H3206 H3206
Child, boy, youth — a young human from infancy through adolescence; rarely, the young of animals
A straightforward term for a young person, spanning infancy to adolescence. It appears with particular density in the patriarchal narratives — Hagar's son in the wilderness (Gen 21:14–16), Jacob's children meeting Esau (Gen 33:1–14), and the baby Moses hidden among the reeds (Exod 2:3–10). Unlike בֵּן ('son'), which emphasizes lineage, יֶלֶד foregrounds age and vulnerability. The plural יְלָדִים often means simply 'children' or 'young ones.' In a handful of poetic passages, the word extends to animal offspring — the young of wild creatures crying to God for food (Job 38:41) or lying peacefully beside the cow (Isa 11:7). Spanish 'niño,' French 'enfant,' and German 'Kind' all capture this same range.
Senses
1. child, boy, youth — A young human being — child, boy, or youth from infancy through adolescence. Covers singular and plural, masculine forms with feminine referents sometimes implied. Spanish 'niño,' French 'enfant,' German 'Kind,' and Arabic 'طفل' uniformly indicate a young person rather than a relational category like 'son.' Central passages include Gen 21:8 ('the child grew and was weaned'), Exod 2:6 ('she saw the child, and behold, the baby was crying'), and Ruth 4:16 ('Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap'). 86×
AR["الصَّبِيِّ", "الوَلَدَ", "الوَلَدُ", "الوَلَدِ", "الْوَلَدَ", "الْوَلَدُ", "الْوَلَدِ"]·ben["-বাচ্চা", "-বাচ্চার", "শিশু", "শিশুকে", "শিশুটি", "শিশুটিকে", "শিশুটির", "শিশুর", "সেই-শিশুকে"]·DE["das-Kind", "der-Kind", "der-gebar", "des-Kindes"]·EN["the-child"]·FR["le-enfant"]·heb["ה-ילד"]·HI["बचचē-की", "बचचा", "बच्चा", "बच्चे", "बच्चे-के", "बालक", "बालक-को"]·ID["anak", "anak-itu"]·IT["il-bambino"]·jav["kang-lare", "laré", "laré-punika", "sang-lare"]·KO["그-아이가", "그-아이를", "그-아이의", "그리고-젖을-먹였다", "안에-그것에", "이-것을"]·PT["a-criança", "o-menino"]·RU["-ребёнка", "-ребёнок", "дитя", "ребёнка", "ребёнок"]·ES["el-niño", "el-niño?"]·SW["chini", "mtoto", "na-akakweza", "wa-mtoto"]·TR["-çocuk", "-çocuğu", "-çocuğun", "çocuk", "çocuğu", "çocuğun"]·urd["بچہ", "بچے", "بچے-کی", "بچے-کے"]
2. young (of animals) — Young of animals — offspring or young creatures, extending the core meaning of 'child/young one' to the animal kingdom. Distinguished by context rather than morphology. French 'son enfant' and Spanish 'sus crías' shift to animal-specific vocabulary. Job 38:41 ('when its young cry to God') and Job 39:3 ('they crouch, they bring forth their young') use the word for wild animal offspring, while Isa 11:7 ('the lion's young shall lie down with the calf') envisions eschatological harmony. 4×
AR["(أَوْلَادُهُ)", "[أَوْلَادُهُ]", "أَوْلَادَهُنَّ", "أَوْلَادُهُمَا"]·ben["(তার-সন্তানেরা)", "[তার-সন্তান]", "তাদের-বাচ্চারা", "তাদের-শাবকদের"]·DE["Kind"]·EN["[its-young]", "its-young", "their-young"]·FR["enfant", "leur-enfant-elles", "son-enfant-lui"]·heb["ילדיהן", "ילדיו"]·HI["(उसके-बच्चे)", "[उसके-बच्चे]", "अपने-बच्चे", "उनके-बच्चे"]·ID["(anak-anaknya)", "[anaknya]", "anak-anak mereka", "anak-anak-mereka"]·IT["bambino", "bambino-loro", "bambino-suo"]·jav["(anak-ipun)", "[anak-ipun]", "anak-anak-ipun", "anak-anakipun"]·KO["그것-의-새끼들이", "그것들-의-새끼들을", "그들의-새끼들이"]·PT["(ketiv)", "crias-suas", "seus-filhotes"]·RU["[детёныши-его]", "детёнышей-своих", "детёныши-его", "детёныши-их"]·ES["(Q:sus-crías)", "[K:sus-crías]", "sus-crías"]·SW["[watoto-wake]", "watoto-wake", "watoto-wao"]·TR["(ketib)", "yavrulari", "yavruları", "yavrularını"]·urd["اس کے بچے", "اُن-کے-بچے", "اپنے-بچوں-کو"]
Related Senses
H0376 1. man, person, human male (2130×)H0251 1. brother (blood sibling) (573×)H0120 1. man, human being (individual/generic) (527×)H0802 1. woman, female person (519×)H0802 2. wife, spouse (255×)H0517 1. mother, female parent (217×)G0435 1. man, male person (202×)G1135 1. woman, adult female (190×)H2233 1. offspring, descendants (172×)H0001 2. ancestor, forefather (146×)H5288 1. Youth, young man (122×)H0269 1. sister (female sibling) (113×)H1755 1. generation, contemporaries (96×)G5043 1. child, offspring (89×)G0444 2. people, humankind (86×)H2145 1. male (human being) (79×)G3384 1. mother (77×)H6485a 1. Qal passive participle: numbered ones, enrollment (76×)H1397 1. man (strong/mighty) (65×)H5291 1. young woman, girl (58×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† יֶ֫לֶד89 n.m. Gn 21:8 child, son, boy, youth—יֶ֫לֶד abs. Gn 4:23 +; cstr. Je 31:20; יָ֑לֶד Gn 21:16 +; pl. יְלָדִים 33:1 +; cstr. יַלְדֵי Ex 2:6 + 2 times; יִלְדֵי־ Is 57:4; sf. יְלָדַי Gn 30:26; 2 K 4:1; יַלְדֵיהֶם Jb 21:11; יַלְדֵיהֶן Gn 33:2 + 4 times, etc.;— a. child = son, boy, Gn 21:8, 14, 15, 16; 37:30; 42:22 (all E), 32:23 (Dinah not included), cf. 30:26; 33:1, 2(×2), 5(×2), 6, 7, 13,…