יָסַד H3245
To found, lay a foundation, establish; Nifal: be founded; also: to take counsel together, conspire
A verb of foundations both literal and cosmic, yasad anchors some of the Bible's most architecturally vivid and theologically profound passages. Its concrete core appears when Solomon 'laid the foundation' of the temple (1 Kgs 5:17; 6:37) and when the returned exiles 'founded' the second temple amid weeping and shouting (Ezra 3:10-12). But the same root reaches cosmic scale when the psalmist declares 'You founded the earth' (Ps 104:5) and God challenges Job 'Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?' (Job 38:4). Isaiah's divine speeches deploy it for both cosmogony and eschatological promise: 'my hand laid the foundation of the earth' (Isa 48:13) and 'I will set your stones in antimony' (Isa 54:11). A remarkable semantic extension appears in the Nifal, where 'founding together' shifts to 'taking counsel together' — kings conspire (Ps 2:2) and enemies plot (Ps 31:13) — as if establishing a shared foundation of purpose.
1. found, establish (Qal active) — The active Qal sense of founding, establishing, or laying a foundation — the most frequent usage across 17 occurrences covering both earthly construction and divine cosmogony. God 'founded the earth upon the seas' (Ps 24:2); 'by wisdom the LORD founded the earth' (Prov 3:19); Job is challenged 'where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?' (Job 38:4). Spanish fundar and German grunden uniformly map to this foundational sense. The Chronicler applies it to temple construction (2 Chr 31:7), while Isaiah extends it to eschatological rebuilding (Isa 54:11). The theological weight is immense: the same verb that describes laying stones describes God's primordial creative act. 17×
AR["أَسَّستَ","أَسَّستَهُ","أَسَّسَ-","أَسَّسَتْ","أَسَّسَهَا","أَسَّسْتَهَا","حِينَ-أَسَّسْتُ-","عِنْدَ-تَأْسِيسِهِ","لِـ-يُؤَسِّسُوا","وَ-أُؤَسِّسُكِ","وَ-لِـ-أُؤَسِّسَ"]·ben["-আমার-ভিত্তি-স্থাপনে-","-এবং-আমি-তোমার-ভিত্তি-স্থাপন-করব","-এবং-ভিত্তি-স্থাপন-করতে","-তার-প্রতিষ্ঠায়","তাকে-প্রতিষ্ঠা-করেছেন","তাদের-স্থাপন-করেছ","তিনি-এটিকে-প্রতিষ্ঠিত-করেছিলেন","তিনি-প্রতিষ্ঠা-করেছেন-তাকে","তিনি-স্থাপন-করেছেন","তুমি-তাদের-স্থাপন-করেছ","তুমি-স্থাপন-করেছ","তুমি-স্থাপন-করেছিলে","প্রতিষ্ঠা-করেছিল-এটা","ভিত্তি-স্থাপন-করতে","ভিত্তি-স্থাপন-করেছে","স্থাপন-করেছেন-"]·DE["[ביסדו]","[ביסדי]","[יסד]","[יסדה]","[יסדתו]","[ליסוד]","gruenden","gründete","und-gruenden"]·EN["He-founded","You-founded","You-have-founded-them","and-I-will-found-you","and-to-found","founded","founded-it","founded-them","he-founded-it","to-lay-foundation","when-I-founded-","when-founded","you-founded","you-have-established-him"]·FR["dans-ביסדי-moi","et-fonder","fonder","il-a-fondé","tu-as-fondé","יסד"]·heb["ב-יוסדי","ב-יסדו-ו","ו-ייסדתיך","ו-ל-יסוד","ייסדה","יסד","יסדה","יסדת","יסדתו","יסדתם","ל-יסוד"]·HI["उसने-स्थापित-किया-इसे","उसने-स्थापित-की-","और-तेरी-नींव-रखूँगा","और-नींव-रखने-के-लिए","जब-नींव-रखी-गई-थी","तूने-स्थापित-किया","तूने-स्थापित-किया-उन्हें","तूने-स्थापित-किया-उसे","तूने-स्थापित-की","नींव-रखी","बनाने","मेरे-नींव-डालते-समय","स्थापित-किया-","स्थापित-किया-उसे"]·ID["Dia-mendirikannya","Engkau-letakkan-dasar","Engkau-menetapkannya","Engkau-menetapkannya.","Engkau-tetapkan","dan-Aku-meletakkan-dasar-mu","dan-untuk-meletakkan-dasar","ditumpuk","ketika-Aku