3220. yam

Strong's Lexicon

yam: Sea

Original Word: יָם
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: yam
Pronunciation: yahm
Phonetic Spelling: (yawm)
Definition: Sea
Meaning: a sea, large body of water, the Mediterranean Sea, large river, an artifical basin, the west, the south

Word Origin: From an unused root meaning to roar

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - G2281 (θάλασσα, thalassa): Often used in the New Testament to refer to the sea, such as the Sea of Galilee or the Mediterranean Sea.

Usage: The Hebrew word "yam" primarily refers to a large body of water, such as a sea or ocean. It is used in the Bible to describe both literal seas, like the Mediterranean Sea, and metaphorical or symbolic seas, representing chaos or vastness. The term can also refer to large lakes or bodies of water, such as the Sea of Galilee.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Near Eastern cultures, the sea was often seen as a symbol of chaos and disorder, contrasting with the ordered world created by the gods. In the Hebrew Bible, the sea is sometimes depicted as a place of danger and mystery, yet it is also under God's sovereign control. The Israelites, primarily a land-based people, viewed the sea with a mixture of awe and trepidation.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
sea
NASB Translation
red* (24), sea (278), seacoast* (5), seas (27), seashore (1), seashore* (9), south (1), west (59), west side (4), western (1), westward (12).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

יָם₃₉₀ noun masculine^{Exodus 14:27} sea (Phoenician ים; Arabic ; Palmyrene בימא on the sea, Vog^{No. 79}; on Assyrian iâmu, (¹mu), sea, see Dl^{HWB 307} M-A^{CD 52} Hpt^{BAS i. 171 n}.) — absolute יָם 1 Samuel 13:5 +; יָ֫מָּה Genesis 28:14 +; construct יָם Genesis 14:3 23t., also יָ֫מָּה סוּף Exodus 10:19, but always יַםסֿוּף Exodus 13:18 22t.; suffix יַמָּהּ Jeremiah 51:36; plural יַמִּים Judges 5:17 29t.; — sea: especially

1 Mediterranean Numbers 13:29 (E), Numbers 34:5 (P), Deuteronomy 1:7; Joshua 5:1; 1 Kings 5:23 (twice in verse); Jonah 1:4 (twice in verse) + often; the Mediterranean is called also הַיָּם הַגָּדוֺל Numbers 34:6,7; Joshua 15:12,47; Ezekiel 48:28 +, compare וּרְחַב יָדַיִם ׳גּ ׳הַיּ Psalm 104:25; מְבוֺא ׳הַיָּם חַגּ הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ Joshua 1:4; Joshua 23:4 (see Assyrian name of Mediterranean tiamtu rabitu ša sulmu šamši, etc., Schr^{Namender Meere. 171 ff.}); אֶלמֿוּל הַלְּבָנוֺן ׳הַגּ ׳הַיּ Joshua 9:1; הָאַחֲרוֺן ׳הַיּ the hinder sea Deuteronomy 11:24; Deuteronomy 34:2; Zechariah 14:8; Joel 2:20 (in the last two opposed to הַקַּדְמֹנִי ׳הַיּ, see below); of Mediterranean in particular part יָם מְּלִשְׁתִּים Exodus 23:31 (JE); יָם יָפוֺ2Chron 2:15 = יָם יָפוֺא Ezra 3:7. **Of Mediterranean in plural Daniel 11:45 [compare 8 d] Hi Ke Meinh Bev Dr (world-encircling seas Behrm).

2 יַםסֿוּף 'Red Sea' (see סוּף) Exodus 13:18 (compare Exodus 10:19), Exodus 15:4; Numbers 14:25; Deuteronomy 1:40; Joshua 2:10; Judges 11:16 + often; also הַיָּם Exodus 14:2 (twice in verse); Exodus 14:9; Isaiah 51:10 (twice in verse); Isaiah 63:11 +; probably also יָםמִֿצְרַיִם Isaiah 11:15; 'Red Sea' named or referred to approximately 66 t.; יִםסֿוּף clearly of lanitic Gulf 1 Kings 9:26 (compare 2 Chronicles 8:17).

