יָרַט (ya.rat)
ya.rat
to push; to wring
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb yarat carries two distinct meanings that might seem unrelated at first glance: to push or drive something forcefully, and to wring out a cloth. In its primary sense, it describes a sudden, headlong motion, often with a connotation of recklessness or haste. The action is abrupt, suggesting an object or person being thrust forward without careful deliberation.
This word appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, making its usage rare but vivid. In Numbers 16:32, it describes the earth opening up and swallowing the rebels, pushing them headlong into the pit. Here, the force is divine and decisive. The alternative meaning, to wring out, appears in Job 9:31, where Job feels he has been cast into a muck pit and his clothes are wrung out by the filth. This imagery conveys a sense of being thoroughly soaked and pressed down by overwhelming circumstances.
The connection between these two senses lies in the idea of intense pressure or force. Whether it is the earth violently pushing people downward or hands forcefully squeezing water from fabric, yarat depicts an action that leaves no room for resistance. It captures moments of sudden, unavoidable physical impact, whether in judgment or in suffering.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word yarat appears only twice in Scripture, yet it paints a vivid picture of overwhelming force. In Numbers, the earth pushes rebels headlong into the pit, showing that God’s judgment is decisive and unstoppable. This reminds us that no human scheme can withstand divine purpose.
In Job, the sense shifts to being wrung out like a soaked cloth. Job feels crushed by circumstances that leave him with no resistance left. It captures the feeling of being pressed down by life’s heaviest burdens. When you feel overwhelmed, this word acknowledges that reality without minimizing your pain.
Whether facing judgment or deep sorrow, yarat shows that God is present even in the most intense pressures. His power is not just in creation but also in sustaining us through what feels like crushing weight. You are held by a strength greater than any force against you.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- it is precipitate1×
- he casts/ me1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יָרַ֥ט1×
- יִרְטֵֽ/נִי\׃1×