Lexical Summary
yam: sea, west, seas
Original Word:יָם
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:yam
Pronunciation:yahm
Phonetic Spelling:(yawm)
KJV: sea (X -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern, side, -ward)
NASB:sea, west, seas, westward, west side, seashore, south
Word Origin:[from an unused root meaning to roar]
1. a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water
2. specifically (with the article), the Mediterranean Sea
3. sometimes a large river, or an artifical basin
4. locally, the west, or (rarely) the south
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
a sea, the Mediterranean Sea;
From an unused root meaning to roar; a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the south -- sea (X -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern, side, -ward).
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originof uncertain derivation
Definitionsea
NASB Translationred* (24), sea (278), seacoast* (5), seas (27), seashore (1), seashore* (9), south (1), west (59), west side (4), western (1), westward (12).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
390Exodus 14:27 (Phoenician ; Arabic
; Palmyrene
on the sea, Vog
No. 79; on Assyrian
iâmu, (¹mu),
sea, see Dl
HWB 307 M-A
CD 52 Hpt
BAS i. 171 n.) — absolute
1 Samuel 13:5 +;
Genesis 28:14 +; construct
Genesis 14:3 23t., also
Exodus 10:19, but always
Exodus 13:18 22t.; suffix
Jeremiah 51:36; plural
Judges 5:17 29t.; —
sea: especially
MediterraneanNumbers 13:29 (E),Numbers 34:5 (P),Deuteronomy 1:7;Joshua 5:1;1 Kings 5:23 (twice in verse);Jonah 1:4 (twice in verse) + often; the Mediterranean is called alsoNumbers 34:6,7;Joshua 15:12,47;Ezekiel 48:28 +, comparePsalm 104:25;Joshua 1:4;Joshua 23:4 (see Assyrian name of Mediterraneantiamtu rabitu ša sulmu šamši, etc., SchrNamender Meere. 171 ff.);Joshua 9:1;the hinder seaDeuteronomy 11:24;Deuteronomy 34:2;Zechariah 14:8;Joel 2:20 (in the last two opposed to , see below); of Mediterranean in particular partExodus 23:31 (JE); 2Chron 2:15 =Ezra 3:7. Of Mediterranean in pluralDaniel 11:45 [compare 8 d] Hi Ke Meinh Bev Dr (world-encircling seas Behrm).
'Red Sea' (see )Exodus 13:18 (compareExodus 10:19),Exodus 15:4;Numbers 14:25;Deuteronomy 1:40;Joshua 2:10;Judges 11:16 + often; alsoExodus 14:2 (twice in verse);Exodus 14:9;Isaiah 51:10 (twice in verse);Isaiah 63:11 +; probably alsoIsaiah 11:15; 'Red Sea' named or referred to approximately 66 t.; clearly of lanitic Gulf1 Kings 9:26 (compare 2 Chronicles 8:17).
Dead Sea,sea of saltGenesis 14:3;Numbers 34:3,12;Deuteronomy 3:17;Joshua 3:16;Joshua 12:3;Joshua 15:2,5;Joshua 18:19;Deuteronomy 3:17;Deuteronomy 4:49;Joshua 3:16;Joshua 12:3;2 Kings 14:25;Ezekiel 47:18;Zechariah 14:8;Joel 2:29 (see above); simplyIsaiah 16:8;Jeremiah 48:32; — inJeremiah 48:32 is textual error, strike out with Gf Gr Che Gie.
