What does יָרָה (yārāh) mean in the Bible?
יָרָה (yārāh): Teaching as directed aim: instruction shoots truth toward the learner with purposeful precision.
Hebrew · H3384
יָרָה
Properly, to flow as water (i.e. to rain); transitively, to lay or throw (especially an arrow, i.e. to shoot ); figuratively, to point out (as if by aiming the finger), to teach
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יָרָה H3384
Pronunciation yārāh
What does יָרָה (yārāh) mean in the Bible?
יָרָה (yārāh): Teaching as directed aim: instruction shoots truth toward the learner with purposeful precision.
Full entry for יָרָה (H3384) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3384?
The BSB source-word alignment has 80 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include Teach me (5), shot (4), and teach (2), He will teach us (2), or shoot (2).
Where does יָרָה (yārāh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 31:51. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (12), Exodus (8), Job (8), 1 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 Teach me 5× Job 6:24, Job 34:32, Psalms 27:11, Psalms 86:11
shot 4× Exodus 19:13, 1 Samuel 20:36, 2 Samuel 11:24, 2 Chronicles 35:23
and teach 2× 2 Kings 17:27, Psalms 32:8
He will teach us 2× Isaiah 2:3, Micah 4:2
or shoot 2× 2 Kings 19:32, Isaiah 37:33
shoot 2× 1 Samuel 20:36, 2 Kings 13:17
shooting 2× Psalms 64:4, Proverbs 26:18
the archers 2× 1 Samuel 31:3, 1 Chronicles 10:3
to shoot 2× 2 Chronicles 26:15, Psalms 11:2
You may teach them 2× 1 Kings 8:36, 2 Chronicles 6:27
- 1× 1 Samuel 31:3
. . . 1× 1 Chronicles 10:3
a teacher 1× Habakkuk 2:18
ambushing 1× Psalms 64:4
and he began to teach 1× 2 Kings 17:28
And I will continue to teach 1× 1 Samuel 12:23
and I will teach 1× Exodus 4:15
and I will teach you 1× Exodus 4:12
and it will teach you 1× Job 12:8
and pointing 1× Proverbs 6:13
and teaches him 1× Isaiah 28:26
and they will instruct you 1× Job 12:7
be refreshed 1× Proverbs 11:25
But we have overthrown them 1× Numbers 21:30
for their instruction 1× Exodus 24:12
give guidance 1× Habakkuk 2:19
had fallen 1× 1 Samuel 20:37
have taught me 1× Psalms 119:102
He has cast 1× Exodus 15:4
He shows 1× Psalms 25:8
he taught 1× Proverbs 4:4
He throws me 1× Job 30:19
he was instructed 1× 2 Kings 12:2
He will instruct him 1× Psalms 25:12
He will teach 1× Deuteronomy 33:10
I have set up 1× Genesis 31:51
I will cast 1× Joshua 18:6
I will guide you 1× Proverbs 4:11
I will instruct 1× Job 27:11
instruct 1× Deuteronomy 24:8
is He trying to teach 1× Isaiah 28:9
laid 1× Job 38:6
like rain 1× Hosea 10:12
show 1× Psalms 45:4
showed him 1× Exodus 15:25
So he shot 1× 2 Kings 13:17
so that you may teach 1× Leviticus 10:11
teach 1× Micah 3:11
teach you 1× Job 8:10
that water 1× Hosea 6:3
the ability to teach others 1× Exodus 35:34
Then the archers 1× 2 Samuel 11:24
There the archers 1× 2 Chronicles 35:23
They are to teach 1× Ezekiel 44:23
they give 1× Deuteronomy 17:11
they instruct you 1× Deuteronomy 17:10
they would shoot 1× 2 Samuel 11:20
to determine 1× Leviticus 14:57
to get directions 1× Genesis 46:28
to instruct them 1× 2 Chronicles 15:3
to teach us 1× Judges 13:8
who teaches 1× Isaiah 9:15
will shoot 1× 1 Samuel 20:20
will shoot them 1× Psalms 64:7
with arrows 1× Exodus 19:13
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 31:51 יָרִ֖יתִי to I have set up Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Genesis 46:28 לְהוֹרֹ֥ת to to get directions Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct Exodus 4:12 וְהוֹרֵיתִ֖יךָ to and I will teach you Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singular Exodus 4:15 וְהוֹרֵיתִ֣י to and I will teach Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular Exodus 15:4 יָרָ֣ה to He has cast Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Exodus 15:25 וַיּוֹרֵ֤הוּ to showed him Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular Exodus 19:13 יָרֹ֣ה to shot Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute Exodus 19:13 יִיָּרֶ֔ה to with arrows Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Exodus 24:12 לְהוֹרֹתָֽם׃ to for their instruction Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural Exodus 35:34 וּלְהוֹרֹ֖ת to the ability to teach others Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 31:51
