H3225 H3225
The right hand, right side, or south; denoting spatial direction, the hand as instrument of power, and the southern cardinal direction.
Yamin is one of those Hebrew nouns whose semantic range reveals an entire worldview. At its most concrete, it is simply the right hand — the hand of strength, skill, and blessing (Gen 48:13-14). From there it extends to the right side as a spatial direction ('turn neither to the right nor to the left'), and then, because ancient Israelites oriented themselves facing east, the right hand pointed south, giving yamin its geographic sense. The multilingual evidence is especially revealing: Spanish distinguishes diestra (the mighty right hand, often of God) from derecha (the directional right side), while Swahili mkono wa kulia and German rechte Hand preserve the body-part sense. The theological freight of God's right hand — the seat of power, protection, and honor — makes this word central to messianic expectation (Ps 110:1) and praise alike.
Senses
1. right side (direction / position) — The right side as a spatial direction or positional location — 73 occurrences. This covers turning right, standing at someone's right, the right side of an object or place, and the right as a position of honor or proximity. Abraham tells Lot 'if you go to the right, I will go to the left' (Gen 13:9); the priest's right ear, thumb, and toe receive the blood of consecration (Exod 29:20). Spanish derecha and French droite consistently select directional vocabulary here, while German nach-rechts and Korean 오른쪽 confirm the spatial-orientational framing distinct from the body-part sense. 73×
AR["اليَمينِ", "الْ-يَمِينَ", "الْيَمِينِ", "يَميناً", "يَمِينًا"]·ben["ডানে", "ডানে-"]·DE["Rechten", "bei-Rechte", "nach-rechts", "rechte", "rechte-Hand", "rechts"]·EN["and-on-left", "at-right", "right", "the-right", "to-the-right"]·FR["droit", "droite", "le-droit"]·heb["ה-ימין", "ימין"]·HI["दय", "दाईं", "दाएँ", "दाहिनी-ओर", "दाहिने", "दाहिने-ओर"]·ID["kanan", "ke-kanan"]·IT["destra", "il-destra"]·jav["nanging-luwe", "nengen", "tengen"]·KO["오른쪽", "오른쪽-으로", "오른쪽-을", "오른쪽과", "오른쪽으로", "오른쪽이면", "오른편에서"]·PT["a-direita", "direita", "à-direita"]·RU["-направо", "вправо", "направо", "ни-направо", "право", "справа"]·ES["a-derecha", "a-la-derecha", "derecha", "la-derecha"]·SW["kulia", "yamiyn"]·TR["-sağ", "sag", "saga", "sağa", "sağımın"]·urd["دائیں", "دائیں طرف", "دائیں-طرف", "داہنے", "داہنے-طرف"]
2. [split] right hand (body part / power) — The physical right hand as a body part and instrument of divine or royal power — 62 occurrences. This is the yamin of Exodus 15:6, 'Your right hand, O LORD, is glorious in power,' and of Psalm 110:1, where the king sits at God's right hand. The hand here is not merely directional but agentive — it acts, strikes, upholds, and blesses. Spanish diestra (vs. derecha) and Swahili mkono wa kulia both select body-part vocabulary. The theological concentration is remarkable: God's right hand rescues (Ps 17:7), creates (Ps 89:13), and sustains (Isa 41:10), making this sense a pillar of biblical theology of divine action. 0×
