Biblical Lexicon

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H3499b H3499b

N-ms | 7× in 2 senses

A cord or string — either a bowstring for a weapon or a tent rope, from a root meaning to hang down or stretch.

This noun yeter (II) denotes a cord or string, branching into two usage contexts in the Hebrew Bible. In the Samson narrative (Judg 16:7-9), it refers to fresh, undried bowstrings used to bind the strongman — the same term appears in Ps 11:2 where the wicked 'fit their arrow to the string.' In Job, the word shifts to tent ropes: 'is not their tent cord pulled up within them?' (Job 4:21). Arabic watarun (bowstring, lute-string) and Ethiopic wetr (sinew, cord) confirm the core semantic thread of something stretched taut. Spanish distinguishes the two nicely: 'cuerdas de arco' (bowstrings) versus 'su cuerda de tienda' (their tent cord).

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Senses

1. bowstring — A bowstring — the cord strung on a bow for shooting arrows. In Judg 16:7-9, Samson tells Delilah that seven fresh yetarim (bowstrings) would weaken him; when she binds him, he snaps them 'as a strand of tow snaps at a touch of fire.' In Ps 11:2 the wicked set their arrow 'on the string' (yeter). Spanish 'cuerdas de arco' and French 'cordes d'arc' both specify the archery context. The Arabic cognate watarun similarly denotes a bowstring or lute-string. 4×

PROPERTIES_RELATIONS › Nature, Class, Example › Geography and Space

AR["أَوْتَارٍ", "الوَتَرِ", "الْأَوْتَارَ-الـ"]·ben["তারে-", "দড়ি", "দড়িগুলো"]·DE["bowstrings", "der-bowstrings", "der-string"]·EN["bowstrings", "the-bowstrings", "the-string"]·FR["corde", "cordes-d'arc", "le-cordes-d'arc"]·heb["ה-יתרים", "יתר", "יתרים"]·HI["डोरी", "ताज़ी", "ताज़ी-डोरियों"]·ID["tali-busur"]·IT["[יתר]", "corde-d-arco", "il-corde-d-arco"]·jav["tali", "tali-usus"]·KO["그-활시위들", "시위", "활시위들", "활시위들로"]·PT["a-corda", "as-cordas-de-arco", "cordas-de-arco"]·RU["тетив", "тетивами", "тетиву", "тетивы"]·ES["cuerdas-de-arco", "la-cuerda", "las-cuerdas"]·SW["kamba", "uzi"]·TR["kiriş", "yay-kirişi", "yay-kirişlerini"]·urd["تار", "تازی-چلے", "تازی-کمان-کی-چلے", "تازی-کمان-کی-چلے-سے"]

Judg 16:7, Judg 16:8, Judg 16:9, Ps 11:2

2. tent cord, rope — A tent rope or general cord used in domestic settings, distinct from the specialized bowstring. Job 4:21 asks, 'is not their tent cord (yitram) pulled up within them?' — a metaphor for life's fragile tether. Job 30:11 uses the term for the cord or restraint that God has loosened. Spanish 'su cuerda de tienda' (their tent cord) captures this domestic sense, while the Qere/Ketiv variation in Job 30:11 (yitro vs. yitri) shows scribal awareness of the word's ambiguity. 3×

ARTIFACTS › Artifacts › Chains and Fetters

AR["(وَتَرِي)", "[وَتَرِي]", "وَتِرُهُمْ"]·ben["[কেতির]", "আমার-ডোর", "তাদের-ডোর"]·DE["[(יתרי)]", "[[יתרו]]", "[יתרם]"]·EN["[K]", "my-cord", "their-tent-cord"]·FR["leur-reste-eux", "mon-reste-moi", "son-reste-lui"]·heb["יתרי", "יתרם"]·HI["उनकी-रस्सी", "रस्सा-मेरा"]·ID["(taliku)", "[tali]", "tali-kemah-mereka"]·IT["[K]-suo", "loro-tent-cord-loro", "my-cord-mio"]·jav["(tali-kula)", "[tali-ipun]", "taliipun"]·KO["(나의-줄을)", "[그의-줄을]", "그들의-줄이"]·PT["[Ketiv]", "excelência-deles", "minha-corda"]·RU["(тетиву-мою)", "[тетиву-Его]", "верёвка-шатра-их"]·ES["(mi-cuerda)", "[mi-cuerda]", "su-cuerda-de-tienda"]·SW["kamba-ya-hema-yao", "kamba-yangu"]·TR["(ketib)", "ipimi", "ipleri"]·urd["اُن-کی-رسی", "میری رسی", "کھول دی"]

Job 4:21, Job 30:11, Job 30:11

BDB / Lexicon Reference

† II. יֶ֫תֶר n.m. Ju 16:7 cord (proposes as hanging over or down; Aramaic יַתְרָא part of the intestines, 𝔗 יְתָרַיָּא ropes, ܝܰܬܪܳܐ cord, rope, chord of arc; Arabic وَتَرٌ bow-string, lute-string; Ethiopic ወትር sinew, cord; ወተረ stretch bowstring, strain (eyes), be intent, eager, etc.)—יֶתֶ֑ר ψ 11:2 + 5times; sf. יִתְרוֹ Kt Jb 30:11 (יִתְרִי Qr); יִתְרָם Jb 4:21;—cord, for binding a man Ju 16:7,…