יוֹם (yom)
yom
day
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1,711 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun yom primarily means day, but its range extends from a single twenty-four-hour period to an indefinite era or lifetime. Lexical sources trace its root to a sense of heat, suggesting that the "warm hours" of daylight gave the word its initial shape before it expanded to cover any defined span of time. This flexibility allows yom to function as a precise unit in chronological lists while also serving as a metaphor for a person’s entire life or a specific historical epoch.
In Scripture, this dual nature is evident in how translators handle context. In Genesis 1, the phrase "evening and morning" anchors yom to a literal solar day, establishing a clear rhythm of creation. Yet in passages like Psalm 90:4, where it speaks of a thousand years being like a day, the word shifts to signify a vast, flexible period rather than a strict clock measurement. This semantic breadth is why the same term can describe a single working day or the "day of Yahweh," a future time of divine intervention.
The word’s theological weight often lies in this tension between the immediate and the eternal. It grounds biblical history in concrete, observable reality while simultaneously pointing toward God’s overarching timeline. Translators must carefully weigh whether the context demands a literal twenty-four-hour period or a broader figurative age, ensuring the English rendering captures the original author’s intended scope without losing the word’s inherent connection to time and light.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word yom carries a beautiful flexibility that mirrors God’s relationship with time. In Genesis 1, it marks the steady rhythm of creation, grounding our history in tangible reality. Yet in places like Psalm 90, it reminds us that for the Eternal, thousands of years are but as a single day. This dual nature invites us to trust both the immediate moments of our lives and God’s long-term purposes.
When we face uncertainty, yom offers comfort. It tells us that God is present in the daily grind and the grand epochs alike. Whether you are navigating a busy Tuesday or waiting for a lifelong promise, this word assures us that time is not random. It is held within God’s hands, moving toward His good intentions.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1,711 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- days252×
- on the/ day229×
- the/ day216×
- this/ day177×
- the/ days123×
- [the] days of105×
- in the/ day57×
- on/ [the] day of54×
- day50×
- on/ [the] day49×
- in/ [the] days of48×
- a day47×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בַּ/יּ֣וֹם160×
- הַ/יּ֥וֹם73×
- הַ/יּ֣וֹם67×
- בַּ/יּ֥וֹם55×
- הַ/יּ֔וֹם47×
- בְּ/י֣וֹם46×
- יְמֵ֣י45×
- יָמִ֖ים44×
- י֣וֹם44×
- י֥וֹם42×
- הַ/יּֽוֹם\׃39×
- הַ/יָּמִ֖ים39×
Key Verses
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Genesis 1:5
God called the light “day”, and the darkness he called “night”. There was evening and there was morning, the first day.
This verse establishes the foundational rhythm of creation by anchoring yom to a specific cycle of evening and morning, defining it as a literal solar day.
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Genesis 2:3
God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because he rested in it from all his work of creation which he had done.
Here yom is sanctified, showing that God set apart a specific period of time for rest, establishing the theological significance of the Sabbath.
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Genesis 2:4
This is the history of the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that Yahweh God made the earth and the heavens.
In this summary phrase, yom expands to cover the entire epoch of creation, demonstrating its ability to denote a broad historical era rather than just twenty-four hours.
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Genesis 3:17
To Adam he said, “Because you have listened to your wife’s voice, and have eaten from the tree, about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ the ground is cursed for your sake. You will eat from it with much labor all the days of your life.
The word shifts to describe the duration of human labor and mortality, illustrating how yom can refer to the span of a person's lifetime or life experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word yom mean?
How is yom different from other Hebrew words for time?
Why does yom have such a wide range of meanings?
Every Occurrence (1,711 verses across 37 books)
Genesis 138 verses
God called the light “day”, and the darkness he called “night”. There was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Genesis 1:8God called the expanse “sky”. There was evening and there was morning, a second day.
Genesis 1:13There was evening and there was morning, a third day.
Genesis 1:14God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs to…
Genesis 1:16God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He also made…
Genesis 1:18and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:19There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.
Genesis 1:23There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.
Genesis 1:31God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth…
Genesis 2:2On the seventh day God finished his work which he had done; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he…
Genesis 2:3God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because he rested in it from all his work of creation which he had done.