AR["يَمين", "يَمينُك", "يَمينُكَ", "يَمينِ", "يَمِينَ", "يَمِينَهُ", "يَمِينُكَ", "يَمِينُهُ", "يَمِينِ", "يَمِينِكَ", "يَمِينِهِ"]·ben["আপনার-ডান-হাত", "করছে", "ডান-তোমার।", "ডান-হাতকে", "ডান-হাতের-", "ডানহাত-তোমার।", "তাঁর-ডান-হাত", "তাঁর-ডান-হাতের", "তাঁর-দক্ষিণ-হাত", "তার-ডান-হাত", "তোমার-ডান-হাত", "তোমার-ডান-হাত।", "তোমার-দক্ষিণ-হাত", "তোমার-দক্ষিণ-হাতের", "দক্ষিণ-হস্ত-তোমার", "দক্ষিণ-হাত", "যিহোবার-ডান-হাত"]·DE["dein-Rechte", "der-Rechte-", "rechte-Hand", "sein-Rechte"]·EN["Your-right-hand", "his-right-hand", "the-right-hand-of", "your-right-hand"]·FR["droite", "sa-droite", "ta-droite"]·heb["ימין", "ימינ-ך", "ימינו", "ימינך"]·HI["अपनी-दाहिनी-ओर-की", "उसका-दाहिना", "उसके-दाहिने-हाथ-ने", "उसके-दाहिनेने", "तेरा-दाहिना", "तेरा-दाहिना-हाथ", "तेरे-दाहिने-हाथ-के", "तेरे-दाहिने-हाथ-ने", "दाहिना", "दाहिना-को", "दाहिना-हाथ", "दाहिना-हाथ-तेरा", "येमीन"]·ID["tangan-kanan", "tangan-kanan-Mu", "tangan-kanan-Nya", "tangan-kanannya"]·IT["destra", "la-sua-destra", "la-tua-destra"]·jav["Tengen", "asta-tengen", "asta-tengen-Panjenengan", "asta-tengen-ipun", "asta-tengenipun", "tangan-tengen-Panjenengan", "tangan-tengen-ipun", "tengen", "tengen-Panjenengan", "tengen-ipun"]·KO["그-의-오른손-을", "그-의-오른손-이", "당신-의-오른손-을", "당신-의-오른손-이", "오른손-을", "오른손-의", "오른손-이", "주-의-오른손-과", "주-의-오른손-을", "주-의-오른손-이", "주의-오른손이", "주의-오른편의"]·PT["A-destra", "a-destra", "a-destra-de", "a-sua-destra", "a-tua-direita", "da-destra", "de-sua-destra", "de-tua-destra", "direita-de-", "sua-destra", "tua-destra", "é-a-tua-destra"]·RU["Десница", "десница", "десница-Его", "десница-Твоя", "десницу", "десницу-его", "десницы", "десницы-Своей", "десницы-Твоей", "правицы"]·ES["La-diestra-de", "diestra-de", "diestra-de-el", "diestra-de-ti", "la-diestra-de", "la-diestra-de-", "su-diestra", "tu-diestra"]·SW["mkono-wa-kulia-wa", "mkono-wa-kuume-wa", "mkono-wake-wa-kulia", "mkono-wake-wa-kuume", "mkono-wako-wa-kulia", "mkono-wako-wa-kuume"]·TR["sağ-eli", "sağ-elin", "sağ-elini", "sağ-elinin", "sağı", "sağın", "sağının"]·urd["اُس-کا-دہنا-ہاتھ", "اُس-کے-داہنے-ہاتھ-کی", "اُس-کے-دہنے-ہاتھ-نے", "تیرا-داہنا-ہاتھ", "تیرا-دایاں-ہاتھ", "تیرا-دہنا-ہاتھ", "تیرے-دہنے-ہاتھ-نے", "تیرے-دہنے-ہاتھ-کے", "دائیں-ہاتھ", "داہنا-تیرا", "دہنا-ہاتھ"]
2. right hand (divine/royal power and authority) — Split from sense 102424. Criteria: Metaphorical use of the right hand as symbol and instrument of power, especially God's right hand that acts, strikes, upholds, creates, rescues; theological and royal contexts where the hand represents authority and effective action rather than literal anatomy 50×
AR["يَمين", "يَمينُك", "يَمينُكَ", "يَمينِ", "يَمِينَ", "يَمِينَهُ", "يَمِينُكَ", "يَمِينُهُ", "يَمِينِ", "يَمِينِكَ", "يَمِينِهِ"]·ben["আপনার-ডান-হাত", "করছে", "ডান-তোমার।", "ডান-হাতকে", "ডান-হাতের-", "ডানহাত-তোমার।", "তাঁর-ডান-হাত", "তাঁর-ডান-হাতের", "তাঁর-দক্ষিণ-হাত", "তার-ডান-হাত", "তোমার-ডান-হাত", "তোমার-ডান-হাত।", "তোমার-দক্ষিণ-হাত", "তোমার-দক্ষিণ-হাতের", "দক্ষিণ-হস্ত-তোমার", "দক্ষিণ-হাত", "যিহোবার-ডান-হাত"]·DE["dein-Rechte", "der-Rechte-", "rechte-Hand", "sein-Rechte"]·EN["Your-right-hand", "his-right-hand", "the-right-hand-of", "your-right-hand"]·FR["droite", "sa-droite", "ta-droite"]·heb["ימין", "ימינ-ך", "ימינו", "ימינך"]·HI["अपनी-दाहिनी-ओर-की", "उसका-दाहिना", "उसके-दाहिने-हाथ-ने", "उसके-दाहिनेने", "तेरा-दाहिना", "तेरा-दाहिना-हाथ", "तेरे-दाहिने-हाथ-के