Sea of GalileeNumbers 34:11;Joshua 13:27;Joshua 12:3; simplyDeuteronomy 33:23.
more Generallysea, opposed to earth and (or) skyGenesis 1:26,28;Genesis 9:2 (P),Exodus 20:11 (E),Haggai 2:6 #NAME? Job, Psalms, Isa2 etc.;Amos 6:12 read for (see );sea as under earthPsalm 24:2 (compareGenesis 1:10;Genesis 6:11;Exodus 20:5 =Deuteronomy 5:3); figurative offlood of invaders,Jeremiah 51:42.
of amighty river, the NileNahum 3:8 (twice in verse);Isaiah 19:5 ("" ); compareIsaiah 27:1 andEzekiel 32:2 (simile of Pharaoh); of EuphratesIsaiah 21:1;Jeremiah 51:36 (according to Che Gf and others;Isaiah 21:1 perhaps better of Persian Gulf, see Di).
the sea:1 Kings 7:23 2Chronicles 4:2;2 Kings 25:13;1 Chronicles 18:8;Jeremiah 52:17; alone1 Kings 7:24,25 10t. Kings Chronicles +Jeremiah 52:20.
:
shore of sea, sea-shoreJoshua 11:4;1 Kings 5:9, and in simileGenesis 22:17;Judges 7:12;1 Samuel 13:5;Joshua 9:1;Ezekiel 25:16;Genesis 49:13;Judges 5:17; compareZephaniah 2:5region by the sea; soZephaniah 2:6 but dubious, see I.
sand of the sea (shore) (in simile)Genesis 32:13;Genesis 41:49;Hosea 2:1;Isaiah 10:22 + often (see );Jeremiah 5:22.
tongue (arm orgulf) of seaJoshua 15:5;Joshua 18:19;Isaiah 11:5.
Amos 8:12;Zechariah 9:10;Psalm 72:8, compareMicah 7:12;Zechariah 14:8 (twice in verse);Joel 2:20 (twice in verse);Daniel 11:45.
= (west, west-word (originallysea-ward, from position of Mediterranean with reference to Palestine, and this sense still often perceptible): with other three points of compassGenesis 13:14;Genesis 28:14 (J),Numbers 2:18;Numbers 35:5 (P),Deuteronomy 3:27;1 Kings 7:25;1 Chronicles 9:24; 2Chronicles 4:4;Ezekiel 42:19 6t. Ezekiel;Zechariah 14:4;Daniel 8:4;Psalm 107:3 (; but read perhapsfrom the south, Hu Pe Bi Che); opposed to eastJoshua 11:2;Joshua 16:6 16t.Ezekiel 48;west aloneGenesis 12:8 (J);Ezekiel 10:19 (J)west wind;westwardJoshua 8:9,12,13 +;westward, often of tabernacleExodus 26:22,27;Numbers 3:23 #NAME?Joshua 5:1;Joshua 15:8,10 etc., + often Ezekiel; =westwardEzekiel 41:12;western borderNumbers 34:6 (twice in verse);Joshua 15:2;west sideExodus 27:12;Exodus 38:12;Numbers 35:5;Joshua 18:14;Ezekiel 41:12 (see further ).
[] ( Syriac; see B , √ ); — emphaticDaniel 7:2,3.
Topical Lexicon
Semantic Range and General Usageיָם most commonly denotes a large body of water—from salt-water seas such as the Mediterranean and Red Seas to sizable freshwater lakes like Galilee (Joshua 12:3). By extension it can signify “west,” because the Mediterranean lay to Israel’s western horizon (Deuteronomy 34:2;Psalm 107:3). Out of roughly 396 occurrences, about three-quarters refer to literal seas, while the rest function metaphorically or directionally.
Sea as Geographic Marker
The Mediterranean is repeatedly called “the Great Sea” (Numbers 34:6-7;Joshua 1:4), forming Israel’s western border and shaping its climate, trade, and defense. The Red Sea (or “Sea of Reeds”) dominates the Exodus narratives (Exodus 13–15). Lesser seas delineate tribal allotments (Joshua 15:12) and international boundaries (Ezekiel 47:15-20). Thus יָם frames covenant land promises and reminds readers that God apportions territory (Genesis 15:18).
Sea and Israel’s Covenant Story
Creation: “God called the dry land ‘earth,’ and the gathering of the waters He called ‘seas’” (Genesis 1:10). The seas are part of an ordered universe under divine command.
