H3256 H3256
To discipline, chasten, instruct, or admonish; correction administered by God or a human authority to produce obedience and wisdom.
Yasar is the Hebrew Bible's primary word for formative correction — the kind that hurts in the moment but shapes character over time. Its Piel stem (the dominant form) casts God as the disciplining father of Deuteronomy 8:5, chastening Israel the way a man disciplines his son. Yet yasar is not merely punitive. In 1 Chronicles 15:22, the same root describes Chenaniah 'instructing' in song, and in Psalm 16:7 David says his own kidneys 'instruct' him at night — an inward, educational sense. The Nifal passive captures the other side of the relationship: the one who submits to correction, as Jeremiah pleads in 31:18, 'discipline me, and I shall be disciplined.' Spanish nicely splits the range between castigar ('punish') and instruir ('instruct'), while German Zucht captures both dimensions in a single word rooted in formation rather than mere punishment.
Senses
1. discipline, chastise (Piel active) — The dominant Piel active sense: disciplinary correction administered by a superior, typically God chastening his people or a parent correcting a child. This accounts for 27 of 43 occurrences and is the theological heart of the word. The doubling in Leviticus 26:18, 28 — 'I will discipline you sevenfold' — shows escalating covenant enforcement. Spanish castigar and French châtier both lean toward the punitive end, while Korean 징계하다 captures the corrective-formative dimension. The Deuteronomy 8:5 analogy ('as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you') establishes the paradigmatic father-son frame for this sense. 27×
AR["أدِّبْ", "أَدَّبَكُم", "أَدَّبَكُمْ", "أَدَّبَني", "أَدَّبْتَ", "أَدِّبْ", "أُؤَدِّبُكُمْ", "تَأديبًا", "تُؤَدَِبُهُ", "تُؤَدِّبْني", "تُؤَدِّبْنِي", "لِ-تَأْدِيبِ", "لِيُؤَدِّبَكَ", "وَ-أُؤَدِّبُ", "وَأُؤَدِّبُكَ", "يُؤَدِّبُكَ"]·ben["আমাকে-শাসন-করো", "আর-শাসন-করব-তোমাকে-আমি", "এবং-আমি-তোমাকে-শাসন-করব", "এবং-শাসন-করব", "তিনি-শাসন-করেছেন", "তুমি-শাসন-কর", "তোমাকে-শাসন-করেন", "তোমাকে-শেখাতে", "শাসন-কর", "শাসন-করতে", "শাসন-করব", "শাসন-করে", "শাসন-করেছিলেন", "শাসন-করো", "শাস্তি-দিও-আমাকে", "শাস্তি-দিয়েছ", "শাস্তি-দিয়েছিলেন"]·DE["Zucht-mich", "[יסר]", "chastened-mich", "chastening", "disciplined", "du-Zucht", "ist-disciplining-du", "und-ich-wird-discipline", "und-zuechtigen", "wird-discipline", "zu-discipline", "zu-discipline-du"]·EN["You-discipline", "and-I-will-discipline", "but-I-will-discipline-you", "chastened-me", "chastening", "discipline", "discipline-me", "disciplined", "is-disciplining-you", "to-discipline", "to-discipline-you", "will-discipline", "you-discipline"]·FR["[יסר]", "châtier", "disciplined", "est-disciplining-tu", "et-châtier", "et-je-fera-discipline", "fera-discipline", "à-discipline", "à-discipline-tu"]·heb["אֲיַסֵּר", "ו-ייסרתיך", "ו-יסרתי", "ו-יסרתיך", "יִסַּר", "ייסרני", "ייסרת", "יסור", "יסר", "ל-ייסרך", "ל-יסרה", "מיסרך", "תייסר-אותי", "תייסרנו", "תייסרני"]·HI["अनुशासन