3 Dead Sea, יָם מֶלַח sea of salt Genesis 14:3; Numbers 34:3,12; Deuteronomy 3:17; Joshua 3:16; Joshua 12:3; Joshua 15:2,5; Joshua 18:19; יָם הָעֲרָבָה Deuteronomy 3:17; Deuteronomy 4:49; Joshua 3:16; Joshua 12:3; 2 Kings 14:25; הַקַּדְמֹנִי ׳הַי Ezekiel 47:18; Zechariah 14:8; Joel 2:29 (see above); simply יָם Isaiah 16:8; Jeremiah 48:32; — in יָם יַעְזֵר Jeremiah 48:32 יָם is textual error, strike out with Gf Gr Che Gie.

4 Sea of Galilee יָם כִּנֶּרֶת Numbers 34:11; Joshua 13:27; יָם כִּנְּרוֺת Joshua 12:3; simply יָם Deuteronomy 33:23.

5 more Generally sea, opposed to earth and (or) sky Genesis 1:26,28; Genesis 9:2 (P), Exodus 20:11 (E), Haggai 2:6 #NAME? Job, Psalms, Isa² etc.; Amos 6:12 read בַּבָּקָר יָם for בקרים (see בָּקָר); sea as under earth Psalm 24:2 (compare Genesis 1:10; Genesis 6:11; Exodus 20:5 = Deuteronomy 5:3); figurative of flood of invaders, עָלָה עַלבָּֿבֶל הַיָּם Jeremiah 51:42.

6 of a mighty river, the Nile Nahum 3:8 (twice in verse); Isaiah 19:5 ("" נָהָר); compare הַתַּנִּין אֲשֶׁר בַּיָּם Isaiah 27:1 and כַּתַּנִּים בַּיַּמִּים Ezekiel 32:2 (simile of Pharaoh); of Euphrates Isaiah 21:1; Jeremiah 51:36 (according to Che Gf and others; Isaiah 21:1 perhaps better of Persian Gulf, see Di).

7 the great basin in temple-court, called the sea: וַיַּעַשׂ אֶתהַֿיָּם מוּצָק 1 Kings 7:23 2Chronicles 4:2; יָם הַנְּחשֶׁת 2 Kings 25:13; 1 Chronicles 18:8; Jeremiah 52:17; הַיָּם alone 1 Kings 7:24,25 10t. Kings Chronicles + Jeremiah 52:20.

8 combinations are:

a. shore of sea, sea-shore שְׂפַת הַיָּם Joshua 11:4; 1 Kings 5:9, and in simile Genesis 22:17; Judges 7:12; 1 Samuel 13:5; ׳חוֺף הַי Joshua 9:1; Ezekiel 25:16; חוֺף יַמִּים Genesis 49:13; Judges 5:17; compare חֶבֶל הַיָּם Zephaniah 2:5 region by the sea; so Zephaniah 2:6 but dubious, see I. חֶבֶל

3. b. sand of the sea (shore) חוֺל הַיָּם (in simile) Genesis 32:13; Genesis 41:49; Hosea 2:1; Isaiah 10:22 + often (see חוֺל); חוֺל גְּבוּל לַיָּם Jeremiah 5:22.

c. לְשׁוֺן הַיָּם tongue (arm or gulf) of sea Joshua 15:5; Joshua 18:19; Isaiah 11:5.

d. מִיָּם עַדיָֿם Amos 8:12; Zechariah 9:10; Psalm 72:8, compare Micah 7:12; Zechariah 14:8 (twice in verse); Joel 2:20 (twice in verse); Daniel 11:45.

9 = (west, west-word (originally sea-ward, from position of Mediterranean with reference to Palestine, and this sense still often perceptible): with other three points of compass Genesis 13:14; Genesis 28:14 (J), Numbers 2:18; Numbers 35:5 (P), Deuteronomy 3:27; 1 Kings 7:25; 1 Chronicles 9:24; 2Chronicles 4:4; Ezekiel 42:19 6t. Ezekiel; Zechariah 14:4; Daniel 8:4; Psalm 107:3 (מִמִּזְרָח וּמִמַּעֲרָב מִצָּפוֺן וּמִיָּם; but read perhaps וּמִיָּמִן from the south, Hu Pe Bi Che); opposed to east Joshua 11:2; Joshua 16:6 16t. Ezekiel 48; west alone Genesis 12:8 (J); רוּהַ יָם Ezekiel 10:19 (J) west wind; מִיָּם לְ westward Joshua 8:9,12,13 +; יָ֫מָּה westward, often of tabernacle Exodus 26:22,27; Numbers 3:23 #NAME? Joshua 5:1; Joshua 15:8,10 etc., + often Ezekiel; דֶּרֶךְ הַיָּם = westward Ezekiel 41:12; גְּבוּל יָם western border Numbers 34:6 (twice in verse); Joshua 15:2; מְּאַתיָֿם west side Exodus 27:12; Exodus 38:12; Numbers 35:5; Joshua 18:14; מְּאַת דרך הים Ezekiel 41:12 (see further פאה).