mendirikan-","ketika-diletakkan-dasar","meletakkan-dasar","meletakkan-dasarnya","mendirikan-","mendirikannya"]·IT["e-fondare","fondare","fondo'","founded","in-quando-Io-founded-mio"]·jav["Paduka-sampun-ngadegaken","Panjenengan-netepaken","Panjenengan-sampun-namtokaken","Panjenengan-sampun-ndasari","Panjenengan-sampun-ngadegaken","Panjenenganipun-ngadegaken","ing-dipun-adegaken","kang-","kanggé-pondasi","lan-Kula-badhé-ndhasari-panjenengan","lan-ndhasaraken","mbangun","nalika-Kula-mbangun-dhasar","ndhasari","ngadegaken","ngedegaken","sampun-ndhasaraken"]·KO["그가-세우셨도다","그리고-네-기초를-놓으리라","그리고-놓으려고-","내가-놓을-때에","놓다","놓았고","놓으셨도다","당신-이-놓으셨도다","당신-이-정하셨도다","세우셨나이다","세우셨나이다-그것들-을","세우셨다","세우셨다-그것-을","세우셨음이라","세웠으니","에-그것-의-놀여짐","주-께서-세우셨나이다-그-를"]·PT["Fundou","a-fundou","ao-ser-fundada","e-para-fundar","e-te-fundarei","fundaste","fundou","o-fundaste","os-fundaste","para-fundar","quando-fundei-","que-fundaste","que-fundou"]·RU["Основал-","и-основать","и-основываю-тебя","основал-","основал-Он-её","основал-Ты","основал-Ты-их","основал-его","основал-ее","основал-её","основал-их","основала","при-основании-Мною-","при-основании-его","укладывать","утвердил"]·ES["Fundó","a-fundar","al-ser-fundada","cuando-fundé-","fundaste","fundó","la-fundó","la-ha-fundado","lo-fundaste","los-fundaste","y-para-fundar","y-te-fundaré"]·SW["aliiumba","aliiweka","aliiweka-msingi","ameisimamisha","ilianzisha","ilipowekwa-msingi","lyisּwod","na-kuweka-msingi-wa-","na-nitakuweka-msingi","uliiweka","ulipaandaa","uliviumba","umemweka","umeziimarisha","wakati-niliweka-msingi-wa"]·TR["kurdu","kurdu-","kurdu-onu","kurdun","kurdun-onları","kurdun-onu","kurduğumda-","kurmaya","temel-atildiginda","ve-kuracagim-seni","ve-kurmak-icin-"]·urd["اور-بناؤں-گا-تیری-بنیاد","اور-بنیاد-ڈالنے-کے-لیے","اُسے-قائم-کیا","بنایا-اُسے","بنایا-تُو-نے-اُنہیں","بنیاد رکھنے میں میرے","بنیاد-ڈالی","بِ-بنیاد-رکھنے-میں-اُس-کی","تو-نے-قائم-کیا","تُو-نے-قائم-کیا-اُسے","تُو-نے-مقرر-کی","رکھنا","قائم-کی","قائم-کیا","قائم-کیا-اُسے","قائم-کیا-تُو-نے"]
2 Chr 31:7, Ezra 3:12, Job 38:4, Ps 24:2, Ps 78:69, Ps 89:11, Ps 102:25, Ps 104:5, Ps 104:8, Ps 119:152, Prov 3:19, Isa 23:13 (+5 more)
▼ 5 more senses below
Senses
2. establish, lay foundation (Piel intensive) — The Piel intensive sense of deliberately establishing or founding — 10 occurrences emphasizing thoroughness and intentionality in the construction act. Joshua's curse invokes it: 'cursed is the man who rises up and builds this city Jericho; at the cost of his firstborn shall he lay its foundation' (Josh 6:26), fulfilled when Hiel 'laid its foundation' at the cost of Abiram (1 Kgs 16:34). The temple narratives use the Piel for the formal, ceremonial act of founding: Solomon's workers 'laid the foundation' (1 Kgs 5:17), and Ezra 3:10 describes the priests standing in their vestments when the 'foundation of the temple of the LORD was laid.' Spanish fundaron and French fonder confirm the deliberate, intensive force. 10×