करना", "अनुशासन-कर", "अनुशासन-करता-तुझे", "अनुशासन-करने-को", "अनुशासित-कर", "और-अनुशासन करूंगा", "और-ताड़ना-करूँगा-तुझे-मैं", "और-ताड़ना-दूँगा-तुझे", "ताड़ना-दे-मुझे", "तू-अनुशासित-करता-है-उसे", "तूने-दंड-दिया", "दंड-दिया", "दंड-दूँगा", "दण्ड-दिया-था", "दण्डित-करते", "दण्डित-किया-मुझे", "मुझे-ताड़ना-दे"]·ID["Didiklah", "Engkau-mendisiplin", "akan-menghajar", "dan-Aku-akan-mendisiplin", "dan-Aku-menghajar-mu", "mendisiplin-mu", "menghajar", "menghajar-aku", "menghukum-aku", "sangat", "tetapi-Aku-akan-menghajar-engkau", "untuk-mendisiplin", "untuk-mendisiplinkan-mu"]·IT["[יסר]", "a-discipline", "a-discipline-tu", "castigare", "castigo'", "disciplined", "e-castigare", "e-disciplining-tu", "e-io-fara-discipline", "vorrà-disciplina"]·jav["Ngukum", "Panjenengan-ngukum", "Panjenengan-ukum", "Yah-sampun-ngukum-kula", "badé-ngajar", "gusaha", "kanggé-nggulawenthah-panjenengan", "lan-Aku-badhe-ngukum-panjenengan", "lan-Kawula-ngukum", "mulang-panjenengan", "nanging-Ingsun-ngukum-panjenengan", "ngajar", "ngukum-kula", "ngukuma-kula", "nyabet", "supados-ngukum"]·KO["그리고-나는-징계할것이다", "그리고-징계하겠다-내가-너를", "그리고-징계하리라-너를", "나-를-징계하지", "당신-이-범하시는", "징계하겠다", "징계하기-위해-너를", "징계하기를", "징계하라", "징계하셨도다", "징계하셨도다-나-를", "징계하소서-나-를", "징계하신다-너를", "징계하심-으로", "징계했다"]·PT["Castigar", "Disciplina", "castigarei", "castigas", "castigou", "castigou-me", "disciplina", "disciplina-te", "disciplinas", "e-castigarei", "e-corrigir-te-ei", "e-te-castigarei", "me-castigues", "para-castigar", "para-disciplinar-te"]·RU["Строго-", "буду-наказывать", "и-накажу", "и-накажу-тебя", "наказал-меня", "наказывает-тебя", "наказываешь", "наказываешь-Ты", "наказывай", "наказывай-меня", "наказывал", "наказывать", "наставляй", "но-накажу-тебя", "чтобы-наставить-тебя"]·ES["Castigando", "Disciplina", "castigaré", "castigó", "corriges", "lo-disciplinas", "me-castigues", "me-castigó", "os-castigó", "para-castigar", "para-disciplinarte", "te-disciplina", "y-os-castigaré", "y-te-castigaré", "y-te-disciplinaré"]·SW["aliniadhibu", "aliwaadhibu", "aliwaadibu", "anakurudi-wewe", "kuadhibu", "kukuadhibu", "kuwaadhibu", "lakini-nitakuadhibu", "mrudi", "na-nitakuadhibu", "na-nitawaadhibu", "nitawaadibu", "unamwadhibu", "uniadhibu"]·TR["-e-terbiye-etmek", "cezalandırdı", "disiplin-et-beni", "disiplin-ettin", "disiplin-vermek-için-sana", "terbiye-edeceğim", "terbiye-ederek", "terbiye-ediyor-seni", "terbiye-ediyorsun", "terbiye-et", "terbiye-etme-beni", "terbiye-etti", "terbiye-etti-beni", "ve-terbiye-edeceğim", "ve-terbiye-edeceğim-seni"]·urd["اور-سزا-دوں-گا", "اور-سزا-دوں-گا-تجھے", "اور-میں-تجھے-سزا-دوں-گا", "تادیب-کر", "تربیت-دی-مجھے", "تربیت-دینے-کو", "تربیت-کر", "تمہیں-تربیت-دیتا-ہے", "تُو-تربیت-دیتا-ہے", "تُو-نے-سزا-دی", "سخت-تربیت", "سزا-دوں-گا", "سزا-دی", "سزا-دینا", "مجھے-تنبیہ-کر", "مجھے-سزا-دے", "نے-سزا-دی"]