Flood: The deluge re-creates the primordial watery chaos, yet God’s covenant with Noah re-establishes stability (Genesis 9).
Exodus: “The LORD drove back the sea with a strong east wind” (Exodus 14:21). Israel’s passage through the sea is the Old Testament’s paradigmatic salvation event, celebrated in poetry (Psalm 106:9) and prophecy (Isaiah 51:10).
Conquest and Settlement: The Jordan’s eastern and western seas frame the conquest (Joshua 23:4). Victory over sea-side city-states like Tyre and Philistia demonstrates the LORD’s supremacy (Zephaniah 2:5).
Sea in Poetic and Prophetic Imagery
Psalms often present the sea as both magnificent and menacing: “Above the roar of many waters—the mighty breakers of the sea—the LORD on high is majestic” (Psalm 93:4). Prophets use the sea’s restlessness to picture moral chaos: “The wicked are like the tossing sea” (Isaiah 57:20). Daniel’s vision of beasts rising “out of the sea” (Daniel 7:3) portrays empires emerging from turbulent nations, whileMicah 7:19 promises that God will “cast all our sins into the depths of the sea,” combining judgment and mercy.
Sea in Cultic and Liturgical Contexts
Solomon installed “the Sea,” a massive bronze basin holding about 11,000 gallons, for priestly washings (1 Kings 7:23-26). Its size and placement testified that the LORD, who tamed cosmic waters, also provided cleansing for His people. Ezekiel’s future temple vision omits this basin, hinting at a day when perpetual cleansing flows directly from God’s sanctuary (Ezekiel 47:1-12).
Sea as Theological Symbol: Divine Sovereignty Over Chaos
Ancient Near Eastern myths personified the sea as a rebel deity, yet Scripture reframes the motif: the LORD alone “trampled the waves of the sea” (Job 9:8) and “set sand for the boundary of the sea” (Jeremiah 5:22). By repeatedly commanding and constraining יָם, God demonstrates unrivaled authority, encouraging faith when circumstances appear overwhelming.
Sea and Eschatological Hope
Prophets envision a redeemed creation in which hostile seas no longer threaten: “Living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea” (Zechariah 14:8). Revelation echoes this trajectory—“and the sea was no more” (Revelation 21:1)—signaling the final removal of chaos and separation. Old Testament anticipation thus finds consummation in the new heaven and earth.
Practical Ministry Implications
1. Salvation and Baptism: The Red Sea crossing foreshadows believer’s baptism—deliverance through water by divine grace (1 Corinthians 10:1-2).
2. Trust in Crisis: As the LORD stills seas, believers may entrust storms of life to Him (Psalm 89:9).
3. Global Mission: Seas once impeded contact, yet Isaiah foresees nations “from the islands of the sea” joining worship (Isaiah 24:15). The church labors toward this fulfillment.
4. Environmental Stewardship: Since God delights in the seas He made (Psalm 104:25-26), caring for marine creation honors the Creator.
Select Representative Passages
Genesis 1:10;Exodus 14:21-22;Deuteronomy 34:2;Joshua 3:13-17;Judges 5:17;1 Kings 7:23-26;Job 38:8-11;Psalm 89:9;Psalm 146:6;Isaiah 11:15;Jeremiah 31:35;Ezekiel 47:10;Daniel 7:3;Jonah 1:15;Micah 7:19;Zechariah 14:8.
