ESTUDIO DE LA PALABRA HEBREA
Yalad — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
Yalad (יָלַד, H3205) is the primary Hebrew verb for 'to bear' or 'to beget,' used for childbirth, genealogy, and figurative offspring.
Significado de la palabra
The verb yalad (יָלַד) is one of the most common Hebrew roots related to human reproduction, carrying the core meanings of 'to bear young,' 'to give birth,' and, in causative stems, 'to beget' or 'father.' In its basic Qal form it describes a woman bringing forth a child, as seen in Eve's statement after the birth of Cain (Genesis 4:1, תֵּ֣לֶד 'gave birth to').
Beyond literal childbirth, yalad extends into several figurative and technical uses. It can describe the act of a midwife assisting in delivery (Piel), the passive experience of being born (Niphal/Pual), and genealogical lineage, where the phrase 'X begat Y' (X יָלַד אֶת־Y) structures the genealogies of Genesis. A figurative use also appears, comparing distress or wickedness to labor pains (cf. Genesis 3:16, where the same root is used for 'pain' and 'bringing forth children').
The KJV usage list captures this range: 'bear, beget, born, bring forth, midwife, travail, declare pedigrees.' Whether describing Eve giving birth to Cain and Abel, the birth of Seth and Enosh, or the building of genealogies in Genesis 4–5, yalad is the standard biblical Hebrew term for the beginning of human life within a family line.
Uso en las Escrituras
Yalad dominates the early chapters of Genesis, where the foundation of humanity and the covenant line unfolds through births and genealogies. Eve's words 'I have gotten a man' after bearing Cain (Genesis 4:1) tie childbearing to divine purpose, and the repeated 'she bare' / 'was born' pattern in Genesis 4:17–26 establishes the genealogical framework that runs through the Old Testament. The same verse type ('X begat Y') appears hundreds of times, making yalad the structural backbone of biblical lineage lists.
Outside genealogies, yalad carries theological weight. In Genesis 3:16 the curse includes 'in pain thou shalt bring forth children,' linking childbirth to the entrance of sin into the world. Figurative uses extend the term to mean 'bring forth' in the sense of producing wickedness or distress, and the Piel participle identifies the role of midwife. Across 337 occurrences in 277 verses, yalad consistently marks the moment when a new life enters a family, a people, or God's unfolding story.
La palabra en detalle
- H3205 Yalad (יָלַד) is the standard Hebrew verb for 'to bear' or 'to beget.' Its stem forms cover the active sense (a woman bearing), the causative sense (a man begetting), the passive sense (being born), and the occupational sense (acting as midwife). It structures the genealogies of Genesis and frames childbirth as a theologically significant event, from the curse of Genesis 3:16 to the birth narratives of the patriarchs.
Versículos de ejemplo
- Genesis 3:16 Here yalad appears in God's word to the woman: 'in pain thou shalt bring forth children.' The verse binds the verb to the curse, making childbirth a perpetual reminder of the fall, while the same root is reused immediately for ordinary human reproduction throughout Genesis.
- Genesis 4:1 Eve's declaration 'I have gotten a man' follows the first biblical use of yalad for a human birth (Cain). Eve's wording treats the child as an acquisition 'with the help of Jehovah,' making the very first occurrence of this root a theological statement about God acting in conception.
- Genesis 4:18 Genesis 4:18 uses the Niphal form (יִּוָּלֵד, 'was born') to describe Irad's birth to Enoch, then shifts to the active Qal 'begat' for the next generations. This shows how yalad alternates between passive ('was born') and active ('begat') voices to trace a continuous lineage.
- Genesis 4:26 The verse uses the Pual (passive) form yullad ('was born') for Enosh, son of Seth. The same verse closes by noting that 'then began men to call upon the name of Jehovah,' so the birth vocabulary of yalad here sits alongside the beginning of public worship in the biblical narrative.
Preguntas frecuentes
What does yalad mean in Hebrew?
Yalad (יָלַד, H3205) means 'to bear,' 'to give birth,' or 'to beget.' Depending on its stem, it can describe a woman giving birth, a man fathering a child, someone being born, or a midwife assisting in delivery.
How many times is yalad used in the Bible?
Yalad occurs 337 times across 277 verses in the Hebrew Bible. It is most concentrated in Genesis, where it drives the patriarchal genealogies and the early birth narratives.
Is yalad only about physical childbirth?
No. While its primary sense is physical birth, yalad also appears in figurative expressions such as distress or wickedness 'bringing forth' something (as in Genesis 3:16), and in the technical sense of a midwife. It is also the verb that forms the 'X begat Y' pattern of biblical genealogies.