Lev 26:18, Lev 26:28, Deut 4:36, Deut 8:5, Deut 8:5, Deut 21:18, Deut 22:18, 1 Kgs 12:11, 1 Kgs 12:11, 1 Kgs 12:14, 1 Kgs 12:14, 2 Chr 10:11 (+15 more)
2. instruct, teach, train — Instruction and training that emphasizes education rather than punishment — 5 occurrences in Qal and Piel where the context is positive skill-building or wisdom-formation. Chenaniah instructs the Levites in singing (1 Chr 15:22); Job 4:3 recalls how Job once 'instructed many'; Proverbs 31:1 introduces the 'instruction' King Lemuel's mother taught him. Spanish instruir and English 'instruct' clearly separate this from chastisement. The Isaiah 28:26 agricultural metaphor — God 'instructs' the farmer in proper technique — reveals how yasar can be entirely non-punitive, closer to the Greek paideuein in its educative sense. 5×
AR["أَدَّبَتْهُ", "تُؤَدِّبُنِي", "عَلَّمْتَ", "وَ-يُؤَدِّبُهُ", "يُعَلِّمُ"]·ben["আমাকে-শিক্ষা-দেয়", "ও-শাসন-করেন-তাকে", "তাকে-শিক্ষা-দিয়েছিলেন", "তুমি-শিক্ষা-দিয়েছ", "বহন-করা"]·DE["[יסר]", "[יסרת]", "[יסרתו]", "und-zuechtigen", "unterweisen-mich"]·EN["And-instructs-him", "instruct-me", "instructor", "taught-him", "you-have-instructed"]·FR["[יסר]", "châtier", "châtier-lui", "et-châtier"]·heb["ו-ייסרו", "ייסרוני", "ייסרת", "ייסרתו", "יסר"]·HI["अनुशासित-किया-उसे", "और-अनुशासन-करता-है-उसे", "तूने-सिखाया", "शिक्षा-देते-हैं-मुझे", "सिखाता-था"]·ID["Dan-Dia-mengajar", "engkau-mengajar", "ia-mengajar", "mengajari-aku", "mengajarinya"]·IT["[יסר]", "castigare", "castigare-suo", "castigo'", "e-castigare"]·jav["dipunpiwulang", "lan-dipun-wulang", "ngajari", "ngajari-kula", "panjenengan-mulang"]·KO["가르쳤다", "가르쳤다-네가", "그를-훈련했다", "그리고-가르치신다", "훈계하셨도다"]·PT["E-instrui-o", "instruiste", "instruiu-o", "instruía", "me-instruem"]·RU["И-наставит-его", "наставила-его", "наставлял", "наставляют-меня", "учил-ты"]·ES["Y-lo-instruye", "has-instruido", "instruía", "le-enseñó", "me-instruyen"]·SW["Na-anamfundisha", "alifundisha", "alimfundisha", "umewafundisha", "zinanifundisha"]·TR["Ve-ogretir-onu", "ders-verirdi", "öğretti-bana", "öğretti-ona", "öğrettin"]·urd["اور-سکھاتا-ہے-اُسے", "تُو-نے-سکھایا", "سکھاتا-تھا", "سکھاتے-ہیں-مجھے", "سکھایا-اُسے"]
3. be disciplined, be corrected (Nifal passive) — The Nifal passive: being disciplined, receiving or undergoing correction. Three occurrences mark the responsive side of discipline. Jeremiah 31:18 is the classic text: Ephraim confesses 'you disciplined me, and I was disciplined, like an untrained calf.' Proverbs 29:19 warns that 'a servant will not be corrected by words alone,' and Leviticus 26:23 conditions restoration on whether Israel 'will be corrected.' Spanish corregirse (reflexive) and the passive construction highlight the subject's reception of — or resistance to — the corrective act. 3×
