Word Study for H3276 (יַעַל) | Strong's Concordance

yaʻal /yaw-al'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningproperly, to ascend; figuratively, to be valuable (objectively; useful, subjectively; benefited)

KJV usageset forward, can do good, (be, have) profit, (able).

Idioms & phrasesidiom at all

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of yaʻal — 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 yaʻal, represented by H3276, is a primitive root that properly means to ascend. Figuratively, it is used to describe something as valuable, useful, or able to provide a benefit. Appearing 23 times across 21 unique verses, it is frequently used to explore the concept of what is truly profitable versus what is worthless.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In Scripture, H3276 is overwhelmingly used in a negative sense to describe the futility of things outside of God. It highlights the powerlessness of idols, as seen in the question, "What profiteth the graven image?" Habakkuk 2:18. This theme is repeated when warning Israel not to follow "vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver" 1 Samuel 12:21. The term also defines the limits of material possessions, stating that "Riches profit not in the day of wrath" Proverbs 11:4 and "Treasures of wickedness profit nothing" Proverbs 10:2. In contrast, the only source of true benefit is God himself, who "teacheth thee to profit" Isaiah 48:17.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help frame the biblical understanding of profit and value:

H1350 gâʼal (to redeem): This word appears alongside H3276 when identifying the LORD as the Redeemer who teaches his people how to truly profit Isaiah 48:17.
H6666 tsᵉdâqâh (rightness): This concept is presented as the direct contrast to things that do not profit. While riches fail, righteousness is what delivers from death (Proverbs 10:2, Proverbs 11:4).
H8414 tôhûw (a worthless thing): This term for vanity is directly linked to the things that cannot profit, such as graven images and the pursuits Israel is warned against (Isaiah 44:9, 1 Samuel 12:21).
H4171 mûwr (to alter; by implication, to barter): This word describes the action of God's people when they changed their glory for that which does not profit Jeremiah 2:11.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H3276 is primarily cautionary, used to illustrate key spiritual truths.

The Futility of Idolatry: The word consistently demonstrates that idols, false gods, and the prophets who speak for them offer no benefit. They are described as lies and vanity that cannot profit the people who trust in them (Jeremiah 2:8, Jeremiah 16:19).
The Emptiness of Worldly Pursuits: Scripture uses H3276 to warn that human efforts and material wealth, such as riches or treasures, are ultimately unprofitable, especially in the face of divine judgment (Proverbs 11:4, Isaiah 57:12).
The Source of True Value: The positive use of the word is reserved for God alone. He is the one who leads, teaches, and provides what is truly profitable, setting up a clear distinction between divine wisdom and human folly Isaiah 48:17.

Summary

In summary, H3276 serves a crucial role in biblical teaching by defining true value. It is most often used to declare the unprofitability of anything that competes with God for trust and devotion, whether it be idols, false prophets, or material wealth. By repeatedly highlighting what is worthless, the word powerfully directs attention to the only source of genuine, lasting profit: the instruction and righteousness that come from God Himself.

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 23 occurrences, inflected in 8 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Hiphil Imperfect 3rd Plural Masculine 10×
Hiphil Infinitive Construct 5×
Hiphil Imperfect 3rd Singular Masculine 3×
Hiphil Imperfect 1st Plural common gender 1×
Hiphil Imperfect 1st Singular common gender 1×
Hiphil Infinitive Absolute 1×
Hiphil Participle Singular Masculine Absolute 1×
Hiphil Perfect 3rd Singular Masculine 1×

Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
common gender: Either gender — the form does not distinguish.
1st: First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Imperfect: Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Perfect: A completed act whose results continue.
Infinitive: The verb as a noun — "to do".
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.
Hiphil: The causative stem — the subject causes the action.
Absolute: The independent form of a noun (not bound to another).
Construct: Bound to a following noun — "the X of…".

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 21 verses across 6 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Isaiah (7 verses); never once in the other 33.

1 Samuel

Job

Proverbs

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Habakkuk

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, 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.