AR["أَسَّسَ","أَسَّسَتَا","أَسَّسَهَا","أَسَّسْتَ","أُؤَسِّسُ","لِـ-يُؤَسِّسُوا","وَ-أَسَّسَ","يُؤَسِّسُها"]·ben["আদেশ-দিয়েছিলেন","আর-প্রতিষ্ঠা-করলেন","তুমি-প্রতিষ্ঠা-করেছ","পাথর","প্রতিষ্ঠা-করেছিল","প্রতিষ্ঠা-করেছেন","ভিত্তি-স্থাপন-করেছে","সে-ভিত্তি-স্থাপন-করল-তার","স্থাপন-করছি-আমি","স্থাপন-করবে-তাকে"]·DE["[ויסדו]","[יסד]","[יסדו]","er-laid-sein-foundation","er-soll-lag-sein-foundation","gruenden","gründete","zu-lag-der-foundation-von"]·EN["and-founded","established","founded","has-founded","he-laid-its-foundation","he-shall-lay-its-foundation","lay","to-lay-the-foundation-of","you-have-established"]·FR["et-fonder","fonder","il-devra-se-coucha-son-foundation","il-laid-son-fondation","tu-as-fondé","à-s'étendit-le-fondation-de"]·heb["ו-יסדו","ייסד","ייסדנה","יסד","יסדה","יסדו","יסדת","ל-יסד"]·HI["आदेश-दिया-था","और-जब-रखी-नींव","तूने-ठहराया-है","नियुक्त-किया","नींव-डालने-को","नींव-डाली","नींव-डाली-उसे","नींव-डालेगा-उसकी","नींव-रखी-है-उन्होंने","नींव-रखूंगा"]·ID["Dan-mereka-meletakkan-dasar","Engkau-menegakkan","dia-meletakkan-dasarnya","ditetapkan","ia-meletakkan-fondasinya","meletakkan","meletakkan-dasar","mendirikan","menetapkan","untuk-meletakkan-dasar"]·IT["a-giacque-il-fondamento-di","e-fondare","egli-dovere-lay-suo-foundation","egli-pose-suo-fondamento","fondare","fondo'"]·jav["Panjenengan-ndhasari","badhe-ngedegaken-pondasi","damel-dhasaripun","dhawuh","kagem-ndasari","kapasang","lan-ngadegaken","mbangun-dhasar","pasang","sampun-mbangun"]·KO["그리고-놀였다","기초를-놓으려고","기초를-놓으리라","놀았다-그것을","놓는다","놓았도다","세우셨나이다","세우셨도다","세웠다","정했다"]·PT["E-fundaram","a-fundará","estabeleceu","fundando","fundaram","fundaste","fundou","fundou-a","para-alicerce-de"]·RU["И-когда-основали","основал","основал-его","основали","оснует-его","повелел","утвердил","чтобы-заложить"]·ES["Y-fundaron","estableció","fundaron","fundaste","ha-fundado","he-puesto-por-fundamento","la-fundará","la-fundó","para-cimentar"]·SW["aliwaanzisha","aliweka-msingi-wake","ameuimarisha","ataweka-msingi-wake","imeweka-msingi-wa","kuweka-msingi-wa","mfalme","na-wakaweka-msingi","ninaweka","umeweka-msingi"]·TR["Ve-temel-attilar","atadı","emretti","koydum","kurdu","kurdun","temel-atmak-için","temelini-atacak","temelini-attı","temelini-attılar"]·urd["اور-بنیاد-رکھی","اُس-نے-بنیاد-رکھی","بنیاد-رکھی","بنیاد-ڈالی","بنیاد-ڈالے-گا-اُس-کی","تُو-نے-قائم-کی","حکم-دیا","رکھنے-کو-بنیاد","رکھوں-گا","مقرر-کیا"]
3. be founded, be established (Pual/Hofal passive) — The passive stems — Pual and Hofal — expressing 'was founded, was established, had its foundation laid' across 10 occurrences. These appear in construction chronology notes: 'in the fourth year the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid' (1 Kgs 6:37); 'when the foundation of this house was laid before your eyes' (Hag 2:3; cf. Ezra 3:6, 11). The Pual participle musadoth ('founded, established') describes the great stones of the temple platform (1 Kgs 7:10) and appears in 2 Chronicles 3:3 for Solomon's building specifications. Spanish fue fundada and German gegründet mark the passive construction consistently. 10×
