3033. yediduth
Lexical Summary
yediduth: Belovedness, love, affection

Original Word: יְדִדוּת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: ydiduwth
Pronunciation: yeh-dee-DOOTH
Phonetic Spelling: (yed-ee-dooth')
KJV: dearly beloved
NASB: beloved
Word Origin: [from H3039 (יְדִידּ - beloved)]

1. (properly) affection
2. (concretely) a darling object

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
dearly beloved

From ydiyd; properly, affection; concretely, a darling object -- dearly beloved.

see HEBREW ydiyd

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from the same as yadid
Definition
love
NASB Translation
beloved (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
יְדִדוּת noun feminine love = object of love; — only construct יְדִדוּת נַפְשִׁי Jeremiah 12:7 (׳י speaks) love (i.e. beloved) of my soul.

Topical Lexicon
Etymology and Nuanced Meaning

The Hebrew term יְדִדוּת (yediduth) carries the warm nuance of cherished affection—“beloved intimacy” that surpasses mere friendship and expresses deep covenantal devotion. Its solitary appearance in the Hebrew canon amplifies its emotive force, concentrating attention on the divine pathos it conveys.

Canonical Context

Jeremiah 12:7 stands alone in employing yediduth: “I have forsaken My house; I have abandoned My heritage; I have given the beloved of My soul into the hands of her enemies” (Berean Standard Bible). The prophet transmits the Lord’s lament over Judah, whose covenant unfaithfulness demands disciplinary exile. By calling the nation “the beloved of My soul,” God uncovers His own heartbreak; judgment is not cold retribution but the anguished decision of a Lover whose affection has been spurned.

Theological Implications

1. Covenant Love and Holiness: Yediduth underscores that divine judgment flows from violated love, not from fluctuating moods. The Lord’s holiness and love are inseparable; when His people profane the covenant, loving holiness requires corrective action (Leviticus 26:14-45; Hebrews 12:6).
2. Divine Vulnerability: Scripture consistently portrays God as personally affected by human rebellion (Hosea 11:8-9; Ephesians 4:30). Yediduth crystallizes this reality, revealing a God who feels loss when His beloved turns away.
3. Hope beyond Discipline: Because the relationship is grounded in covenant affection, estrangement is not final. Jeremiah later announces future restoration (Jeremiah 31:3-4), demonstrating that love ultimately moves God to redeem.

Intertextual Connections

• “Beloved” language threads through Scripture. Israel is called “Jeshurun” (upright one) whom God “loved” (Deuteronomy 33:3). The term also evokes “yedid” (beloved friend, 2 Samuel 1:26) and “dôd” (beloved in Song of Solomon), situating yediduth within a broader lexical family that accents affectionate closeness.
• New-covenant texts apply similar language to the Church: “To all who are beloved of God in Rome” (Romans 1:7) and to individual believers: “Therefore, my beloved brethren” (1 Corinthians 15:58). These echoes invite the reader to see continuity in God’s redemptive affection.

Historical Setting

Jeremiah ministered during the last decades of the Kingdom of Judah (circa 626–586 BC). Political intrigue, idolatry, and social injustice invited Babylonian invasion. Jeremiah 12 follows a sequence of laments (chapters 11-20) in which the prophet wrestles with divine justice. In 12:7, God’s own lament eclipses Jeremiah’s, revealing the emotional dimension behind impending exile.

Pastoral and Ministry Applications

1. Shepherding with God’s Heart: Leaders are called to mirror divine compassion when confronting sin. Loving correction should never be detached from personal investment (Galatians 4:19).
2. Intercessory Lament: Jeremiah demonstrates that recognizing God’s grief fuels authentic intercession. Churches can incorporate lament into worship, aligning with the divine concern for holiness and restoration (Joel 2:17).
3. Assurance amid Discipline: Believers under divine chastening can cling to the truth that they remain God’s “beloved of My soul.” Such assurance fosters repentance instead of despair (2 Corinthians 7:10-11).

Christological Foreshadowing

Jesus Christ embodies and fulfills the theme of yediduth. At His baptism the Father proclaims, “You are My beloved Son” (Mark 1:11). He is both the perfectly loved One and the ultimate Lover who lays down His life for His friends (John 15:13). In Him, the estranged “beloved”—Jew and Gentile—are reconciled to God (Ephesians 2:13). The exile of Judah prefigures the greater exile of humanity; Christ’s atoning death secures the promised restoration.

Liturgical and Devotional Use

Meditating on Jeremiah 12:7 can enrich corporate confession and personal prayer. Songwriters and liturgists may incorporate the verse to balance triumphant praise with sober reflection on sin’s grievousness to God. Devotionally, believers are invited to feel the weight of divine love that both disciplines and restores, nurturing gratitude and reverent obedience.

Forms and Transliterations
יְדִד֥וּת ידדות yə·ḏi·ḏūṯ yediDut yəḏiḏūṯ
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Jeremiah 12:7
HEB: נָתַ֛תִּי אֶת־ יְדִד֥וּת נַפְשִׁ֖י בְּכַ֥ף
NAS: I have given the beloved of My soul
KJV: I have given the dearly beloved of my soul
INT: my inheritance have given the beloved of my soul the hand

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 3033
1 Occurrence


yə·ḏi·ḏūṯ — 1 Occ.

3032
Top of Page
Top of Page