 Haggai 1 Zechariah 2
Source forms
וַיֵּ֥רֶד 8x way·yê·reḏ Genesis 15:11, Genesis 38:1, Exodus 19:25, Judges 14:1
וַיֵּ֤רֶד 8x way·yê·reḏ Exodus 32:15, Exodus 34:5, Numbers 12:5, Numbers 14:45
יָרְד֥וּ 8x yā·rə·ḏū Exodus 15:5, Deuteronomy 10:22, Joshua 24:4, Judges 5:11
וַיֵּ֨רֶד 6x way·yê·reḏ Genesis 12:10, Numbers 11:25, Judges 14:19, 2 Samuel 21:15
וַיֵּ֣רֶד 5x way·yê·reḏ Genesis 11:5, Deuteronomy 26:5, Judges 15:8, 1 Samuel 23:25
וַיֵּ֧רֶד 5x way·yê·reḏ Exodus 19:14, Exodus 19:20, Numbers 20:28, Judges 4:15
י֥וֹרְדֵי 5x yō·wr·ḏê Psalms 28:1, Ezekiel 31:14, Ezekiel 32:18, Ezekiel 32:24
יָרַ֖ד 5x yā·raḏ 2 Samuel 11:9, 2 Samuel 19:24, 2 Samuel 19:31, 2 Kings 9:16
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 45x Genesis 11:5, Genesis 12:10, Genesis 15:11, Genesis 38:1
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 24x Exodus 19:18, Judges 5:13, Judges 19:11, 1 Samuel 23:6
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural 19x Genesis 42:3, Genesis 43:15, Numbers 16:33, Numbers 20:15
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct 18x Psalms 22:29, Psalms 28:1, Psalms 88:4, Psalms 107:23
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular 17x Exodus 9:19, Numbers 34:11, Numbers 34:12, Joshua 15:10
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 16x Genesis 42:38, Genesis 44:23, Exodus 19:11, Exodus 33:9
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural 16x Exodus 15:5, Deuteronomy 10:22, Joshua 24:4, Judges 1:9
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular 12x Exodus 19:21, Exodus 19:24, Exodus 32:7, Deuteronomy 9:12
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Descent from high to low, physically or morally; often implies loss of status, power, or divine favor.
Strong's H3381
Lexical occurrences 381 verses Word forms 3 forms 165 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Micah 1:1-5 Source Gloss
to descend (literally, to go downwards ; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall ); causatively, to bring down (in all the above applications)
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 3 Aligned forms 165
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 149×
Perfect 1Chr 11:22 · 1Kgs 1:25 · 1Kgs 2:8 · 1Kgs 21:18 · 1Sam 23:6 · 2Chr 22:6 · 2Kgs 8:29 · 2Kgs 9:16 · 2Sam 11:9 · 2Sam 11:10 · 2Sam 11:13 · 2Sam 19:25 · 2Sam 19:32 · 2Sam 23:20 · Exod 19:18 · Isa 52:4 53×
Imperfect 1Sam 23:11 · 1Sam 26:6 · 1Sam 26:10 · 1Sam 29:4 · Deut 28:24 · Exod 19:11 · Exod 33:9 · Gen 42:38 · Gen 44:23 · Isa 31:4 · Isa 55:10 · Num 11:9 · Ps 7:17 · Ps 49:18 · Ps 72:6 · 1Sam 13:12 34×
Participle active 1Sam 9:27 · 1Sam 10:5 · 1Sam 10:8 · 1Sam 25:20 · 2Kgs 6:33 · Ezek 26:20 · Ezek 31:14 · Ezek 31:16 · Ezek 32:18 · Ezek 32:24 · Ezek 32:25 · Ezek 32:29 · Ezek 32:30 · Ezek 47:1 · Isa 14:19 · Isa 15:3 32×
Sequential imperfect 1Kgs 21:18 · 1Sam 23:4 · 1Sam 23:20 · 2Kgs 1:15 · 2Sam 11:8 · Deut 9:12 · Exod 19:21 · Exod 19:24 · Exod 32:7 · Jer 22:1 · Judg 7:9 · Judg 7:10 · 1Sam 6:21 · 1Sam 15:6 · 2Chr 20:16 · Gen 42:2 20×
Cohortative 1Sam 14:36 · Gen 11:7 · Gen 43:4 · Gen 18:21 4×
Jussive 1Sam 20:19 · Gen 26:2 · 2Kgs 1:10 · 2Kgs 1:12 4×
Infinitive construct Deut 28:52 1×
Infinitive absolute Gen 43:20 1×
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 13×
Sequential imperfect Exod 33:5 · Judg 7:4 · Ps 56:8 · Gen 43:7 · Lam 2:18 5×
Perfect 1Sam 6:15 · Lam 2:10 · 2Kgs 16:17 · Gen 43:22 4×
Imperfect 1Kgs 5:23 · Num 1:51 · 1Kgs 2:6 3×
Participle active 1Sam 2:6 1×
Hophal causative passive — the subject is caused to perform the action 3×
Perfect Gen 39:1 · Isa 14:11 2×
Imperfect Isa 14:15 1×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
To descend or come down, here used metaphorically for God leaving His ‘place’ to act directly in history.
Showing 1 selected witness from 381 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
יָרַד is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
The verb underscores that God is not distant or passive. He personally intervenes in judgment and later in salvation, preparing categories for understanding the incarnation and the cross. Micah 1:1-5
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