AR["أُسُسُ","أُسِّسَ","تَأَسَّسَ","تَأْسِيسِ","مُؤَسَّسًا","مِيُسَّدِيم","وَ-مُؤَسَّسٌ"]·ben["[ভিত্তিগুলি]","এবং-ভিত্তি-স্থাপিত","প্রতিষ্ঠিত-হয়েছিল","প্রতিষ্ঠিত-হল","ভিত্তি-এর","ভিত্তি-স্থাপিত-হয়েছিল","ভিত্তি-স্থাপিত-হল","স্থাপিত","স্থাপিত-হয়েছিল","স্থাপিত-হল"]·DE["[הוסד]","[יסד]","[מיסדות]","[מיסדים]","gruenden","und-founded","war-founded"]·EN["[ketiv]","and-founded","are-the-foundations","being-founded","founded","set","was-founded"]·FR["et-founded","fonder","fondées","fut-founded"]·heb["הוסד","ו-מיוסד","יוסד","יסד","מוסד","מוסדות","מיוסדים"]·HI["और-नींव-रखी","नींव","नींव-डाली","नींव-रखी-गई","नींव-रखी-गई-थी","नींवें","रखी-गई","रखी-गई-नींव","स्थापित"]·ID["[]","dan-diletakkan-dasar","dasar","dibangun","didirikan","didirikan-di-atas","diletakkan-dasar","telah-diletakkan-dasar","yang-kokoh"]·IT["e-founded","era-founded","fondare","porre"]·jav["Sang-Yehuwah","[pondasi]","dhasaripun","dipun-adehi","dipun-dhasaraken","dipun-yasani","ingkang-dipun-dhasari","kaadegaken","kang-dipunpasang","lan-dipun-yasani"]·KO["그리고-기초가-놓인","기초","기초-놓음의","기초들-","놀여졌다","놀여짐","놓여졌다","놓였으니","세워진"]·PT["E-fundamento","[fundamentos]","firmeza","foi-fundada","foi-fundado","fora-fundado","fundadas","ser-fundada"]·RU["был-заложен","был-основан","и-заложено","основан-был","основание","основании","основания","основанные","утверждённое"]·ES["[kethiv]","asentadas","fue-fundada","fue-fundado","fue-fundado.","fueron-los-cimientos-de","fundada","ser-fundada","y-fundado"]·SW["Na-iliwekwa-msingi","[misingi]","iliwekwa-msingi","limewekwa-msingi","msingi","msingi-uliwekwa","ulioimarishwa","umewekwa-msingi","zilizowekwa"]·TR["[temelleri]","kuruldu","temel","temel-atildigi","temel-atilmisti","temel-atıldı","temeli-atıldı","ve-temel-atılmış","yerlestirilmis"]·urd["اور-بنیاد","بنیاد","بنیاد-رکھی-گئی","بنیادیں","رکھی گئی","رکھی-گئی-بنیاد","قائم","مضبوط"]
4. sense 4 — Two occurrences where the active participle or infinitive construct carries the standard founding sense but in theologically charged cosmological contexts — Isaiah 51:13 ('the LORD your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundation of the earth') and Zechariah 12:1 ('the LORD, who stretches out the heavens and founds the earth and forms the spirit of man within him'). Spanish fundar and English 'founding' confirm the core meaning. These function identically to sense 1 but were clustered separately due to their participial syntax within divine creation formulae. 2×
AR["وَ-مُؤَسِّسَ","وَ-مُؤَسِّسُ"]·ben["-এবং-যিনি-ভিত্তি-স্থাপন-করেন","এবং-যিনি-স্থাপন-করেন"]·DE["[ויסד]","und-gruenden"]·EN["and-founding"]·FR["et-fonder"]·heb["ו-יוסד"]·HI["और-जो-नींव-डालता-है","और-नींव-रखने-वाले-को"]·ID["dan-meletakkan-dasar","dan-yang-meletakkan-dasar"]·IT["e-fondare"]·jav["lan-madegaken","lan-ndhasaraken"]·KO["그리고-놀으시는-이","그리고-놓으신-자를"]·PT["e-funda","e-fundador-de"]·RU["и-основывающего"]·ES["y-el-que-funda","y-que-funda"]·SW["na-kuweka-msingi-wa","na-kuweka-msingi-wa-"]·TR["ve-kuranın","ve-kurdugunu-"]·urd["اور-بنیاد-ڈالنے-والے","اور-بنیاد-ڑالنے-والا"]
5. conspire, take counsel together (Nifal reflexive) — The Nifal reflexive-reciprocal sense of taking counsel together or conspiring — a striking semantic extension in 2 occurrences. Psalm 2:2 declares 'the kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers take counsel together (nosdu yachad) against the LORD and his anointed.' Psalm 31:13 describes enemies who 'conspire together (nosdu) against me, scheming to take my life.' Spanish consultarse ('to consult one another') reveals the reciprocal force. The metaphor is architectural: conspirators 'lay a foundation together,' establishing a shared base of hostile purpose — a vivid extension from physical to political founding. 2×
