or נָעֻר; and (feminine) נְעֻרָה; properly, passive participle from נַעַר as denominative; (only in plural collectively or emphatic form) youth, the state (juvenility) or the persons (young people); childhood, youth.
### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **nâʻûwr**, represented by `{{H5271}}`, refers to the period of **youth** or **childhood**. It appears **47 times** across **46 unique verses**, highlighting its significance as a formative stage of life. The term describes not just a state of being young but also serves as a crucial reference point for an individual's or a nation's history, character, and relationship with God.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical narratives, `{{H5271}}` is used to define foundational character and history. It is used to describe humanity's innate disposition, stating that "the imagination of man's heart is evil from his **youth**" [[Genesis 8:21]]. For the nation of Israel, it recalls a time of early devotion, as when God remembers "the kindness of thy **youth**" in the wilderness [[Jeremiah 2:2]]. This period is also portrayed as a time for establishing enduring relationships, particularly with "the wife of thy **youth**" [[Malachi 2:14]]. Furthermore, it is seen as an ideal time for discipline and character-building, for "it is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his **youth**" [[Lamentations 3:27]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words clarify the context of youth and generational relationships:
* `{{H5288}}` **naʻar** (boy, child, servant): As the root from which `{{H5271}}` is derived, this word refers to a young person, from infancy to adolescence. It is used to distinguish David as a **youth** `{{H5288}}` while his opponent was a man of war from his **youth** `{{H5271}}` [[1 Samuel 17:33]].
* `{{H1121}}` **ben** (son): This word for a male descendant is central to family and legacy. [[Psalm 127:4]] poetically links the concepts, stating that **children** `{{H1121}}` are like arrows in a mighty man's hand, specifically identifying them as "children of the **youth**" `{{H5271}}`.
* `{{H1323}}` **bath** (daughter): The female counterpart to son, this term is used in legal and familial contexts. A statute in [[Numbers 30:16]] addresses vows made by a **daughter** `{{H1323}}` while "in her **youth** `{{H5271}}` in her father's house."
* `{{H2233}}` **zeraʻ** (seed, posterity): This term relates to descendants and legacy. It is connected to the faithfulness one should have toward the wife of their **youth** `{{H5271}}` in order to seek a godly **seed** `{{H2233}}` [[Malachi 2:15]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H5271}}` is significant, establishing principles of memory, accountability, and covenant.
* **A Foundational Period:** Youth is consistently referenced as the starting point for a life's trajectory, for good or ill. God remembers His covenant with Israel made "in the days of thy **youth**" [[Ezekiel 16:60]], but also notes Israel’s pattern of disobedience "from their **youth**" [[Jeremiah 32:30]].
* **Accountability for Early Actions:** The sins and transgressions of one's youth are not dismissed. The psalmist specifically prays, "Remember not the sins of my **youth**" [[Psalms 25:7]], and Job feels he is being made to "possess the iniquities of my **youth**" [[Job 13:26]].
* **Metaphor for Covenant:** The relationship with a "wife of **youth**" [[Isaiah 54:6]] becomes a powerful metaphor for God's enduring, though sometimes strained, covenant with His people. Forsaking this relationship is equated with forgetting the "covenant of her God" [[Proverbs 2:17]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5271}}` is more than a simple descriptor of age. It is a foundational concept in scripture that defines a critical period for establishing character, spiritual devotion, and lifelong covenants. It serves as a constant reference point for memory and accountability, reflecting both the potential for faithfulness and the persistent inclination toward sin. The term illustrates how the experiences of youth shape the entire course of an individual's or a nation's relationship with God.
TRV