יְבוּל (ye.vul)
ye.vul
crops
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 10 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun yeḇul refers to the yield or harvest of the land, specifically the crops that result from agricultural labor. It appears ten times in the Old Testament, with a notable concentration in Leviticus and Deuteronomy where it functions as a key term in covenantal blessings and curses.
Its meaning is tightly bound to the soil’s productivity. In Leviticus 26:10, for instance, God promises that if Israel obeys His commands, He will provide abundant yeḇul so they can live securely in their land. Conversely, disobedience leads to a barren field where no harvest comes. The word underscores the tangible connection between faithfulness and material provision.
Zechariah 8:12 offers another vivid image: "the vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall yield its produce." Here yeḇul symbolizes restoration and peace after exile. It is not merely about food but about divine favor made visible through nature’s bounty. Translators often render it as "harvest" or "produce," capturing both the act of gathering and the result itself.
While sometimes used alongside other terms for crops, yeḇul emphasizes the outcome rather than the process. It reflects a worldview in which human effort and divine blessing work together to bring forth life from the earth.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word yeḇul points to the tangible results of labor—crops that emerge when the soil is tended and blessed. In ancient Israel, this was not just agriculture but a sign of covenant faithfulness. When the land yielded its increase, it meant God’s favor was present, providing security and peace for families. Conversely, barren fields signaled a break in that relationship, reminding people that their provision depended on more than just hard work.
For your life today, this concept invites you to see daily provisions as gifts rather than entitlements. Whether you are facing abundance or scarcity, yeḇul reminds us that true stability comes from trusting God’s timing and care. It encourages gratitude for what is present and hope for what is yet to come, knowing that even in difficult seasons, God remains faithful to sustain those who seek Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 10 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- produce/ its5×
- [the] produce of2×
- produce/ their1×
- and/ produce/ its1×
- [is] produce1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יְבוּלָ֔/הּ3×
- יְב֣וּל2×
- יְבוּלָֽ/הּ\׃1×
- יְבוּלָ֑/ם1×
- יְבוּלָ֑/הּ1×
- יְבוּל֙1×
- וִֽ/יבֻלָ֔/הּ1×
Key Verses
-
Leviticus 26:4
then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.
This verse links obedience directly to agricultural abundance, showing yeḇul as a tangible sign of God’s blessing.
-
Zechariah 8:12
“For the seed of peace and the vine will yield its fruit, and the ground will give its increase, and the heavens will give their dew. I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things.
Here the word symbolizes restoration after exile, indicating that peace and productivity return when God restores His people.
-
Habakkuk 3:17
For even though the fig tree doesn’t flourish, nor fruit be in the vines, the labor of the olive fails, the fields yield no food, the flocks are cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls,
The prophet lists yeḇul among things that may fail, highlighting that faith must remain steady even when harvests do not come.