English · KJV
H3502

יִתְרָה

yithrâh /yith-raw'/ Ask about this word
Rootfeminine of יֶתֶר
Meaningproperly, excellence, i.e. (by implication) wealth
KJV usageabundance, riches.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of yithrâh — 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 yithrâh, represented by H3502, denotes excellence, wealth, abundance, or riches. It is a rare term, appearing only 2 times in 2 unique verses in the Bible. In both instances, it refers to accumulated material wealth that is subject to loss.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The use of H3502 is confined to prophetic judgments. In Isaiah 15:7, it is translated as abundance, describing possessions that "they have gotten" which are being carried away. Similarly, in Jeremiah 48:36, it appears as riches that have "perished," a loss which causes the prophet's heart to "sound for Moab like pipes." In both passages, the word signifies material wealth that is ultimately fleeting and swept away in a time of calamity.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the context of H3502:

  • H6213 ʻâsâh (to do or make): This verb, meaning to get or acquire, appears in both verses where H3502 is found, describing how the abundance Isaiah 15:7 and riches Jeremiah 48:36 were obtained.
  • H6 ʼâbad (to perish): This word is used directly with H3502 in Jeremiah 48:36, stating that the riches "are perished." It underscores the theme of the complete loss of this wealth.
  • H6486 pᵉquddâh (that which...laid up): In Isaiah 15:7, this word is used alongside "abundance," referring to "that which they have laid up." This pairing emphasizes the idea of stored or hoarded wealth that is now being confiscated.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H3502 is tied to the impermanence of earthly wealth.

  • The Futility of Acquired Wealth: Both occurrences of H3502 are in the context of judgment where the accumulated riches and abundance are lost. The wealth that was "gotten" H6213 ultimately "perished" H6 or was carried away.
  • A Source of Sorrow: The loss of these riches is a cause for deep mourning. In Jeremiah 48:36, the heart makes a mournful sound like pipes specifically "because the riches that he hath gotten are perished."
  • Wealth in the Face of Judgment: The word appears within prophecies of doom, highlighting that material abundance offers no security against divine judgment.

Summary

In summary, H3502 yithrâh provides a very specific and focused meaning of riches or abundance. Rather than being a term of blessing, its two biblical uses exclusively portray wealth that is transient and subject to being lost or destroyed. Found within prophetic judgments in Isaiah 15:7 and Jeremiah 48:36, it serves as a powerful reminder of the temporary nature of material possessions in the face of divine reckoning.

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 noun across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 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.

  • יִתְרָה
  • יִתְרַת

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.

H6213 עָשָׂה a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application; accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, H6 אָבַד a primitive root; properly, to wander away, i.e. lose oneself; by implication to perish (causative, destroy); break, des H6486 פְּקֻדָּה feminine passive participle of פָּקַד; visitation (in many senses, chiefly official); account, (that have the) charge, c

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 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Isaiah and Jeremiah (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

1
Isaiah
1
Jeremiah

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.