feminine of יֶתֶר; properly, excellence, i.e. (by implication) wealth; abundance, riches.
Transliteration:yithrâh
Pronunciation:yith-raw'
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew noun H3502 (יִתְרָה, *yithrâh*) is the feminine form of `{{H3499}}` (יֶתֶר, *yether*). Its core semantic range revolves around concepts of "excellence," "superiority," and "advantage." This foundational meaning extends by implication to "abundance," "riches," and "wealth."
While its masculine counterpart `{{H3499}}` can denote a simple "remainder" or "what is left over," yithrâh typically carries a more positive connotation, emphasizing a beneficial excess or a distinguished quality. It signifies not merely what is superfluous, but what is valuable, plentiful, or superior in degree. In some contexts, it can also function adverbially to intensify a preceding concept, signifying "excessive" or "abundant" even for negative attributes.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
H3502 appears a limited number of times in the Hebrew Bible, but each instance provides significant insight into its meaning:
* **[[Job 22:25]]**: "and the Almighty will be your gold, and precious silver will be your yithrâh." Here, yithrâh is clearly parallel to "gold" and refers to "abundance" or "riches" of silver. Eliphaz promises Job that if he returns to God, the Almighty Himself will be his greatest treasure, surpassing any material wealth.
* **[[Proverbs 14:4]]**: "Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but much yithrâh comes by the strength of the ox." In this wisdom saying, yithrâh denotes "abundance" or "profit." The labor and strength of an ox lead to significant agricultural yield and prosperity, illustrating the principle that diligence and hard work bring forth great returns.
* **[[Jeremiah 48:36]]**: "Therefore my heart moans for Moab like flutes, and my heart moans like flutes for the men of Kir-heres; for the yithrâh he made has perished." This verse speaks of the destruction of Moab. The "yithrâh he made" likely refers to the accumulated "abundance" or "wealth" of Moab, which has now been laid waste by divine judgment. It signifies the loss of their prosperity and national glory.
* **[[Psalm 31:23]]**: "Love the LORD, all you His godly ones! The LORD preserves the faithful, but fully repays the proud doer of yithrâh." This is a unique and crucial usage. The phrase "proud doer of yithrâh" (עֹשֶׂה גַאֲוָה יִתְרָה) is best understood as "one who acts with excessive pride" or "one who acts with abundant pride." Here, yithrâh functions to intensify the noun "pride" (גַּאֲוָה, *ga’avah*), highlighting an overabundance of a negative quality rather than a positive one. This demonstrates the semantic flexibility of the term, capable of describing an immoderate quantity of any attribute.
### Related Words & Concepts
* **`{{H3499}}` יֶתֶר (*yether*):** The masculine root, meaning "remainder," "excess," "advantage," or "preeminence" (e.g., [[Genesis 49:3]] where Reuben is described as "excellence of dignity and excellence of power"). yithrâh often carries a more pronounced sense of beneficial abundance or distinguished quality.
* **`{{H7230}}` רֹב (*rov*):** Meaning "multitude," "abundance," or "greatness," often referring to quantity. This term frequently overlaps with the "abundance" sense of yithrâh.
* **`{{H6239}}` עֹשֶׁר (*osher*):** Directly translates to "riches" or "wealth," aligning with a primary meaning of yithrâh in contexts like [[Job 22:25]].
* **`{{H3581}}` כֹּחַ (*koach*):** "Strength," "power," "ability." In [[Proverbs 14:4]], the yithrâh is directly linked to the "strength" of the ox, emphasizing the connection between effort/capacity and resulting abundance.
* **Concepts:** Divine blessing, prosperity, diligent labor, consequences of sin, pride, judgment.
### Theological Significance
The occurrences of H3502 (yithrâh) contribute meaningfully to several theological themes:
* **God as the Source of Abundance:** In [[Job 22:25]], yithrâh highlights God's capacity and willingness to provide abundant blessings, even to the extent that He Himself becomes the ultimate "abundance" for the righteous. This reinforces the biblical truth that all true and lasting prosperity flows from the Creator.
* **The Value of Diligent Labor:** [[Proverbs 14:4]] connects yithrâh to the fruit of hard work. This proverb affirms a principle of divine order: that human effort and diligence, exemplified by the strength of the ox, are designed by God to yield significant returns and abundance. It underscores the dignity and reward of labor within God's economy.
* **The Fragility of Worldly Wealth:** The perishing of Moab's yithrâh in [[Jeremiah 48:36]] serves as a stark reminder of the transient nature of earthly riches and national prosperity. It illustrates that wealth accumulated apart from God's favor or in defiance of His will is ultimately subject to His judgment and can be swept away.
* **Warning Against Excessive Pride:** The unique usage in [[Psalm 31:23]] is profoundly significant. By describing "excessive pride," yithrâh points to the spiritual danger of an overabundance of a sinful trait. God opposes the proud and repays them, demonstrating that not all "excess" is beneficial; an excess of sin, particularly pride, incurs divine judgment. This emphasizes the ethical dimension of any "abundance," whether material or character-based.
### Summary
H3502 (יִתְרָה, *yithrâh*) is a Hebrew noun primarily signifying "excellence," "superiority," or "advantage," which frequently extends to "abundance," "riches," and "wealth." Its biblical usage reveals multifaceted theological insights: it points to God as the ultimate source of all beneficial abundance ([[Job 22:25]]), affirms that diligent labor leads to prosperity ([[Proverbs 14:4]]), warns of the transient nature of worldly wealth under divine judgment ([[Jeremiah 48:36]]), and critically, can describe an "excess" of negative attributes, particularly "excessive pride," which God condemns ([[Psalm 31:23]]). Thus, yithrâh encapsulates both the blessings of divine provision and the ethical responsibilities associated with any form of "more" in the human experience.
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