יָדָה (ya.dah)
ya.dah
to give thanks
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 85 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb yadah literally means to throw or cast, but in its most common Hiphil form it signifies giving thanks or confessing. This shift from physical action to spiritual expression likely stems from the image of extending the hand outward, either to release an arrow or to gesture toward God in acknowledgment. In Scripture, this word captures the act of recognizing divine benefits and responding with public praise.
Its usage spans both gratitude and admission of guilt. For instance, David declares he will give thanks to the Lord for His great deliverance in 2 Samuel 22:50, while Leviticus 16 requires the high priest to confess the sins of Israel over the scapegoat. The word appears frequently in the Psalms and Chronicles, where it often introduces calls for communal worship, such as in Psalm 107:1.
Translators usually render yadah as "give thanks" or "confess," depending on context. When paired with sin, it denotes a clear admission of wrongdoing before God. When directed toward God’s character, it becomes an active declaration of praise. This dual nature highlights how biblical confession and thanksgiving are closely linked acts of honest engagement with the divine.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word yadah carries a physical weight that grounds our spiritual life in reality. It originally described the motion of throwing or casting an object outward. When used for giving thanks, it suggests that gratitude is not a passive feeling but an active release. We acknowledge God’s goodness by extending ourselves toward Him, much like offering a gift or casting a burden into His care.
This verb also bridges the gap between praise and confession. In ancient Israel, admitting sin was a form of yadah—a public declaration that acknowledged God’s holiness and one’s own need for grace. This dual meaning reminds us that honest engagement with God includes both celebrating His blessings and owning our mistakes. It invites a faith that is transparent rather than performative.
When you find yourself in a season of joy or struggle, yadah offers a simple path forward. You can thank Him for His steadfast love as seen in the Psalms, or confess your faults with the same openness. This word teaches us that both gratitude and repentance are acts of trust, drawing us closer to the God who meets us in our honesty.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 85 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- give thanks15×
- to/ give thanks9×
- I will give thanks to/ you6×
- let them give thanks4×
- and/ they will praise4×
- I will give thanks to4×
- and/ to/ give thanks3×
- they will give thanks to/ you2×
- and/ they will confess2×
- and/ he will confess2×
- and/ I will give thanks to/ you2×
- I will praise/ you2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הוֹד֣וּ7×
- יוֹד֣וּ5×
- וְ/הוֹד֣וּ4×
- יוֹד֣וּ/ךָ3×
- הוֹד֤וּ3×
- ה֭וֹדוּ3×
- אוֹדֶ֣ה3×
- א֭וֹדְ/ךָ3×
- לְ/הֹדוֹת֙2×
- אוֹדְ/ךָ֥2×
- אוֹדְ/ךָ֣2×
- תּוֹדֶ֖/ךָּ1×
Key Verses
-
I Chronicles 16:8
Oh give thanks to Yahweh. Call on his name. Make what he has done known among the peoples.
This verse commands the community to actively make known God’s deeds among the peoples, showing that thanksgiving is a public witness rather than a private sentiment.
-
Leviticus 5:5
It shall be, when he is guilty of one of these, he shall confess that in which he has sinned;
Here yadah denotes the specific act of confessing sin, linking the admission of guilt directly to the restoration of relationship with God.
-
II Samuel 22:50
Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations, and will sing praises to your name.
David uses this word to declare his gratitude among the nations, framing thanksgiving as a testimony that extends beyond personal experience to global recognition of God’s name.
-
Genesis 29:35
She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, “This time I will praise Yahweh.” Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
Leah names her son Judah based on this act of praise, illustrating how gratitude can shape identity and legacy within the family line.