Word Study for H3161 (יָחַד) | Strong's Concordance

yâchad /yaw-khad'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto be (or become) one

KJV usagejoin, unite.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of yâchad — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word yâchad, represented by H3161, is a primitive root meaning to be (or become) one; join, unite. Although it appears only 3 times in 3 unique verses, its usage highlights the profound spiritual and moral implications of unity and association.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The contexts in which H3161 appears are distinct and powerful. In a devotional plea, the psalmist asks God to unite his heart, signifying a desire for a focused, single-minded devotion to fear the Lord's name Psalms 86:11. Conversely, the word is used as a warning of disassociation. Jacob, in his final words, declares that his honor should not be united with the violent assembly of his sons who slew a man in their anger Genesis 49:6. Lastly, it is used in a prophecy of judgment, declaring that a destructive king will not be joined with others in burial as a consequence for having destroyed his land and slain his people Isaiah 14:20.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help illuminate the concept of unity and its consequences:

H3824 lêbâb (heart): This word for the "mind" or "understanding" is the object of unity in Psalms 86:11, where the psalmist prays for a heart that is united in its purpose to fear God.
H6951 qâhâl (assembly): This term for a "congregation" or "company" is what Jacob refuses to be united with in Genesis 49:6, demonstrating that right association is critical.
H6900 qᵉbûwrâh (burial): Being denied a proper burial with others was a sign of great dishonor. In Isaiah 14:20, the wicked king is not "joined" with them in burial, showing a final, consequential separation.
H2026 hârag (slay): The act of slaying, or killing with deadly intent, is the reason for the disunity commanded in both Genesis 49:6 and Isaiah 14:20, linking destructive actions to separation.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H3161 is demonstrated in its application to both devotion and judgment.

Singleness of Heart: The word expresses a core spiritual goal: to have a heart that is wholly and singularly devoted to God, free from division and distraction Psalms 86:11.
Moral Separation: It establishes a clear principle of separation from evil. Being "united" with those who commit violence and destruction is a stain on one's honor and soul Genesis 49:6.
Consequential Association: The word implies that our actions determine our associations, both in life and in death. Wickedness leads to being dis-united from the community and its honors Isaiah 14:20.

Summary

In summary, H3161 is a rare but significant term that defines the nature of connection. It teaches that unity can be a sacred aspiration—a heart made one for God—or a corrupting influence to be avoided at all costs. The word powerfully illustrates that who and what we are joined to has profound consequences, shaping our devotion, our honor, and our ultimate destiny.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 3 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

יַחֵד
תֵחַד
תֵּחַד

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 3 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Genesis, Psalms, and Isaiah (1 verse each); never once in the other 36.

Genesis

Psalms

Isaiah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.