3334. yatsar

Lexicon

yatsar: To form, fashion, shape, create

Original Word: יָצַר
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: yatsar
Pronunciation: yah-tsar
Phonetic Spelling: (yaw-tsar')
Definition: To form, fashion, shape, create
Meaning: to press, be narrow, be in distress

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

be distressed, be narrow, be straitened in straits, be vexed

A primitive root; to press (intransitive), i.e. Be narrow; figuratively, be in distress -- be distressed, be narrow, be straitened (in straits), be vexed.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
the same as tsarar, q.v.

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. צָרַר verb bind, tie up, be restricted, narrow, scant, cramped (Late Hebrew id.; Arabic bind, tie up; so Aramaic צְרַר, ); —

A. transitive:

Qal Perfect3masculine singular צָרַר Hosea 4:19; Proverbs 30:4; Imperative צוֺר Isaiah 8:16; Infinitive construct צְרוֺר Proverbs 26:8 (?); Participle active צֹרֵר Job 26:8; passive צָרוּר Hosea 13:12, feminine צְרוּרָה 1 Samuel 25:29; feminine plural צְרֻרֹת Exodus 12:34; 2 Samuel 20:3; — bind or tie up, of kneading-troughs Exodus 12:34 (E); figurative of a life preserved by ׳י, נֶפֶשׁ צְרוּרָה בִּצְרוֺר הַחַיִּים 1 Samuel 25:29; of preserving prophetic teaching Isaiah 8:16; of retention of guilt Hosea 13:12; of ׳י's binding waters in (a garment of) cloud Proverbs 30:4; Job 26:8; = shut up 2 Samuel 20:3; — צָרַר רוּחַ אֹתָהּ בִּכְנָפֶיהָ Hosea 4:19 (si vera lectio) pregnantly, the wind hath wrapped her up in its wings, to carry her off; כִּצְרוֺר אֶבֶן Proverbs 26:8 like the tying up of a stone, but unintellig. in context (see Toy).

Pu`al Participle plural מְצֹרָרִים Joshua 9:4 tied up (mended by tying), of old wine-skins.

B. intransitive:

Qal Perfect3feminine singular צָ֫רָה Isaiah 28:20; Imperfect3masculine singular יֵצַר Proverbs 4:12, יֵ֫צֶר לוֺ Job 20:22, וַ֫יֵּצֶד Genesis 32:8 +, etc.; — be scant, cramped, in straits; of scanty bed-covering Isaiah 28:20 (in figurative); of land too small for (מִן) its people Isaiah 49:19 + Joshua 19:47 (for וַיֵּצֵא) Dr^{Expos. Jan. 1887, 59} Benn, compare ᵐ5; of steps = be cramped, or impeded, Proverbs 4:12; Job 18:7 (both in figure); especially impersonal with ל person, וַיֵּצֶר לוֺ Genesis 32:8 and it was narrow for him = he was in straits, distress, so Judges 2:15; 2 Samuel 13:2; Job 20:22, also 3feminine singular וַתֵּ֫צֶר לְ Judges 10:9; 1 Samuel 30:6 (see Dr).

Hiph`il Perfect3masculine singular וְהֵצַר Deuteronomy 28:52 (twice in verse) consecutive; 1singular וַהֲצֵרֹתִי Jeremiah 10:18; Zephaniah 1:17; Imperfect3masculine singular יָצַרלֿוֺ 1 Kings 8:37 2Chronicles 6:28, וַיָּ֫צַד2Chronicles 28:20; 3 masculine plural וַיָּצֵרוּ Nehemiah 9:27; Infinitive construct הָצֵר2Chronicles 28:22; 33:12; — make narrow for, press hard upon, cause distress to, with ל person, Jeremiah 10:18 (subject ׳י), Zephaniah 1:17 (subject id.); Deuteronomy 28:52 (twice in verse); 1 Kings 8:37 2Chronicles 6:28; Nehemiah 9:27 (all subject foe), 2 Chronicles 28:20 (subject Tiglath-pileser); indefinite subject 2 Chronicles 28:22 (but read כִּי אִם לְצָרָה לוֺ, and join to 2 Chronicles 28:21, opposed to לְעֶזְרָה לוֺ, ᵐ5 Kit Buhl^Lex), 2 Chronicles 33:12.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: A primitive root

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The concept of distress or being pressed is reflected in several Greek terms in the New Testament, such as θλίβω (thlibō • Strong's Greek 2346), which means to press, afflict, or trouble, and στενοχωρέω (stenochōreō • Strong's Greek 4729), meaning to be in a narrow place or to be distressed. These terms capture similar themes of pressure and adversity found in the Hebrew יָצַר.

Usage: The verb יָצַר (yatsar) is used in the Hebrew Bible to convey the idea of being in a state of distress or experiencing pressure. It often describes situations where individuals or groups are under duress or facing adversity.

