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.
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"]
Gen 21:8, Gen 21:14, Gen 21:15, Gen 21:16, Gen 33:1, Gen 33:5, Gen 33:5, Gen 33:13, Gen 33:14, Exod 2:3, Exod 2:6, Exod 2:7 (+38 more)
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
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×)H0001 1. father, immediate male parent (1031×)H0251 1. brother (blood sibling) (573×)H0120 1. man, human being (individual/generic) (527×)H0802 1. woman, female person (519×)G0444 1. human being, person (469×)G3962 1. father or divine Father (413×)G0080 1. brother, fellow believer (343×)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×)
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,…