AR["تَتَأَدَّبُونَ", "وَتَأَدَّبْتُ", "يُؤَدَّبُ"]·ben["আর-শাসিত-হলাম-আমি", "শাসিত-হবে"]·DE["[יוסר]", "du-sind-disciplined", "und-zuechtigen"]·EN["and-I-was-disciplined", "is-corrected", "you-are-disciplined"]·FR["châtier", "et-châtier", "tu-sont-disciplined"]·heb["ו-איווסר", "ייווסר", "תוסרו"]·HI["अनुशासित-होता", "और-ताड़ित-हुआ-मैं", "तुम सुधरोगे"]·ID["dan-aku-dihajar", "didisiplinkan", "kamu-disiplin"]·IT["castigare", "e-castigare", "tu-sono-disciplined"]·jav["dipunpiwulang", "lan-Kawula-dipun-ajar", "sami-kapukul"]·KO["그리고-징계받았다", "너희가-징계받는다면", "훈련을-받다"]·PT["e-fui-castigado", "fordes-corrigidos", "é-corrigido"]·RU["вразумитесь", "и-я-был-наказан", "накажется"]·ES["os-corrigiereis", "será-corregido", "y-fui-disciplinado"]·SW["mtarekebishwa", "na-nilirudiwa", "rekebishwi"]·TR["terbiye-edilir", "terbiye-edilirseniz", "ve-terbiye-edildim"]·urd["اور-سزا-پائی-میں-نے", "تادیب-پاؤ", "تربیت-پاتا"]
4. admonish, reprove (Qal active) — Qal active admonishment and reproof — 3 occurrences where the emphasis falls on verbal correction rather than enacted punishment. Psalm 94:10 asks rhetorically, 'He who disciplines nations, shall he not rebuke?' Proverbs 9:7 warns against reproving a scoffer, and Isaiah 8:11 describes how the LORD 'admonished' the prophet with a strong hand. Spanish corregir and amonestar both appear in this cluster. The distinction from sense 1 is stem-morphological (Qal vs. Piel) and semantic — these are moments of warning speech rather than punitive action. 3×
AR["الْمُؤَدَِبُ", "الْمُوَبِّخُ", "وَ-أَنذَرَنِي"]·ben["এবং-আমাকে-শিক্ষা-দিলেন", "যিনি-শাসন-করেন", "যে-শাসন-করে"]·DE["[יסר]", "er-der-disciplines", "und-zuechtigen"]·EN["and-he-instructed-me", "he-who-corrects", "he-who-disciplines"]·FR["châtier", "et-châtier", "le-châtier"]·heb["ה-יוסר", "ו-ייסרני", "יוסר"]·HI["और-उसने-चेतावनी-दी-मुझे", "जो-अनुशासित-करता-है", "डाँटनेवाला"]·ID["Yang-mendisiplin", "Yang-menegur", "dan-mengajar-aku"]·IT["castigare", "castigo'", "e-castigare"]·jav["Ingkang-ngukum", "lan-mulang-kawula", "tiyang-kang-nuturi"]·KO["경고하셨도다", "교정하는-자-는", "범하시는-이-가"]·PT["O-que-disciplina", "Quem-repreende", "e-instruiu-me"]·RU["и-наставлял-меня", "наказывающий", "наставляющий"]·ES["El-que-corrige", "el-que-corrige", "y-me-amonestó"]·SW["Je-anayeadhibu", "anayemrudi", "na-akanionya"]·TR["azarlayan", "terbiye-eden", "ve-uyardi-beni"]·urd["اور-تنبیہ-کی", "جو-تربیت-دیتا-ہے", "سمجھانے-والا"]
5. be warned, take warning (Nifal/Nithpael reflexive) — Reflexive self-warning or heeding a cautionary lesson — 3 occurrences in Nifal or Nithpael with a reflexive nuance: 'be warned,' 'take instruction for yourself.' Psalm 2:10 exhorts kings to 'be warned' (hiwwasru); Jeremiah 6:8 pleads with Jerusalem to 'accept correction' lest God depart; Ezekiel 23:48 promises that all women 'will take warning' from Oholibah's fate. Spanish advertirse ('be warned') and corregirse ('correct oneself') both capture the self-directed reception. The urgency in these texts is pre-emptive: discipline yourself before God's discipline arrives. 3×