[יַם] noun masculine sea (ᵑ7 Syriac; see B יָם, √ ימם); — emphatic יַמָּא Daniel 7:2,3.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

a sea, the Mediterranean Sea;

From an unused root meaning to roar; a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the south -- sea (X -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern, side, -ward).

Forms and Transliterations

בְּיַם־ בְיַם־ בַּ֝יַּמִּ֗ים בַּיַּמִּ֔ים בַּיַּמִּ֛ים בַּיַּמִּים֙ בַּיָּ֑ם בַּיָּ֔ם בַּיָּ֖ם בַּיָּ֜ם בַּיָּ֣ם בַּיָּ֤ם בַּיָּ֥ם בַּיָּֽם׃ בַּיָּם֙ בַיָּ֑ם בַיָּ֖ם בַיָּ֣ם בַיָּֽם׃ בַיָּם֙ בים בים־ בים׃ בימים הֲ‍ֽיָם־ הַ֝יָּ֗ם הַ֠יָּם הַ֭יָּם הַיַּמִּים֙ הַיָּ֑ם הַיָּ֑מָּה הַיָּ֔ם הַיָּ֔מָּה הַיָּ֖ם הַיָּ֖מָּה הַיָּ֗ם הַיָּ֗מָּה הַיָּ֛ם הַיָּ֜ם הַיָּ֣ם הַיָּ֤ם הַיָּ֥ם הַיָּ֥מָּה הַיָּ֧ם הַיָּֽם׃ הַיָּֽמָּה׃ הַיָּם֒ הַיָּם֙ הַיָּם֩ הים ה‍ים־ הים׃ הימה הימה׃ הימים וְהַיָּ֕ם וְהַיָּ֖ם וְהַיָּ֥ם וְהַיָּם֙ וְיָ֖מָּה וְיָ֗מָּה וְיָ֙מָּה֙ וְיָ֣ם וְיָ֥ם וָיָ֑מָּה וָיָ֔מָּה וָיָֽמָּה׃ וּמִיָּ֔ם וּמִיָּֽם׃ והים וים וימה וימה׃ ומים ומים׃ יַ֝מִּ֗ים יַ֭מִּים יַם־ יַמִּ֑ים יַמִּ֔ים יַמִּ֖ים יַמִּ֣ים יַמִּֽים׃ יַמִּים֙ יַמָּ֔הּ יָ֑ם יָ֑מָּה יָ֔ם יָ֔מָּה יָ֕מָּה יָ֖ם יָ֖מָּה יָ֗ם יָ֗מָּה יָ֙מָּה֙ יָ֜ם יָ֜מָּה יָ֝֗ם יָ֣ם יָ֣ם ׀ יָ֣מָּה יָ֤ם יָ֥ם יָ֥מָּה יָ֧ם יָ֧מָּה יָ֨ם יָ֨ם ׀ יָ֨מָּה יָ֭ם יָֽם׃ יָֽמָּה׃ יָם֒ יָם֙ יָם־ ים ים־ ים׃ ימה ימה׃ ימים ימים׃ כַּיָּ֛ם כַּיָּ֣ם כים לְיַם־ לַיָּ֔ם לַיָּ֖ם לַיָּ֛מָּה לַיָּ֥ם לַיָּ֨ם ׀ לים לים־ לימה מִיַּם־ מִיַּמִּ֑ים מִיַּמִּ֔ים מִיַּמִּ֖ים מִיָּ֑ם מִיָּ֔ם מִיָּ֖ם מִיָּ֗ם מִיָּ֣ם מִיָּ֥ם מִיָּֽם׃ מִיָּם֙ מֵֽהַיָּ֑ם מהים מים מים־ מים׃ מימים baiYam baiyamMim bay·yām ḇay·yām bay·yam·mîm bayyām ḇayyām bayyammîm bə·yam- ḇə·yam- beyam bəyam- ḇəyam- haiYam haiYammah haiyamMim Haiyom hay·yām hay·yām·māh hay·yam·mîm hayam hăyām- hayyām hayyāmmāh hayyammîm kaiYam kay·yām kayyām laiYam laiYammah lay·yām lay·yām·māh layyām layyāmmāh lə·yam- leyam ləyam- mê·hay·yām mehaiYam mêhayyām mî·yām mî·yam- mî·yam·mîm miYam mîyām mîyam- miyamMim mîyammîm ū·mî·yām umiYam ūmîyām vaiYam vaYammah vehaiYam veyam veYammah wā·yām·māh wāyāmmāh wə·hay·yām wə·yām wə·yām·māh wəhayyām wəyām wəyāmmāh yam yām yam- yām- yam·māh yām·māh yam·mîm Yammah yammāh yāmmāh yamMim yammîm yom

