יִתְרָה (yit.rah)
yit.rah
abundance
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun yitrah denotes a state of surplus, specifically referring to abundance or riches. It appears in only two verses within the Old Testament, both found in the prophetic books of Jeremiah and Isaiah. In these contexts, the word highlights a condition of having more than enough, often contrasting with scarcity or poverty.
While the term can simply mean wealth, its usage in prophecy often carries a theological weight regarding God’s provision. When Isaiah speaks of yitrah, he describes the future restoration where Judah will enjoy such plenty that it becomes a testimony to divine faithfulness. The word captures not just material possession, but the overflow that characterizes God’s blessing on His people.
Translators typically render yitrah as "abundance" or "riches," depending on the surrounding context. It is distinct from words for general wealth because it emphasizes the quality of excess rather than mere ownership. This nuance helps readers understand that biblical abundance is not about hoarding, but about a generous overflow intended to sustain and bless the community.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word yitrah describes a state of surplus, where there is more than enough to meet needs. In the Old Testament, this term often points to God's generous provision rather than mere personal wealth. It suggests an overflow that sustains the community and testifies to divine faithfulness.
When we read about abundance in Scripture, it invites us to trust in God's care. This surplus is not for hoarding but for blessing others. Even when circumstances change, the promise of God's provision remains a source of hope and stability for His people.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [the] wealth2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יִתְרָ֣ה1×
- יִתְרַ֥ת1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 15:7
Therefore they will carry away the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have stored up, over the brook of the willows.
This verse shows abundance as something tangible that can be lost, highlighting the temporary nature of material wealth compared to God's enduring faithfulness.
-
Jeremiah 48:36
Therefore my heart sounds for Moab like flutes, and my heart sounds like flutes for the men of Kir Heres. Therefore the abundance that he has gotten has perished.
Here, the perishing of abundance serves as a poignant reminder that human security based on surplus is fragile without divine protection.