יַבָּשָׁה (yab.ba.shah)
yab.ba.shah
dry land
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 13 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Definition
Definition
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word yab.ba.shah points to the solid ground beneath our feet, first appearing when God gathered the waters and let the dry land appear. In Genesis, this moment marks the end of chaos and the beginning of a place where life can take root. It reminds us that stability is not something we create on our own but a gift given by the Creator who orders the world.
We see this same word used in moments of crisis, such as when Israel walked through the Red Sea on dry ground or when God promised to pour His Spirit on thirsty souls like rain on parched earth. These images connect physical safety with spiritual refreshment. When life feels overwhelming, like rising waters, we can look to the One who makes a way through the deep and provides firm footing for our steps.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 13 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- on the/ dry ground6×
- the/ dry land2×
- the/ dry ground2×
- into/ dry land1×
- dry ground1×
- <to> the/ dry ground1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/יַּבָּשָׁ֑ה2×
- בַּ/יַּבָּשָׁ֑ה2×
- בַ/יַּבָּשָׁ֖ה2×
- לַ/יַּבָּשָׁה֙1×
- לְֽ/יַבָּשָׁ֗ה1×
- יַבָּשָׁ֑ה1×
- הַ/יַּבָּשָֽׁה\׃1×
- הַ/יַּבָּשָׁ֖ה1×
- בַּ/יַּבָּשָׁה֙1×
- בַּ/יַּבָּשָֽׁה\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 1:9
God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear;” and it was so.
This verse establishes the word as the stable ground created by God's command, contrasting with the formless waters.
-
Exodus 14:22
The children of Israel went into the middle of the sea on the dry ground; and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
Here the word describes the miraculous path through the sea, showing God providing safety in a desperate situation.
-
Isaiah 44:3
For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and streams on the dry ground. I will pour my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your offspring;
The term shifts from physical earth to spiritual condition, describing dry ground that receives living water as a metaphor for receiving the Spirit.