", "तेरे-दाहिने-हाथ-ने", "दाहिना", "दाहिना-को", "दाहिना-हाथ", "दाहिना-हाथ-तेरा", "येमीन"]·ID["tangan-kanan", "tangan-kanan-Mu", "tangan-kanan-Nya", "tangan-kanannya"]·IT["destra", "la-sua-destra", "la-tua-destra"]·jav["Tengen", "asta-tengen", "asta-tengen-Panjenengan", "asta-tengen-ipun", "asta-tengenipun", "tangan-tengen-Panjenengan", "tangan-tengen-ipun", "tengen", "tengen-Panjenengan", "tengen-ipun"]·KO["그-의-오른손-을", "그-의-오른손-이", "당신-의-오른손-을", "당신-의-오른손-이", "오른손-을", "오른손-의", "오른손-이", "주-의-오른손-과", "주-의-오른손-을", "주-의-오른손-이", "주의-오른손이", "주의-오른편의"]·PT["A-destra", "a-destra", "a-destra-de", "a-sua-destra", "a-tua-direita", "da-destra", "de-sua-destra", "de-tua-destra", "direita-de-", "sua-destra", "tua-destra", "é-a-tua-destra"]·RU["Десница", "десница", "десница-Его", "десница-Твоя", "десницу", "десницу-его", "десницы", "десницы-Своей", "десницы-Твоей", "правицы"]·ES["La-diestra-de", "diestra-de", "diestra-de-el", "diestra-de-ti", "la-diestra-de", "la-diestra-de-", "su-diestra", "tu-diestra"]·SW["mkono-wa-kulia-wa", "mkono-wa-kuume-wa", "mkono-wake-wa-kulia", "mkono-wake-wa-kuume", "mkono-wako-wa-kulia", "mkono-wako-wa-kuume"]·TR["sağ-eli", "sağ-elin", "sağ-elini", "sağ-elinin", "sağı", "sağın", "sağının"]·urd["اُس-کا-دہنا-ہاتھ", "اُس-کے-داہنے-ہاتھ-کی", "اُس-کے-دہنے-ہاتھ-نے", "تیرا-داہنا-ہاتھ", "تیرا-دایاں-ہاتھ", "تیرا-دہنا-ہاتھ", "تیرے-دہنے-ہاتھ-نے", "تیرے-دہنے-ہاتھ-کے", "دائیں-ہاتھ", "داہنا-تیرا", "دہنا-ہاتھ"]
3. south (cardinal direction) — The south as a cardinal geographic direction — 5 occurrences arising from the Hebrew spatial orientation where one faces east, so the right hand points south. In 1 Samuel 23:19 and 23:24 David hides 'south of Jeshimon'; in Psalm 89:12 God created 'the north and the south.' The multilingual evidence is striking: entirely distinct lexemes appear in nearly every language — Spanish sur, German Suden, Swahili kusini — confirming that translators recognize this as a genuinely different semantic domain. The body-part origin is etymologically transparent but synchronically opaque to non-Hebrew speakers. 5×
AR["مِنْ-يَمِينِ", "وَالْيَمِينُ", "يَمِينًا", "يَمِينَ", "يَمِينِ"]·ben["এবং-দক্ষিণ", "ডানে", "দক্ষিণ", "দক্ষিণে"]·DE["rechte-Hand", "south-von", "und-der-Rechte", "von-south-von"]·EN["and-the-south", "from-south-of", "south", "south-of"]·FR["de-south-de", "droite", "et-droite", "south-de"]·heb["ו-ימין", "ימין", "מ-ימין"]·HI["और-दक्षिण", "दक्षिण-को", "दाहिने", "दाहिने-ओर"]·ID["dan-selatan", "di-sebelah-selatan", "kanan", "ke-selatan", "sebelah-selatan"]·IT["da-sud-di", "destra", "e-destra", "sud-di"]·jav["ing-sisih-kidul", "lan-kidul", "sisih-kidul", "sisih-tengen", "tengen"]·KO["남-을", "오른쪽", "오른쪽에", "오른쪽으로"]·PT["direita-de", "e-o-sul", "à-direita", "à-direita-de"]·RU["и-юг", "на-юг", "справа", "справа-от-", "югу-от-"]·ES["al-sur", "al-sur-de", "derecha-de", "sur-de", "y-sur"]·SW["kulia-ya", "kusini", "kusini-mwa", "na-kusini"]·TR["-güneyinde", "güneyde", "güneyine", "sağında", "ve-güney"]·urd["اور-جنوب", "دائیں", "دائیں-طرف", "داہنے"]
3. right hand (body part, physical) — Split from sense 102424. Criteria: The physical right hand as a body part used for grasping, holding objects, physical actions; 'hand of' constructions referring to the anatomical member 12×
