יוּבַל (yu.val)
yu.val
stream
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun yuval refers to a stream or flowing body of water. It appears only once in the Old Testament, in Jeremiah 17:8, where it describes the water source that sustains a tree planted by the river.
This single usage anchors the word’s meaning in a context of stability and life. The image contrasts a plant with shallow roots, which withers in the heat, against one deeply anchored near a constant supply of water. In this verse, yuval represents the reliable flow that prevents the tree from fearing when heat comes.
While other Hebrew words exist for rivers or springs, yuval is distinct in its rarity and specific poetic application here. It underscores the dependence of life on a steady, unseen source, making it a powerful metaphor for spiritual resilience in the face of adversity.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word yuval appears only once in Scripture, nestled within Jeremiah 17:8. It describes a stream or flowing body of water that sustains a tree planted near its banks. This single occurrence paints a vivid picture of stability. The tree does not panic when the sun beats down because its roots reach deep into the constant supply of water provided by the yuval.
This image offers comfort for those facing seasons of uncertainty. Spiritual resilience often looks less like stubborn endurance and more like quiet dependence. When our lives are anchored in God’s faithful provision, we can remain steady even when circumstances grow hot and dry. The leaf stays green not because the tree is strong on its own, but because it remains connected to the source that never runs dry.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a stream1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יוּבַל֙1×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 17:8
For he will be as a tree planted by the waters, who spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes, but its leaf will be green, and will not be concerned in the year of drought. It won’t cease from yielding fruit.
This verse uses yuval to describe the river whose steady flow allows the tree to remain unfazed by drought and heat.