Lexical Summary yalduth: Youth, childhood Original Word: יַלְדוּת Strong's Exhaustive Concordance childhood, youth Abstractly from yeled; boyhood (or girlhood) -- childhood, youth. see HEBREW yeled NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom yalad Definition childhood, youth NASB Translation childhood (2), youth (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs יַלְדוּת noun feminine childhood, youth; — absolute יַלְדוּת Ecclesiastes 11:10 ("" שַׁחֲרוּת); יַלְדוּתֶ֑ךָ Ecclesiastes 11:9; = young men טַל יַלְדֻתֶ֑ךָ Psalm 110:3. Topical Lexicon Definition and Scope of the Term יַלְדוּת denotes the season of life commonly rendered “youth” or “childhood,” emphasizing formative years that precede full adulthood. It carries connotations of freshness, vigor, and potential, while also implying inexperience and vulnerability. Scripture treats this stage not merely as a biological fact but as a spiritually significant window in which character is molded and destiny is shaped. Occurrences and Literary Context 1. Psalm 110:3 situates the term within a royal-messianic psalm: “Your people shall be willing on Your day of battle… to You shall come the dew of Your youth.” Here יַלְדוּת is applied to the Messiah’s vitality—an image of ever-renewed strength supplied by loyal followers. Biblical Theology of Youth Throughout Scripture youth is portrayed as a gift and a trust. Passages such as Deuteronomy 6:7, Proverbs 22:6, and 2 Timothy 3:15 underscore early instruction in the fear of the Lord. יַלְדוּת thus invites a theology in which formative years are a strategic battleground for the covenant community’s continuity. While strength is celebrated (Proverbs 20:29), the ultimate measure of youth is its alignment with divine wisdom (Psalm 119:9). Wisdom Implications in Ecclesiastes Ecclesiastes juxtaposes the exhilaration of youth with life’s transience. Joy is not condemned; it is commanded. Yet the double use of יַלְדוּת, bracketing both celebration and warning, insists that youthful freedom submits to eschatological accountability. This tension anticipates New Testament admonitions such as 2 Corinthians 5:10 and anchors ethical decision-making in an eternal perspective. Messianic Overtones in Psalm 110 Psalm 110, frequently cited in the New Testament (for example, Matthew 22:44, Hebrews 5:6), links יַלְדוּת to the royal priest’s perpetual vigor. The metaphor of “dew” conveys both number and freshness of Messiah’s forces, suggesting that redeemed youth are a sign and means of His triumph. Historically, many commentators have viewed this as a prophecy of the Church’s multigenerational vitality—each new cohort a “dew” of willing volunteers rallied to the risen King. Historical and Cultural Insights In ancient Israel, the passage from יַלְדוּת to adulthood was less a fixed age than a process marked by communal rites, vocational apprenticeship, and covenant responsibility. Festivals (Deuteronomy 16:11) and public Torah reading (Deuteronomy 31:12-13) habituated youth to corporate worship. Military muster lists normally began at twenty (Numbers 1:3), underscoring a distinct threshold between youthful preparation and adult duty. Practical Ministry Considerations • Catechesis: Local congregations are to imitate biblical patterns by saturating youth in Scripture, worship, and service. Intercanonical Echoes Old-Testament use of יַלְדוּת resonates with New-Testament calls to exemplary youthfulness: “Let no one despise your youth” (1 Timothy 4:12) and the portrayal of Jesus Himself, who “continued to grow in wisdom and stature” (Luke 2:52). These connections testify to the canonical unity that celebrates youthful potential while directing it toward Christlike maturity. Concluding Observations יַלְדוּת encapsulates both the promise and precariousness of early life. Scripture dignifies youth with joy and strength, contextualizes it within divine sovereignty, and summons it into covenant obedience. Seen through the lens of redemptive history, the term not only describes a stage of life but also signals a strategic arena in which God raises up loyal servants for His everlasting kingdom. Forms and Transliterations בְּיַלְדוּתֶ֗יךָ בילדותיך הַיַּלְד֥וּת הילדות יַלְדֻתֶֽיךָ׃ ילדתיך׃ bə·yal·ḏū·ṯe·ḵā beyalduTeicha bəyalḏūṯeḵā haiyalDut hay·yal·ḏūṯ hayyalḏūṯ yal·ḏu·ṯe·ḵā yalduTeicha yalḏuṯeḵāLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 110:3 HEB: לְ֝ךָ֗ טַ֣ל יַלְדֻתֶֽיךָ׃ NAS: of the dawn, Your youth are to You [as] the dew. KJV: thou hast the dew of thy youth. INT: of the dawn You the dew your youth Ecclesiastes 11:9 Ecclesiastes 11:10 3 Occurrences |
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