יְקוּם (ye.qum)
ye.qum
existence
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun yequm refers to living substance or the state of existing. It describes something that stands firm and has tangible reality, distinguishing it from abstract concepts or non-living matter. The term emphasizes the solidity and presence of life itself.
With only three occurrences in the Hebrew Bible, mostly found in Genesis and Deuteronomy, the word appears in contexts discussing the nature of human beings or living creatures. It underscores the physical and vital reality of created life, pointing to the concrete existence that God imparts.
Its root relates to standing or rising, reinforcing the idea of stability and presence. Translators often render it as "substance" or "existence," capturing the sense of something real and enduring rather than fleeting or imaginary.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word yequm points to the tangible reality of life itself. It is not an abstract idea but a concrete existence that stands firm. When Scripture uses this term, it highlights the physical and vital nature of created beings. This reminds us that our lives are real and purposeful, grounded in the stability of God’s creation.
In Genesis 7, we see this word describing every living thing on earth. The narrative shows how fragile human existence can be when separated from its Creator. Yet, it also affirms that life has substance and presence. We are not fleeting shadows but beings with enduring reality, sustained by the One who formed us.
Deuteronomy 11 recalls a moment where this living substance was swallowed by the earth. This historical event underscores the seriousness of our choices and the weight of our existence. It invites us to consider how we live out our days with intention and reverence for the life we have been given.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ existence2×
- the/ substance1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/יְקוּם֙2×
- הַ/יְק֣וּם\׀1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 7:4
In seven days, I will cause it to rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights. I will destroy every living thing that I have made from the surface of the ground.”
This verse introduces the scope of judgment by referring to every living thing, establishing the breadth of yequm's application to all earthly creatures.
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Genesis 7:23
Every living thing was destroyed that was on the surface of the ground, including man, livestock, creeping things, and birds of the sky. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ship.
Here the word describes the totality of destruction, emphasizing that every form of tangible life was removed from the surface of the ground.
-
Deuteronomy 11:6
and what he did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben—how the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households, their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the middle of all Israel;
The text uses this term to describe the living things consumed by the earth with Dathan and Abiram, highlighting the sudden end of their physical existence.