Aligned rows 80
Books represented 21
Genesis 2 Exodus 8 Leviticus 2 Numbers 1 Deuteronomy 4 Joshua 1 Judges 1 1 Samuel 7 2 Samuel 3 1 Kings 1 2 Kings 6 1 Chronicles 2 2 Chronicles 5 Job 8 Psalms 12 Proverbs 5 Isaiah 5 Ezekiel 1 Hosea 2 Micah 2 Habakkuk 2
Source forms
וְהוֹרֵיתִ֣י 2x wə·hō·w·rê·ṯî Exodus 4:15, 1 Samuel 12:23
וּלְהוֹרֹ֖ת 2x ū·lə·hō·w·rōṯ Exodus 35:34, Leviticus 10:11
וְתֹרֶ֑ךָּ 2x wə·ṯō·re·kā Job 12:7, Job 12:8
יוֹרֶ֥ה 2x yō·w·reh 2 Kings 19:32, Isaiah 37:33
יוֹר֔וּ 2x yō·w·rū Ezekiel 44:23, Micah 3:11
תוֹרֵ֛ם 2x ṯō·w·rêm 1 Kings 8:36, 2 Chronicles 6:27
אוֹרֶ֑ה 1x ’ō·w·reh 1 Samuel 20:20
אוֹרֶ֣ה 1x ’ō·w·reh Job 27:11
Parsing patterns
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 6x 2 Kings 19:32, Psalms 25:8, Isaiah 28:9, Isaiah 37:33
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural 5x Deuteronomy 24:8, Deuteronomy 33:10, 2 Samuel 11:20, Ezekiel 44:23
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular 5x 1 Samuel 20:36, 2 Kings 17:28, 2 Chronicles 15:3, Proverbs 6:13
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | first person common singular 4x Job 34:32, Psalms 27:11, Psalms 86:11, Psalms 119:33
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 4x Exodus 15:4, 1 Samuel 20:36, 1 Samuel 20:37, Job 38:6
Article | Noun - masculine plural 3x 2 Samuel 11:24, 1 Chronicles 10:3, 2 Chronicles 35:23
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - third person feminine singular | second person masculine singular 3x Job 12:7, Job 12:8, Psalms 45:4
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common plural 3x Judges 13:8, Isaiah 2:3, Micah 4:2
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Teaching as directed aim: instruction shoots truth toward the learner with purposeful precision.
Strong's H3384
Lexical occurrences 86 verses Word forms 4 forms 28 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Isaiah 28:23-29 Source Gloss
properly, to flow as water (i.e. to rain); transitively, to lay or throw (especially an arrow, i.e. to shoot ); figuratively, to point out (as if by aiming the finger), to teach
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Teaching as directed aim: instruction shoots truth toward the learner with purposeful precision.
properly, to flow as water (i.e. to rain); transitively, to lay or throw (especially an arrow, i.e. to shoot); figuratively, to point out (as if by aiming the finger), to teach BDB: shoot Usage: ( ) archer, cast, direct, inform, instruct, lay, shew, shoot, teach(-er,-ing), through.
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 4 Aligned forms 28
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 18×
Imperfect 2Kgs 19:32 · Hab 2:19 · Hos 6:3 · Isa 28:9 · Isa 37:33 · Ps 25:8 · 2Sam 11:20 · Deut 24:8 · Deut 33:10 · Ezek 44:23 · Mic 3:11 · 1Sam 20:20 · Job 27:11 13×
Participle active 1Sam 20:36 · 2Chr 15:3 · 2Kgs 17:28 · Isa 9:14 · Prov 6:13 5×
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 7×
Perfect 1Sam 20:36 · 1Sam 20:37 · Exod 15:4 · Job 38:6 · Gen 31:51 5×
Sequential imperfect 2Kgs 13:17 1×
Infinitive absolute Exod 19:13 1×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 1×
Imperfect Exod 19:13 1×
Hophal causative passive — the subject is caused to perform the action 1×
Imperfect Prov 11:25 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
God instructs and teaches the farmer wisdom about agricultural practices
The Lord will teach his people the way they should walk, providing guidance
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 86 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
יָרָה is a primitive root - no further derivation.
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