יֶ֫תֶר (ye.ter)
ye.ter
remainder; cord
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 87 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun yeter primarily denotes what remains after the main part has been taken or used. It refers to a remainder, remnant, or the rest of something. In many contexts within Kings and Chronicles, it describes surplus goods, excess wealth, or the leftover portion of a harvest or tribute.
A notable secondary meaning found in these sources is "cord." This usage likely arises from the idea of something hanging down or extending beyond its primary measure. While less common than the sense of remainder, it adds a concrete dimension to the word’s range, linking abstract surplus with physical extension.
The term carries a neutral tone regarding value; it simply indicates quantity left over. It does not inherently imply blessing or curse, though the context often reveals whether the remnant is significant. For instance, records of temple treasures or royal stores frequently use yeter to list items that were not immediately distributed but kept in reserve.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word yeter speaks of what remains after the main portion has been taken or used. It describes a surplus, a leftover harvest, or the rest of a group. In the historical books, it often lists items kept in reserve, such as temple treasures or royal stores. This neutral term simply indicates quantity left over, without implying blessing or curse.
For your faith, this concept reminds us that God’s provision is often abundant. When resources seem scarce, yeter points to the surplus that remains for future needs or for those in poverty. It encourages trust that what is left is not waste, but a reserve held by God for His purposes and for the good of others.
We also see this word in the context of remnant peoples. Even when nations fall, a yeter remains. This offers hope that God preserves a people for Himself, ensuring that His promises continue through those who are left behind. It is a reminder that nothing is truly lost in His care.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 87 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ [the] rest of45×
- [the] rest of10×
- [the] remainder of8×
- and/ [the] remainder of3×
- one of/ [the] remnant of2×
- from/ [the] remnant of2×
- cords2×
- to/ [the] remainder of1×
- the/ cords1×
- tent cord/ their1×
- string/ my1×
- excess1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/יֶ֛תֶר15×
- וְ/יֶ֨תֶר11×
- יֶ֣תֶר10×
- וְ/יֶ֙תֶר֙7×
- יֶ֥תֶר5×
- וְ/יֶ֥תֶר5×
- וְ/יֶתֶר֩4×
- וְ/יֶ֣תֶר4×
- מִ/יֶּ֣תֶר3×
- יֶ֨תֶר2×
- יֶ֑תֶר2×
- יְתָרִ֥ים2×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 10:5
and they shall cover the surface of the earth, so that one won’t be able to see the earth. They shall eat the residue of that which has escaped, which remains to you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which grows for you out of the field.
This verse uses yeter to describe the residue of locusts that escaped the hail, highlighting the word's sense of what remains after a major event.
-
Deuteronomy 3:11
(For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the Rephaim. Behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron. Isn’t it in Rabbah of the children of Ammon? Nine cubits was its length, and four cubits its width, after the cubit of a man.)
Here yeter refers to Og as the last remnant of the Rephaim, emphasizing survival and continuity after conquest.
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I Kings 11:41
Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, aren’t they written in the book of the acts of Solomon?
The phrase 'rest of the acts' uses yeter to denote the remaining historical records not included in this text.
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Judges 16:7
Samson said to her, “If they bind me with seven green cords that were never dried, then shall I become weak, and be as another man.”
In this rare concrete usage, yeter</em] refers to cords, likely extending beyond a standard measure or hanging down.