English · KJV
H3814

לָאט

lâʼṭ /lawt/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom לָאַט (or perhaps for active participle of לוּט)
Meaningproperly, muffled, i.e. silently
KJV usagesoftly.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of lâʼṭ — 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 lâʼṭ, represented by H3814, means softly or silently. Its definition is properly, muffled, i.e. silently. This term is exceptionally specific, appearing only 1 time in a single verse in the entire Bible, making its context crucial to its meaning.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The sole appearance of H3814 is in the dramatic account of Jael and Sisera. After Sisera fled to her tent, Jael "went softly unto him" while he was exhausted and in a deep sleep. The word describes her stealthy, silent movement as she approached the unsuspecting commander with a tent nail and a hammer before she smote the nail into his temples, killing him Judges 4:21. The quietness of the action stands in stark contrast to its violent and decisive outcome.

Related Words & Concepts

The narrative surrounding this single use of H3814 is enriched by several key words from the passage:

  • H3278 Yâʻêl (Jael): The name for the woman who performed this act. Jael is described as Heber's wife and is later called "Blessed above women" for her actions Judges 5:24.
  • H7290 râdam (to be fast asleep): This word describes Sisera's deep state of unconsciousness, which made Jael's silent approach both possible and necessary. It means to stun or stupefy with sleep or death Judges 4:21.
  • H3489 yâthêd (nail): This is the object Jael used, defined as a peg, nail, or stake. In this context, it is the "nail of the tent" that becomes the instrument of Sisera's demise Judges 4:21.

Theological Significance

The significance of H3814 is tied entirely to its narrative function in the book of Judges.

  • Deliberate Action: The word "softly" does not imply timidity but rather purposeful stealth. Jael's quiet approach was a calculated part of her plan to dispatch the enemy of Israel, an act carried out with a hammer H4718 and a tent nail H3489 taken in her hand H3027.
  • Executing Judgment: Jael's act, characterized by this silent movement, is presented as a fulfillment of divine will. She is the unlikely instrument who brings about the death H4191 of the powerful commander, Sisera.
  • Exploiting Vulnerability: The effectiveness of moving "softly" H3814 hinges on the target's vulnerability. Sisera was "fast asleep and weary" (H7290, H5774), and the stealthy action underscores his complete helplessness before Jael's decisive blow.

Summary

In summary, H3814 is a highly specific term whose entire biblical meaning is contained within a single, dramatic event. It is not a broad theological concept but a descriptive word that gives color and tension to the story of Jael's execution of Sisera. Its use in Judges 4:21 vividly portrays the stealth and resolve required to carry out a deadly and pivotal act in Israel's history.

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.

  • לַהֲטֵי
  • לָּאט

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.

H3278 יָעֵל the same as יָעֵל; Jael, a Canaanite; Jael. H7290 רָדַם a primitive root; to stun, i.e. stupefy (with sleep or death); (be fast a-, be in a deep, cast into a dead, that) sleep( H3489 יָתֵד from an unused root meaning to pin through or fast; a peg; nail, paddle, pin, stake. H4718 מַקֶּבֶת from נָקַב; properly, a perforator, i.e. a hammer (as piercing); also (intransitively) a perforation, i.e. a quarry; ham H3027 יָד a primitive word; in distinction from כַּף, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applicat H4191 מוּת a primitive root; to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill; [idiom] at all, [idiom] crying, (be) dead (b

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 Judges — 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.