AR["تَآمَرُوا-","فِي-تَآمُرِهِمْ"]·ben["পরামর্শ-করেছে-","যখন-তারা-একত্র-হয়"]·DE["gründete","gründete-"]·EN["take-counsel-","when-they-conspired"]·FR["dans-fonder","fonder"]·heb["ב-היוועדם","נוסדו-"]·HI["जब-उन्होंने-मिलकर-विचार-किया","मिलकर-युक्ति-करते-हैं"]·ID["berunding-"]·IT["fondo'"]·jav["nalika-sami-rembugan","sarembag-"]·KO["모의하니","함께-모의할-때"]·PT["conspiram","em-seu-consultar"]·RU["когда-сговариваются-они","совещаются-"]·ES["al-consultarse-ellos","se-consultan-"]·SW["wanaposhauriana","wanashauriana"]·TR["birleştiler-","toplanırken"]·urd["-اُن-کے-مشورہ-کرنے-میں","مل-کر-مشورہ-کرتے-ہیں"]
6. be founded, be established (Nifal passive) — The Nifal passive sense — 'to be founded, be established' — in 2 occurrences distinct from the Pual/Hofal passive of sense 3. Exodus 9:18 places the founding of Egypt in historical perspective: 'since the day it was founded (hiwwasdah) until now'; Isaiah 44:28 has Cyrus declaring of the temple 'let its foundation be laid (tiwwased).' Spanish fue fundada and English 'was founded' / 'will be founded' mark the Nifal passive voice. The distinction from sense 3 is primarily morphological (Nifal vs. Pual/Hofal) rather than semantic, though the Nifal may carry a slightly more tolerative or stative nuance — 'came to be founded' rather than 'was caused to be founded.' 2×
AR["تَأَسَّسَتْ","يُؤَسَّسُ"]·ben["তার-প্রতিষ্ঠা","প্রতিষ্ঠিত-হবে"]·DE["es-war-founded","gruenden"]·EN["it-was-founded","will-be-founded"]·FR["cela-était-founded","fonder"]·heb["נוסדה","תיווסד"]·HI["जब-वह-बसा","नींव-डाली-जाएगी"]·ID["akan-didasarkan","didirikan"]·IT["esso-fu-founded","fondare"]·jav["badhé-kadhasaraken","dipun-yasa"]·KO["그것이-세워진","놓여지리라"]·PT["foi-fundada-ela","será-fundado"]·RU["будешь-основан","основания-его"]·ES["que-fue-fundada","será-fundado"]·SW["ilipoanzishwa","litathibitishwa"]·TR["kurulduğu","temellenecek"]·urd["بنی","کی-بنیاد-رکھی-جائے"]
Related Senses
H1129 1. Qal: build, construct (316×)H2691a 1. court, courtyard, enclosure (142×)G4864 1. synagogue, place of Jewish assembly (56×)G5438 1. prison, place of confinement (41×)H4013 1. fortress, stronghold (37×)H0875 1. well, cistern (dug water source) (35×)H0352b 1. pillar or jamb of gateway (32×)H2474 1. window, opening in wall (32×)H1406 1. roof / rooftop (31×)H4609b 1. steps, stairs, stairway (31×)H1129 2. Nifal: be built, be established (30×)H0361 1. portico, porch (architectural structure) (27×)H1129 3. Qal participle: builder (27×)H1219 1. fortified, inaccessible (25×)H4581 1. fortress, stronghold (25×)H3805 1. capital of a pillar (24×)H4350 1. stand, base, pedestal (24×)H0759 1. palace, royal residence (21×)H4692 1. siege, besiegement (20×)G3618 1. build or construct physically (19×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
יָסַד vb. establish, found, fix (NH id. especially Pi; Aramaic יְסַד perhaps orig. fix firm or close; Arabic وِسَادٌ pillow; vb. denom. ii. fix as a pillow against one; v. lean against, recline, Lane 2940 Saad Gn 28:11; in Heb. usually fix firm so as to found)— Qal Pf. יָסַד ψ 104:5; Pr 3:19; sf. יְסָדָהּ ψ 24:2 + 3 times; 3 fs. יָסְֽדָה Is 48:13; יָסַדְתָּ ψ 104:8; יָסַ֑֫דְתָּ 102:26; sf.…