AR["بِ-يَمِينِهِ", "بِيَمِينِهِ", "فِي-يَمِينِهَا", "فِي-يَمِينِهِ", "فِي-يَمِينِي", "وَيَمِينُهُ", "وِ-يِمِينُو", "يَمِينَكَ", "يَمِينَهُ", "يَمِينِهِ"]·ben["আমার-ডান-হাতে", "এবং-তাঁর-ডান-হাত", "ডানে-তার", "তাঁর-ডানে", "তার-ডান", "তার-ডান-হাত", "তার-ডান-হাতে", "তার-ডানে", "তার-ডানের", "তোমার-ডান"]·DE["deine-Rechte", "in-seiner-Rechten", "mit-sein-rechts", "rechte-Hand", "rechts", "seine-Rechte", "seiner-Rechten", "und-rechte-Hand"]·EN["and-his-right-hand", "his-right-hand", "in-my-right-hand", "in-right-hand-his", "in-right-his", "is-in-her-right-hand", "of-his-right-hand", "right-his", "right-your", "with-his-right"]·FR["avec-son-droite", "dans-droit-son", "dans-sa-droite-elle", "droit-son", "droit-ton", "droite", "et-sa-droite", "son-droite-lui"]·heb["ב-ימינה", "ב-ימינו", "ב-ימינו-ו", "ב-ימיני", "ו-ימינו", "ימינו", "ימינו-ו", "ימינך-ך"]·HI["अपने-दाहिने-से", "और-उसका-दाहिना", "और-दाहिनी-उसकी", "दाहिना-हाथ", "दाहिने-अपने", "दाहिने-उसके-में", "दाहिने-का-अपने", "दाहिने-में-अपने", "दाहिने-हाथ-अपने", "में-उसके-दाहिने", "में-दाहिने-मेरे"]·ID["dan-tangan-kanannya", "dengan-tangan-kanannya", "di-kanannya", "di-tangan-kananku", "di-tangan-kanannya", "kanannya", "tangan-kananmu", "tangan-kanannya"]·IT["con-suo-destra", "destra", "destra-suo", "destra-tuo", "e-destra-suo", "in-destra-sua", "in-destra-suo"]·jav["Ing-tengenipun", "asta-tengen-ipun", "ing-tangan-tengen", "ing-tengen", "lan-astanipun-tengen", "tangan-tengen-nipun", "tangan-tengenipun", "tengen-nipun", "tengen-panjenengan", "wonten-ing-asta-tengen-kula", "wonten-tengen-nipun"]·KO["그녀-의-오른손-에", "그리고-그-오른손-이", "그의-오른손-안에", "그의-오른손과", "그의-오른손에", "그의-오른손을", "그의-오른손의", "나의-오른손에", "네-오른손을"]·PT["Em-sua-direita", "e-sua-mão-direita", "em-destra-minha", "em-sua-direita", "mão-direita-sua", "sua-direita", "tua-direita"]·RU["в-деснице-моей", "в-правой-руке-её,", "в-правую-руку-его", "в-правую-руку-свою", "и-правая-его", "правой-руки-своей", "правой-рукой-своей", "правую-руку-свою", "правую-руку-твою", "правую-свою"]·ES["En-su-derecha", "con-su-derecha", "derecha-su", "en-mi-diestra", "en-su-derecha", "su-derecha", "su-mano-derecha", "tu-derecha", "y-su-derecha"]·SW["Mkono-wake-wa-kulia", "katika-mkono-wake-wa-kuume", "kulia-wake", "kwa-mkono-wake-wa-kulia", "mkono-wake-wa-kulia", "mkono-wako-wa-kulia", "mkononi-mwangu-wa-kulia", "na-mkono-wake-wa-kulia"]·TR["-de-sağında", "sagimda", "sağ-elinde-onun", "sağ-elinin", "sağına", "sağında", "sağını", "ve-sag-eli"]·urd["اور-اس-کا-داہنا-ہاتھ", "اپنا-داہنا-ہاتھ", "اپنے-دائیں-میں", "دائیں-اپنا", "دائیں-اپنے", "دائیں-اپنے-میں", "داہنے-اپنے-کا", "داہنے-ہاتھ-میں", "داہنے-ہاتھ-میں-اُس-کے", "میرے-دائیں-ہاتھ-میں"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)H8033 1. There (locative adverb) (835×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
I. יָמִין137 n.f. Ex 15:6 (Pr 27:16 no except, v. Now Str) right hand (NH id.; SI3 מימן on the right; Aramaic יַמִּינָא, ܝܰܡܺܝܢܳܐ; Arabic يَمِينٌ right, right side, right hand, south; Ethiopic የማን right hand, ይምን right side; Sab. ימן right hand, ימנת south, are also quoted; Assyrian imnu, right, right side, on the right, DlHWB 307)—abs. יָמִין Gn 13:9 + 40 times; cstr. יְמִין 1 S 23:24 + 19…