Genesis 2:4This is the history of the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that Yahweh…
Genesis 2:17but you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely…
Genesis 3:5for God knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Genesis 3:8They heard Yahweh God’s voice walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves…
Genesis 3:14Yahweh God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed above all livestock, and above every animal…
Genesis 3:17To Adam he said, “Because you have listened to your wife’s voice, and have eaten from the tree, about which I commanded…
Genesis 4:3As time passed, Cain brought an offering to Yahweh from the fruit of the ground.
Genesis 4:14Behold, you have driven me out today from the surface of the ground. I will be hidden from your face, and I will be a…
Genesis 5:1This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, he made him in God’s likeness.
Genesis 5:2He created them male and female, and blessed them. On the day they were created, he named them Adam.
Genesis 5:4The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he became the father of other sons…
Genesis 5:5All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred thirty years, then he died.
Genesis 5:8All of the days of Seth were nine hundred twelve years, then he died.
Genesis 5:11All of the days of Enosh were nine hundred five years, then he died.
Genesis 5:14and all of the days of Kenan were nine hundred ten years, then he died.
Genesis 5:17All of the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred ninety-five years, then he died.
Genesis 5:20All of the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty-two years, then he died.
Genesis 5:23All the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty-five years.
Genesis 5:27All the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty-nine years, then he died.
Genesis 5:31All the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy-seven years, then he died.
Genesis 6:3Yahweh said, “My Spirit will not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; so his days will be one hundred…
Genesis 6:4The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when God’s sons came in to men’s daughters and had…
Genesis 6:5Yahweh saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart…
Genesis 7:4In seven days, I will cause it to rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights. I will destroy every living thing…
Genesis 7:10After the seven days, the floodwaters came on the earth.
Genesis 7:11In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the…
Genesis 7:12It rained on the earth forty days and forty nights.
Genesis 7:13In the same day Noah, and Shem, Ham, and Japheth—the sons of Noah—and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with…
Genesis 7:17The flood was forty days on the earth. The waters increased, and lifted up the ship, and it was lifted up above the…
Genesis 7:24The waters flooded the earth one hundred fifty days.
Genesis 8:3The waters continually receded from the earth. After the end of one hundred fifty days the waters receded.
Genesis 8:4The ship rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on Ararat’s mountains.
Genesis 8:6At the end of forty days, Noah opened the window of the ship which he had made,
Genesis 8:10He waited yet another seven days; and again he sent the dove out of the ship.
Genesis 8:12He waited yet another seven days, and sent out the dove; and she didn’t return to him any more.
Genesis 8:14In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry.
Genesis 8:22While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night will not…
Genesis 9:29All the days of Noah were nine hundred fifty years, and then he died.
Genesis 10:25To Eber were born two sons. The name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided. His brother’s name…
Genesis 11:32The days of Terah were two hundred five years. Terah died in Haran.
Genesis 14:1In the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar; Arioch, king of Ellasar; Chedorlaomer, king of Elam; and Tidal, king of Goiim,
Genesis 15:18In that day Yahweh made a covenant with Abram, saying, “I have given this land to your offspring, from the river of…
Genesis 17:12He who is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he who is born in the…
Genesis 17:23Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house, and all who were bought with his money: every male among…
Genesis 17:26In the same day both Abraham and Ishmael, his son, were circumcised.
Genesis 18:1Yahweh appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.
Genesis 18:11Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
Genesis 19:37The firstborn bore a son, and named him Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day.
Genesis 19:38The younger also bore a son, and called his name Ben Ammi. He is the father of the children of Ammon to this day.
Genesis 21:4Abraham circumcised his son, Isaac, when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.
Genesis 21:8The child grew and was weaned. Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.
Genesis 21:26Abimelech said, “I don’t know who has done this thing. You didn’t tell me, and I didn’t hear of it until today.”
Genesis 21:34Abraham lived as a foreigner in the land of the Philistines many days.
Genesis 22:4On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far off.
Genesis 22:14Abraham called the name of that place “Yahweh Will Provide”. As it is said to this day, “On Yahweh’s mountain, it will…
Genesis 24:1Abraham was old, and well advanced in age. Yahweh had blessed Abraham in all things.
Genesis 24:12He said, “Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, please give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
Genesis 24:42I came today to the spring, and said, ‘Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go—
Genesis 24:55Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young lady stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go.”
Genesis 25:7These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived: one hundred seventy-five years.
Genesis 25:24When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.
Genesis 25:31Jacob said, “First, sell me your birthright.”
Genesis 25:33Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” He swore to him. He sold his birthright to Jacob.