Forms and Transliterations
בְּיַם־ בְיַם־ בַּ֝יַּמִּ֗ים בַּיַּמִּ֔ים בַּיַּמִּ֛ים בַּיַּמִּים֙ בַּיָּ֑ם בַּיָּ֔ם בַּיָּ֖ם בַּיָּ֜ם בַּיָּ֣ם בַּיָּ֤ם בַּיָּ֥ם בַּיָּֽם׃ בַּיָּם֙ בַיָּ֑ם בַיָּ֖ם בַיָּ֣ם בַיָּֽם׃ בַיָּם֙ בים בים־ בים׃ בימים הֲֽיָם־ הַ֝יָּ֗ם הַ֠יָּם הַ֭יָּם הַיַּמִּים֙ הַיָּ֑ם הַיָּ֑מָּה הַיָּ֔ם הַיָּ֔מָּה הַיָּ֖ם הַיָּ֖מָּה הַיָּ֗ם הַיָּ֗מָּה הַיָּ֛ם הַיָּ֜ם הַיָּ֣ם הַיָּ֤ם הַיָּ֥ם הַיָּ֥מָּה הַיָּ֧ם הַיָּֽם׃ הַיָּֽמָּה׃ הַיָּם֒ הַיָּם֙ הַיָּם֩ הים הים־ הים׃ הימה הימה׃ הימים וְהַיָּ֕ם וְהַיָּ֖ם וְהַיָּ֥ם וְהַיָּם֙ וְיָ֖מָּה וְיָ֗מָּה וְיָ֙מָּה֙ וְיָ֣ם וְיָ֥ם וָיָ֑מָּה וָיָ֔מָּה וָיָֽמָּה׃ וּמִיָּ֔ם וּמִיָּֽם׃ והים וים וימה וימה׃ ומים ומים׃ יַ֝מִּ֗ים יַ֭מִּים יַם־ יַמִּ֑ים יַמִּ֔ים יַמִּ֖ים יַמִּ֣ים יַמִּֽים׃ יַמִּים֙ יַמָּ֔הּ יָ֑ם יָ֑מָּה יָ֔ם יָ֔מָּה יָ֕מָּה יָ֖ם יָ֖מָּה יָ֗ם יָ֗מָּה יָ֙מָּה֙ יָ֜ם יָ֜מָּה יָ֝֗ם יָ֣ם יָ֣ם ׀ יָ֣מָּה יָ֤ם יָ֥ם יָ֥מָּה יָ֧ם יָ֧מָּה יָ֨ם יָ֨ם ׀ יָ֨מָּה יָ֭ם יָֽם׃ יָֽמָּה׃ יָם֒ יָם֙ יָם־ ים ים־ ים׃ ימה ימה׃ ימים ימים׃ כַּיָּ֛ם כַּיָּ֣ם כים לְיַם־ לַיָּ֔ם לַיָּ֖ם לַיָּ֛מָּה לַיָּ֥ם לַיָּ֨ם ׀ לים לים־ לימה מִיַּם־ מִיַּמִּ֑ים מִיַּמִּ֔ים מִיַּמִּ֖ים מִיָּ֑ם מִיָּ֔ם מִיָּ֖ם מִיָּ֗ם מִיָּ֣ם מִיָּ֥ם מִיָּֽם׃ מִיָּם֙ מֵֽהַיָּ֑ם מהים מים מים־ מים׃ מימים baiYam baiyamMim bay·yām ḇay·yām bay·yam·mîm bayyām ḇayyām bayyammîm bə·yam- ḇə·yam- beyam bəyam- ḇəyam- haiYam haiYammah haiyamMim Haiyom hay·yām hay·yām·māh hay·yam·mîm hayam hăyām- hayyām hayyāmmāh hayyammîm kaiYam kay·yām kayyām laiYam laiYammah lay·yām lay·yām·māh layyām layyāmmāh lə·yam- leyam ləyam- mê·hay·yām mehaiYam mêhayyām mî·yām mî·yam- mî·yam·mîm miYam mîyām mîyam- miyamMim mîyammîm ū·mî·yām umiYam ūmîyām vaiYam vaYammah vehaiYam veyam veYammah wā·yām·māh wāyāmmāh wə·hay·yām wə·yām wə·yām·māh wəhayyām wəyām wəyāmmāh yam yām yam- yām- yam·māh yām·māh yam·mîm Yammah yammāh yāmmāh yamMim yammîm yom
Links
Interlinear Greek •
Interlinear Hebrew •
Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
Parallel Texts