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 1:10
HEB: הַמַּ֖יִם קָרָ֣א יַמִּ֑ים וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים
NAS: He called seas; and God
KJV: called he Seas: and God
INT: of the waters called seas saw and God

Genesis 1:22
HEB: אֶת־ הַמַּ֙יִם֙ בַּיַּמִּ֔ים וְהָע֖וֹף יִ֥רֶב
NAS: the waters in the seas, and let birds
KJV: the waters in the seas, and let fowl
INT: and fill the waters the seas birds multiply

Genesis 1:26
HEB: וְיִרְדּוּ֩ בִדְגַ֨ת הַיָּ֜ם וּבְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם
NAS: over the fish of the sea and over the birds
KJV: over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl
INT: rule the fish of the sea the birds of the sky

Genesis 1:28
HEB: וּרְד֞וּ בִּדְגַ֤ת הַיָּם֙ וּבְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם
NAS: over the fish of the sea and over the birds
KJV: over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl
INT: and rule the fish of the sea the birds of the sky

Genesis 9:2
HEB: וּֽבְכָל־ דְּגֵ֥י הַיָּ֖ם בְּיֶדְכֶ֥ם נִתָּֽנוּ׃
NAS: the fish of the sea, into your hand
KJV: and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand
INT: and all the fish of the sea your hand are given

Genesis 12:8
HEB: בֵּֽית־ אֵ֤ל מִיָּם֙ וְהָעַ֣י מִקֶּ֔דֶם
NAS: with Bethel on the west and Ai
KJV: [having] Bethel on the west, and Hai
INT: his tent Bethel the west and Ai the east

Genesis 13:14
HEB: וָנֶ֖גְבָּה וָקֵ֥דְמָה וָיָֽמָּה׃
NAS: and eastward and westward;
KJV: and eastward, and westward:
INT: and southward and eastward and westward

Genesis 14:3
HEB: הַשִּׂדִּ֑ים ה֖וּא יָ֥ם הַמֶּֽלַח׃
NAS: of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea).
KJV: which is the salt sea.
INT: of Siddim which sea is the Salt

Genesis 22:17
HEB: עַל־ שְׂפַ֣ת הַיָּ֑ם וְיִרַ֣שׁ זַרְעֲךָ֔
NAS: which is on the seashore; and your seed
KJV: and as the sand which [is] upon the sea shore;
INT: and shore the sea shall possess and your seed

Genesis 28:14
HEB: הָאָ֔רֶץ וּפָרַצְתָּ֛ יָ֥מָּה וָקֵ֖דְמָה וְצָפֹ֣נָה
NAS: and you will spread out to the west and to the east
KJV: and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east,
INT: of the earth will spread to the west the east the north

Genesis 32:12
HEB: זַרְעֲךָ֙ כְּח֣וֹל הַיָּ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־
NAS: as the sand of the sea, which
KJV: as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered
INT: your descendants as the sand of the sea which not

Genesis 41:49
HEB: בָּ֛ר כְּח֥וֹל הַיָּ֖ם הַרְבֵּ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד
NAS: like the sand of the sea, until
KJV: as the sand of the sea, very
INT: grain the sand of the sea much great

Genesis 49:13
HEB: זְבוּלֻ֕ן לְח֥וֹף יַמִּ֖ים יִשְׁכֹּ֑ן וְהוּא֙
NAS: will dwell at the seashore; And he [shall be] a haven
KJV: at the haven of the sea; and he [shall be] for an haven
INT: Zebulun and he a haven of the sea will dwell he

