Bible Word Study
יָאָה
yâʼâh · to be suitable
יָאָה
to be suitable
Definition
The Hebrew verb יָאָה (yâʼâh) means 'to be suitable, fitting, or appropriate.' It describes something that is proper or befitting a particular situation or person. In its single biblical occurrence in Jeremiah 10:7, it is used in a rhetorical question about God's unique majesty: 'Who would not fear you, O King of the nations? For this is your due (yâʼâh).' Here, it conveys what is rightfully and uniquely appropriate for God—the reverence and awe owed to Him alone as sovereign. The term implies a sense of inherent fitness or deservedness.
Biblical Usage
This verb is used only once in the Old Testament, in Jeremiah 10:7. It appears in a prophetic context emphasizing the supreme worthiness of Yahweh to receive fear and worship from all nations, in stark contrast to worthless idols. The usage is declarative, stating what is inherently fitting and proper for God's character and position.
Etymology
יָאָה is a primitive root in Hebrew. It is related to the Arabic root w-y-ʾ, meaning 'to be fitting.' The basic sense is of suitability or propriety. While it has only one attestation in the Hebrew Bible, its meaning is clear from context and cognate languages.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, this word carries significant theological weight. It underscores the doctrine of God's unique worthiness. The question in Jeremiah 10:7 uses יָאָה to declare that universal fear and worship are not merely optional responses but are what is inherently 'fitting' or 'due' to God as the true King. This enriches our reading by highlighting that worship is not just an act of devotion but a recognition of what is intrinsically proper and right given God's supreme nature and sovereignty. In the ancient Near Eastern context of Jeremiah, where nations had many gods and idols, declaring that fear was 'fitting' only for Yahweh was a radical statement of monotheism and divine supremacy. It contrasted the inherent worthiness of the living God with the complete unsuitability of worshipping man-made objects. נָאוָה (nâʼwâh, H4998) — often describes beauty or comeliness, a pleasing suitability; יָאַת (yâʼath, H2974) — a by-form with similar meaning of being suited or fit; כֵּן (kên, H3651) — can mean 'right, so, thus,' focusing on correctness rather than inherent fitness.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]