Context: The Hebrew verb יָצַר (yatsar) is a primitive root that primarily denotes the act of pressing or being in a narrow, confined space, which metaphorically extends to experiencing distress or trouble. This term is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament to describe both physical and emotional states of being.

In the narrative and poetic texts, יָצַר often appears in contexts where individuals are facing significant challenges or adversities. For example, in 2 Samuel 13:2, the term is used to describe Amnon's distress over his infatuation with Tamar: "Amnon was so distressed that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible for him to do anything to her."

The term also appears in the Psalms, where it is frequently used to express the psalmist's feelings of being overwhelmed by enemies or personal trials. In Psalm 31:9, the psalmist cries out, "Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief."

יָצַר is also used in prophetic literature to describe the distress of nations or peoples under divine judgment or during times of war. In Isaiah 21:3, the prophet describes his own distress upon receiving a vision of Babylon's fall: "At this my body is racked with pain, pangs seize me, like those of a woman in labor; I am staggered by what I hear, I am bewildered by what I see."

The usage of יָצַר in these contexts highlights the human experience of being pressed by circumstances beyond one's control, often leading to a cry for divine intervention or relief.

Forms and Transliterations

וַיֵּ֣צֶר וַיֵּ֥צֶר וַיֵּ֨צֶר וַיָּצֵ֖רוּ וַתֵּ֥צֶר וַתֵּ֨צֶר ויצר ויצרו ותצר יֵ֣צֶר יֵֽ֭צְרוּ יֵצַ֣ר יצר יצרו תֵּצְרִ֣י תצרי tê·ṣə·rî têṣərî tetzeRi vaiyaTzeru vaiYetzer vatTetzer wat·tê·ṣer wattêṣer way·yā·ṣê·rū way·yê·ṣer wayyāṣêrū wayyêṣer yê·ṣar yê·ṣə·rū yê·ṣer yêṣar yêṣer yêṣərū yeTzar Yetzer Yetzeru

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 32:7
HEB: יַעֲקֹ֛ב מְאֹ֖ד וַיֵּ֣צֶר ל֑וֹ וַיַּ֜חַץ
KJV: afraid and distressed: and he divided
INT: Jacob was greatly and distressed divided the people

Judges 2:15
HEB: יְהוָ֖ה לָהֶ֑ם וַיֵּ֥צֶר לָהֶ֖ם מְאֹֽד׃
KJV: unto them: and they were greatly distressed.
INT: had sworn and as the LORD distressed were severely

Judges 10:9
HEB: וּבְבֵ֣ית אֶפְרָ֑יִם וַתֵּ֥צֶר לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מְאֹֽד׃
KJV: so that Israel was sore distressed.
INT: and the house of Ephraim distressed Israel was greatly

1 Samuel 30:6
HEB: וַתֵּ֨צֶר לְדָוִ֜ד מְאֹ֗ד
KJV: was greatly distressed; for the people
INT: distressed David was greatly

2 Samuel 13:2
HEB: וַיֵּ֨צֶר לְאַמְנ֜וֹן לְהִתְחַלּ֗וֹת
KJV: And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick
INT: vexed Amnon made

Nehemiah 9:27
HEB: בְּיַ֣ד צָֽרֵיהֶ֔ם וַיָּצֵ֖רוּ לָהֶ֑ם וּבְעֵ֤ת
INT: the hand of their oppressors be distressed the time of their distress

Job 18:7
HEB: יֵֽ֭צְרוּ צַעֲדֵ֣י אוֹנ֑וֹ
KJV: of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel
INT: shall be straitened stride his vigorous

Job 20:22
HEB: בִּמְלֹ֣אות שִׂ֭פְקוֹ יֵ֣צֶר ל֑וֹ כָּל־
KJV: of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand
INT: the fullness of his sufficiency straits of everyone the hand

Proverbs 4:12
HEB: בְּֽ֭לֶכְתְּךָ לֹא־ יֵצַ֣ר צַעֲדֶ֑ךָ וְאִם־
KJV: thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest,
INT: walk not shall not be straitened your steps and if

Isaiah 49:19
HEB: כִּ֤י עַתָּה֙ תֵּצְרִ֣י מִיּוֹשֵׁ֔ב וְרָחֲק֖וּ
KJV: of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants,
INT: for now narrow the inhabitants will be far

10 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 3334
10 Occurrences

tê·ṣə·rî — 1 Occ.
way·yā·ṣê·rū — 1 Occ.
way·yê·ṣer — 3 Occ.
wat·tê·ṣer — 2 Occ.
yê·ṣar — 1 Occ.
yê·ṣer — 1 Occ.
yê·ṣə·rū — 1 Occ.