Biblica Analytica
H3381 Hebrew

יָרַד

ya.rad

to go down

Lexicon Entry

Definition
to go down
Transliteration
ya.rad
Strong's Number
H3381
Occurrences
381
Semantic Domain
Movement & Travel

Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

What Original Readers Understood

Supported

# Yarad (יָרַד): Movement Downward in Biblical Hebrew The Hebrew word *yarad* is one of the Bible's most frequently used verbs, appearing 381 times across the text. Its core meaning is straightforward: "to go down." This physical sense of downward movement forms the foundation for how the word functions throughout biblical literature, whether describing a person descending a mountain, water flowing downward, or an object falling. The high frequency of *yarad* in Scripture reflects how essential this directional concept is to biblical narrative and description. The word's consistency in meaning—always indicating downward motion—makes it a reliable linguistic marker when tracing movement through biblical accounts. Its prevalence suggests that biblical authors regularly needed to describe such motion, whether in literal geographical contexts (journeys, ascending and descending terrain) or in other types of narratives where position and direction matter to the meaning of events. Because *yarad* maintains a consistent, literal definition across its 381 occurrences, it serves as a foundational word in biblical Hebrew's vocabulary of spatial relations. Unlike some biblical terms that develop metaphorical or theological layers of meaning over time, *yarad* appears to function primarily as a straightforward descriptor of physical downward movement, making it essential vocabulary for understanding how biblical writers conveyed basic directional information.

Source data & methodology
Strong's
H3381
Lemma
יָרַד
Transliteration
ya.rad
Definition
to go down
Occurrences
381
Model
claude-haiku-4-5-20251001
Prompt version
1

AI synthesis uses only the lexicon data above as context — never training knowledge.

Occurrences in Scripture

381 total occurrences across the text — showing 50

2 Chronicles 20:16

Tomorrow, go down against them. Behold, they are coming up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, before the wilderness of Jeruel.

2 Chronicles 22:6

He returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which they had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

2 Chronicles 23:20

He took the captains of hundreds, the nobles, the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from Yahweh’s house. They came through the upper gate to the king’s house, and set the king on the throne of the kingdom.

Nehemiah 3:15

Shallun the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of the district of Mizpah repaired the spring gate. He built it, and covered it, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and the wall of the pool of Shelah by the king’s garden, even to the stairs that go down from David’s city.

Nehemiah 6:3

I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I can’t come down. Why should the work cease, while I leave it, and come down to you?”

Nehemiah 6:3

I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I can’t come down. Why should the work cease, while I leave it, and come down to you?”

Nehemiah 9:13

“You also came down on Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments,

Job 7:9

As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol will come up no more.

Job 17:16

Shall it go down with me to the gates of Sheol, or descend together into the dust?”

Job 33:24

then God is gracious to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom.’

Psalms 7:16

The trouble he causes shall return to his own head. His violence shall come down on the crown of his own head.

Psalms 18:9

He bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under his feet.

Psalms 22:29

All the rich ones of the earth shall eat and worship. All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him, even he who can’t keep his soul alive.

Psalms 28:1

To you, Yahweh, I call. My rock, don’t be deaf to me, lest, if you are silent to me, I would become like those who go down into the pit.

Psalms 30:3

Yahweh, you have brought up my soul from Sheol. You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

Psalms 30:9

“What profit is there in my destruction, if I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise you? Shall it declare your truth?

Psalms 49:17

for when he dies he will carry nothing away. His glory won’t descend after him.

Psalms 55:15

Let death come suddenly on them. Let them go down alive into Sheol. For wickedness is among them, in their dwelling.

Psalms 55:23

But you, God, will bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days, but I will trust in you.

Psalms 56:7

Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, God.

Psalms 59:11

Don’t kill them, or my people may forget. Scatter them by your power, and bring them down, Lord our shield.

Psalms 72:6

He will come down like rain on the mown grass, as showers that water the earth.

Psalms 78:16

He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.

Proverbs 5:5

Her feet go down to death. Her steps lead straight to Sheol.

Psalms 88:4

I am counted among those who go down into the pit. I am like a man who has no help,

Psalms 104:8

The mountains rose, the valleys sank down, to the place which you had assigned to them.

Psalms 107:23

Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business in great waters;

Psalms 107:26

They mount up to the sky; they go down again to the depths. Their soul melts away because of trouble.

Psalms 115:17

The dead don’t praise Yah, neither any who go down into silence;

Psalms 119:136

Streams of tears run down my eyes, because they don’t observe your law.

Psalms 133:2

It is like the precious oil on the head, that ran down on the beard, even Aaron’s beard, that came down on the edge of his robes,

Psalms 133:2

It is like the precious oil on the head, that ran down on the beard, even Aaron’s beard, that came down on the edge of his robes,

Psalms 133:3

like the dew of Hermon, that comes down on the hills of Zion; for there Yahweh gives the blessing, even life forever more.

Psalms 143:7

Hurry to answer me, Yahweh. My spirit fails. Don’t hide your face from me, so that I don’t become like those who go down into the pit.

Psalms 144:5

Part your heavens, Yahweh, and come down. Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.

Proverbs 1:12

Let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit.

Proverbs 7:27

Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the rooms of death.

Proverbs 18:8

The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels: they go down into a person’s innermost parts.

Proverbs 21:22

A wise man scales the city of the mighty, and brings down the strength of its confidence.

Proverbs 26:22

The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, they go down into the innermost parts.

Proverbs 30:4

Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if you know?

Ecclesiastes 3:21

Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?”

Song of Solomon 6:2

My beloved has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to pasture his flock in the gardens, and to gather lilies.

Isaiah 38:18

For Sheol can’t praise you. Death can’t celebrate you. Those who go down into the pit can’t hope for your truth.

Isaiah 5:14

Therefore Sheol has enlarged its desire, and opened its mouth without measure; and their glory, their multitude, their pomp, and he who rejoices among them, descend into it.

Isaiah 10:13

For he has said, “By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I have understanding. I have removed the boundaries of the peoples, and have robbed their treasures. Like a valiant man I have brought down their rulers.

Isaiah 14:11

Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, with the sound of your stringed instruments. Maggots are spread out under you, and worms cover you.

Isaiah 14:15

Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit.

Isaiah 14:19

But you are cast away from your tomb like an abominable branch, clothed with the slain, who are thrust through with the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit; like a dead body trodden under foot.

Isaiah 15:3

In their streets, they clothe themselves in sackcloth. In their streets and on their housetops, everyone wails, weeping abundantly.