AR["اِتَّعِظِي", "تَأَدَّبُوا", "فَيَتَأَدَّبْنَ"]·ben["এবং-শিক্ষা-পাবে", "শিক্ষা-নাও", "সতর্কিত-হও"]·DE["[ונוסרו]", "sein-warned", "zuechtigen"]·EN["and-shall-be-warned", "be-warned"]·FR["châtier", "et-châtier", "le-châtier"]·heb["היווסרו", "היווסרי", "ו-ניווסרו"]·HI["और-सीखेंगी", "चेतावनी-पाओ", "शिक्षा-लो"]·ID["Terimalah-peringatan", "dan-diperingatkanlah", "terimalah-peringatan"]·IT["[ונוסרו]", "castigare", "castigo'"]·jav["Panjenengan-dipun-ajari", "dipun-pepenget", "lan-sami-dipun-ajari"]·KO["경고받아라", "그리고-경고-받으리라", "징계를-받아라"]·PT["Sê-disciplinada", "deixai-vos-instruir", "e-serão-advertidas"]·RU["вразумись", "все", "научитесь"]·ES["Corregíte", "sed-advertidos", "y-serán-escarmentadas"]·SW["jifunze", "na-wataonywa", "onyweni"]·TR["terbiye-ol", "uyarılın", "ve-öğrenecek"]·urd["اور-سبق-پکڑیں", "تربیت-پاؤ", "نصیحت-پکڑو"]
6. bind, chastise (Hifil) — A rare Hifil causative usage in Hosea — only 2 occurrences (Hos 7:12; 10:10) — where disciplining carries an overtone of physical binding or restraining. Hosea 10:10 declares 'I will chastise them' in a context of yoking and binding to agricultural labor. The Aramaic cognate yesar ('to bind') surfaces here as a semantic echo, and the Spanish atar ('to bind') alongside castigar in the translation tradition confirms the dual-layered meaning. This is corrective discipline enacted through physical constraint — God as the farmer harnessing a stubborn animal. 2×
AR["أُؤَدِّبُهُم", "وَأُؤَدِّبُهُم"]·ben["এবং-শাসন-করব-তাদের", "শাসন-করব-তাদের"]·DE["[איסרם]", "[ואסרם]"]·EN["I-will-chastise-them", "and-I-will-bind-them"]·FR["châtier", "et-châtier"]·heb["אייסרם", "ו-אסורם"]·HI["और-बाँधूँगा-उन्हें", "बाँधूँगा-उन्हें"]·ID["Aku-akan-menghukum-mereka"]·IT["[איסרם]", "[ואסרם]"]·jav["Kawula-ukum-piyambakipun", "lan-Kawula-ngukum-piyambakipun"]·KO["그리고-묶으리리라-그들을", "징계하리리라-그들을"]·PT["castigarei-eles", "e-castigarei-eles"]·RU["и-накажу-их", "накажу-их"]·ES["los-castigaré", "y-los-ataré"]·SW["na-nitawaadhibu", "nitawafunga"]·TR["habere-göre", "ve-bağlayacağım-onları"]·urd["اور-میں-اُنہیں-سزا-دوں-گا", "باندھوں-گا-اُن-کو"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [יָסַר] vb. discipline, chasten, admonish (Talm 𝔗 יִ(י)סּוֹר. chastisement; but Aramaic יְסַר is bind)— Qal Impf. 3 m. sf. וְיִסְּרֵנִי Is 8:11 (Di De SS see Bö§ 1103 Ew§ 249 d, but Thes MV Che al. Pi. Pf.); 1 s. sf. וְאֶסֳּרֵם Ho 10:10 (Ges§ 71); Inf. abs. יָסֹר 1 Ch 15:22 (noun Ke, point as pt. Öt); Pt. יֹסֵר Pr 9:7 ψ 94:10; יסורי Je 17:13 Kt v. סוּר²" dir="rtl" >סוּר;— 1. admonish Is 8:11…