Exodus 10:19
HEB: יְהוָ֤ה רֽוּחַ־ יָם֙ חָזָ֣ק מְאֹ֔ד
NAS: strong west wind
KJV: strong west wind,
INT: the LORD wind west strong A very

Exodus 10:19
HEB: הָ֣אַרְבֶּ֔ה וַיִּתְקָעֵ֖הוּ יָ֣מָּה סּ֑וּף לֹ֤א
NAS: them into the Red Sea; not one
KJV: them into the Red sea; there remained
INT: the locusts and drove Sea the Red not

Exodus 13:18
HEB: דֶּ֥רֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּ֖ר יַם־ ס֑וּף וַחֲמֻשִׁ֛ים
NAS: to the Red Sea; and the sons
KJV: of the Red sea: and the children
INT: the way of the wilderness Sea of the Red martial

Exodus 14:2
HEB: מִגְדֹּ֖ל וּבֵ֣ין הַיָּ֑ם לִפְנֵי֙ בַּ֣עַל
NAS: Migdol and the sea; you shall camp
KJV: between Migdol and the sea, over against
INT: Migdol between and the sea front of Baal-zephon

Exodus 14:2
HEB: תַחֲנ֖וּ עַל־ הַיָּֽם׃
NAS: opposite it, by the sea.
KJV: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.
INT: shall camp by the sea

Exodus 14:9
HEB: חֹנִ֣ים עַל־ הַיָּ֔ם כָּל־ סוּס֙
NAS: them camping by the sea, beside
KJV: them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth,
INT: camping beside the sea them all the horses

Exodus 14:16
HEB: יָדְךָ֛ עַל־ הַיָּ֖ם וּבְקָעֵ֑הוּ וְיָבֹ֧אוּ
NAS: over the sea and divide
KJV: thine hand over the sea, and divide
INT: your hand over the sea and divide shall go

Exodus 14:16
HEB: יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל בְּת֥וֹךְ הַיָּ֖ם בַּיַּבָּשָֽׁה׃
NAS: the midst of the sea on dry land.
KJV: [ground] through the midst of the sea.
INT: of Israel the midst of the sea dry

Exodus 14:21
HEB: יָדוֹ֮ עַל־ הַיָּם֒ וַיּ֣וֹלֶךְ יְהוָ֣ה ׀
NAS: over the sea; and the LORD
KJV: his hand over the sea; and the LORD
INT: his hand over the sea swept and the LORD

Exodus 14:21
HEB: יְהוָ֣ה ׀ אֶת־ הַ֠יָּם בְּר֨וּחַ קָדִ֤ים
NAS: swept the sea [back] by a strong
KJV: and the LORD caused the sea to go
INT: swept and the LORD the sea wind east

Exodus 14:21
HEB: וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־ הַיָּ֖ם לֶחָרָבָ֑ה וַיִּבָּקְע֖וּ
NAS: and turned the sea into dry land,
KJV: and made the sea dry
INT: night and turned the sea dry were divided

Exodus 14:22
HEB: יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל בְּת֥וֹךְ הַיָּ֖ם בַּיַּבָּשָׁ֑ה וְהַמַּ֤יִם
NAS: the midst of the sea on the dry land,
KJV: into the midst of the sea upon the dry
INT: of Israel the midst of the sea the dry and the waters

396 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 3220
396 Occurrences

bay·yām — 15 Occ.
bay·yam·mîm — 5 Occ.
bə·yam- — 3 Occ.
hay·yām — 134 Occ.
hay·yām·māh — 10 Occ.
hay·yam·mîm — 1 Occ.
hay·yām — 5 Occ.
hăyām- — 1 Occ.
kay·yām — 4 Occ.
lay·yām — 5 Occ.
lay·yām·māh — 1 Occ.
lə·yam- — 1 Occ.
mê·hay·yām — 1 Occ.
mî·yām — 18 Occ.
mî·yam·mîm — 3 Occ.
ū·mî·yām — 3 Occ.
ḇay·yām — 8 Occ.
wā·yām·māh — 3 Occ.
wə·hay·yām — 7 Occ.
ḇə·yam- — 5 Occ.
wə·yām·māh — 3 Occ.
yām — 84 Occ.
yām·māh — 48 Occ.
yam·mîm — 21 Occ.
yām- — 7 Occ.