### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **vâlâd**, represented by `{{H2056}}`, is a specific term for a **boy** or **child**. The base definition identifies it as being used for the more common word **yeled** `{{H3206}}`. It is a rare term, appearing only **2 times** across **2 unique verses** in the Bible, and in both instances, it denotes the absence of a child.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical usage, `{{H2056}}` exclusively frames the narrative around the sorrow of childlessness. It is first used to describe the condition of Abraham's wife, stating that "Sarai was barren; she had no **child**" [[Genesis 11:30]]. The word appears again to describe the fate of Saul's daughter, noting that "Michal the daughter of Saul had no **child** unto the day of her death" [[2 Samuel 6:23]]. In this second instance, the word is used alongside the more common term `{{H3206}}`, reinforcing the meaning of being without an offspring.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the context and significance of `{{H2056}}`:
* `{{H3206}}` **yeled** (something born, i.e. a lad or offspring; boy, child, fruit, son, young man (one)): This is the primary term for which `{{H2056}}` is a variant. It appears alongside `{{H2056}}` in [[2 Samuel 6:23]] and is used more broadly throughout scripture, as in the prophetic announcement, "For unto us a **child** is born" [[Isaiah 9:6]].
* `{{H6135}}` **ʻâqâr** (sterile (as if extirpated in the generative organs); ([idiom] male or female) barren (woman)): This word defines the condition that leads to the state of having no **child**. The narrative explicitly connects the two, stating Sarai was **barren** and for that reason had no child [[Genesis 11:30]].
* `{{H4194}}` **mâveth** (death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead, their place or state (hades); figuratively, pestilence, ruin): This term establishes the finality of Michal's childlessness, which lasted until her **death** [[2 Samuel 6:23]].
* `{{H8297}}` **Sâray** (dominative; Sarai, the wife of Abraham): The first use of `{{H2056}}` is to define the profound personal struggle of **Sarai**, the future matriarch of the Israelite people [[Genesis 11:30]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H2056}}` is tied to the profound importance of lineage and divine promise in the Old Testament.
* **The Crisis of Childlessness:** The word marks a point of significant crisis. For **Sarai**, being without a **child** represented a state of barrenness that stood in direct opposition to God's future promises to her family [[Genesis 11:30]].
* **Divine Sovereignty:** The condition of being without a child is linked to divine control. **Sarai** herself acknowledges this when she says, "the LORD hath restrained me from bearing" [[Genesis 16:2]], highlighting that the ability to bear children was understood as a divine gift.
* **Consequence and Finality:** In Michal's story, her state of having no **child** is presented as a permanent condition that endured until her death [[2 Samuel 6:23]], illustrating the lifelong gravity associated with childlessness.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H2056}}` is a highly specific and rare term whose meaning is entirely defined by its context. While it simply means **child**, it is only ever used to articulate the *lack* of one. Its usage in the stories of Sarai and Michal underscores the deep cultural and theological significance of offspring for inheritance, blessing, and the fulfillment of divine promises. It demonstrates how even a word used only twice can mark a point of intense human struggle and theological drama.
TRV