Genesis 26:1There was a famine in the land, in addition to the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to…
Genesis 26:8When he had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold,…
Genesis 26:15Now all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped,…
Genesis 26:18Isaac dug again the wells of water, which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had…
Genesis 26:32The same day, Isaac’s servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had dug, and said to him, “We have…
Genesis 26:33He called it “Shibah”. Therefore the name of the city is “Beersheba” to this day.
Genesis 27:2He said, “See now, I am old. I don’t know the day of my death.
Genesis 27:41Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him. Esau said in his heart, “The days of…
Genesis 27:44Stay with him a few days, until your brother’s fury turns away—
Genesis 27:45until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send, and get you…
Genesis 29:7He said, “Behold, it is still the middle of the day, not time to gather the livestock together. Water the sheep, and go…
Genesis 29:14Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” Jacob stayed with him for a month.
Genesis 29:20Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her.
Genesis 29:21Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.”
Genesis 30:14Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother, Leah. Then…
Genesis 30:32I will pass through all your flock today, removing from there every speckled and spotted one, and every black one among…
Genesis 30:33So my righteousness will answer for me hereafter, when you come concerning my hire that is before you. Every one that…
Genesis 30:35That day, he removed the male goats that were streaked and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and…
Genesis 30:36He set three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks.
Genesis 31:22Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled.
Genesis 31:23He took his relatives with him, and pursued him seven days’ journey. He overtook him in the mountain of Gilead.
Genesis 31:39That which was torn of animals, I didn’t bring to you. I bore its loss. Of my hand you required it, whether stolen by…
Genesis 31:40This was my situation: in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled from my eyes.
Genesis 31:43Laban answered Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all…
Genesis 31:48Laban said, “This heap is witness between me and you today.” Therefore it was named Galeed
Genesis 33:13Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender, and that the flocks and herds with me have their young,…
Genesis 33:16So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir.
Genesis 34:25On the third day, when they were sore, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword,…
Genesis 35:3Let’s arise, and go up to Bethel. I will make there an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was…
Genesis 35:20Jacob set up a pillar on her grave. The same is the Pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day.
Genesis 35:28The days of Isaac were one hundred eighty years.
Genesis 35:29Isaac gave up the spirit and died, and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. Esau and Jacob, his sons,…
Genesis 37:34Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days.
Genesis 38:12After many days, Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died. Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheep shearers to…
Genesis 39:10As she spoke to Joseph day by day, he didn’t listen to her, to lie by her, or to be with her.
Genesis 39:11About this time, he went into the house to do his work, and there were none of the men of the house inside.
Genesis 40:4The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he took care of them. They stayed in prison many days.
Genesis 40:7He asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, saying, “Why do you look so sad today?”
Genesis 40:12Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days.
Genesis 40:13Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head, and restore you to your office. You will give Pharaoh’s cup…
Genesis 40:18Joseph answered, “This is its interpretation. The three baskets are three days.
Genesis 40:19Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head from off you, and will hang you on a tree; and the birds will…
Genesis 40:20On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants, and he lifted up the head of the…
Genesis 41:1At the end of two full years, Pharaoh dreamed, and behold, he stood by the river.
Genesis 41:9Then the chief cup bearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I remember my faults today.
Genesis 42:13They said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest…
Genesis 42:17He put them all together into custody for three days.
Genesis 42:18Joseph said to them the third day, “Do this, and live, for I fear God.
Genesis 42:32We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more, and the youngest is today with our father in the land of…
Genesis 43:9I’ll be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I don’t bring him to you, and set him before you,…
Genesis 44:32For your servant became collateral for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I don’t bring him to you, then I will bear the…
Genesis 47:8Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How old are you?”
Genesis 47:9Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are one hundred thirty years. The days of the years of my life have…
Genesis 47:23Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh. Behold, here is seed for…
Genesis 47:26Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth. Only the land of…
Genesis 47:28Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were one hundred…
Genesis 47:29The time came near that Israel must die, and he called his son Joseph, and said to him, “If now I have found favor in…
Genesis 48:15He blessed Joseph, and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has fed me all my…
Genesis 48:20He blessed them that day, saying, “Israel will bless in your name, saying, ‘God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh’”…
Genesis 49:1Jacob called to his sons, and said: “Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which will happen to you in…
Genesis 50:3Forty days were used for him, for that is how many days it takes to embalm. The Egyptians wept for Israel for seventy…
Genesis 50:4When the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh’s staff, saying, “If now I have found favor in your…
Genesis 50:10They came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and there they lamented with a very great and…
Genesis 50:20As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to save many people alive, as is happening today.