English · KJV
H3271

יָעַט

yâʻaṭ /yaw-at'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto clothe
KJV usagecover.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of yâʻaṭ — 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 yâʻaṭ, represented by H3271, is a primitive root meaning to clothe or cover. It is a very rare term, appearing only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the entire Bible. Its significance is derived entirely from this single, powerful instance.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The sole appearance of H3271 is in Isaiah 61:10, a passage of profound joy and thanksgiving. The speaker declares that God "hath covered me with the robe of righteousness." This action is presented alongside being "clothed... with the garments of salvation." The context likens this divine act to a bridegroom decking himself with ornaments and a bride adorning herself with jewels, highlighting the beauty and honor of being covered by God.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words in the same passage illuminate the theme of being divinely adorned and the joy it produces:

  • H3847 lâbash (to put on a garment or clothe): This word is used in parallel with yâʻaṭ in Isaiah 61:10, where God has "clothed" the speaker with salvation. It also describes God clothing Himself with majesty and strength Psalms 93:1 or Zion putting on beautiful garments Isaiah 52:1.
  • H5710 ʻâdâh (to bedeck... adorn, deck (self)): This term is used in the simile immediately following the use of yâʻaṭ, describing how a bride "adorneth" herself with her jewels Isaiah 61:10. It emphasizes the beauty and intentionality of the covering.
  • H1523 gîyl (to... rejoice... be joyful): This word expresses the emotional response to being clothed and covered by God. The speaker's soul is described as "joyful" in God precisely because of these acts of salvation and righteousness Isaiah 61:10.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H3271 is concentrated in its single usage, which establishes several key concepts:

  • A Gift of Righteousness: The word is used metaphorically to describe a spiritual reality. The "covering" is not a physical garment but "the robe of righteousness" provided by God Isaiah 61:10.
  • An Element of Salvation: The act of being covered by God is intrinsically linked to His work of salvation. It is one of the blessings, along with the "garments of salvation," that God bestows upon the faithful Isaiah 61:10.
  • A Source of Great Joy: This divine covering is the direct cause of the speaker's rejoicing. The passage begins with the declaration, "I will greatly rejoice... my soul shall be joyful," which is then explained by God's provision of these spiritual garments Isaiah 61:10.

Summary

In summary, while H3271 is an exceptionally rare word, its singular context in Isaiah 61:10 makes it deeply significant. It moves beyond the literal meaning of "cover" to represent the profound spiritual act of God bestowing righteousness upon a person. This covering is presented as a beautiful, honorable adornment, a key component of salvation that serves as a powerful reason for rejoicing in God.

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 1 occurrence, inflected in 1 grammatical form — 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.

  • יְעָטָ

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H3847 לָבַשׁ or לָבֵשׁ; a primitive root; properly, wrap around, i.e. (by implication) to put on agarment or clothe (oneself, or anot H5710 עָדָה a primitive root; to advance, i.e. pass on or continue; causatively, to remove; specifically, to bedeck (i.e. bring an o H1523 גִּיל or (by permutation) גּוּל; a primitive root; properly, to spin round (under the influence of any violent emotion), i.e.

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

1 verse, all in Isaiah — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

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.