The Hebrew word יָבֵשׁ (yavesh), with Strong's reference H3001, means "dry," "withered," "parched," or also "to dry up," "to wither."
Primary root; to be ashamed, confused, or disappointed; also (as if failing) to dry up (like water) or to wither (like grass):- to embarrass, confuse, destroy, extinguish, wither, dry up, dry.
Etymology and Form
It is a primary verbal root that appears in different forms in the Hebrew Bible. It can function as a verb, adjective, or noun in contexts related to physical or spiritual dryness, divine judgment, or weakening.
Verb: "withered," "withered"
Adjective: "dry," "withered"
Contextual Use in the Bible
Here are some key examples of where יָבֵשׁ appears and their context:
"The grass withers, the flower fades, because the wind of the Lord blew on it; surely the people are like grass."
? Here יָבֵשׁ conveys the idea of human fragility in the face of God's power. The grass "withers" when the Lord blows on it, symbolizing the ephemerality of human life in contrast to the permanence of God's word (v. 8).
"Behold, when it is planted, will it prosper? Will it not be completely dried up when the east wind touches it? It will wither in the furrows where it grew."
? This usage emphasizes divine judgment, a prophetic warning that what seems prosperous will be destroyed. The image of drying up represents failure and punishment.
"My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to the roof of my mouth; you have laid me in the dust of death."
? Here יָבֵשׁ is used metaphorically in a messianic context of suffering: the psalmist describes his dry body as a broken vessel, alluding to a condition of extreme weakness, pain, or death.
Theological and Symbolic Meaning
In biblical and theological terms, יָבֵשׁ often represents:
Human frailty
Consequence of divine judgment
Spiritual or physical death
A condition of dryness without the presence of God
In contrast, the opposite of יָבֵשׁ would be life, fruit, living water—symbols of divine blessing and presence.