---
title: יָשַׁר — be smooth · The Tanakh dictionary
description: יָשַׁר (3474), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 25 times: be smooth. BDB 1906: vb. With 2 verses in Hebrew, word for word and JPS 1917.
---

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# יָשַׁר

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«יָשַׁר» in the Tanakh dictionary: **be smooth** — how often it is used, MACULA's glosses, its meanings in the printed dictionaries and why they were chosen, and 2 verses in layers.

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**Used:** 25 times · **Key:** 3474 · **BDB:** יָשַׁר

### Glosses

it.was.pleasing (6); I.will.make.smooth (2); make.straight (2)

### Meaning (OSHB)

be smooth [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1497/3474/#m1)

### Meaning (BDB 1906)

vb. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1497/3474/#m2)

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**The whole BDB entry:** vb. be smooth, straight, right (NH id., and deriv.; Arabic يَسَرَ be gentle, tractable, easy, ii. make easy; يَسَرٌ manageable, easy; but Sab. ותֿר, הותֿר, אהל יתֿרן OsZMG 1865, 270 CIS iv, 29, 2; Assyrian išâru, be or go straight, right, mêšêru, justice, mêšêriš, righteously, DlHWB 310)— Pf. יָשַׁר Je 18:4 + 2 times; 3 f. יָשְֽׁרָה Ju 14:3; Hb 2:4; 3 mpl. יָֽשְׁרוּ 1 K 9:12; Impf. יִישַׁר Nu 23:27 + 2 times; יִשַׁר 1 S 18:20, 26; 3 fs. תִּישַׁר Ju 14:7; 3 fpl. יִשַּׁרְנָה 1 S 6:12 (Ges§ 47 k 71)— go straight, בַּדֶּרֶךְ in the way 1 S 6:12. fig., be pleasing, agreeable, right (בְּעֵינֵי in the eyes of); said of a woman Ju 14:3, 7; a man Je 27:5; of matters and things (הַדָּבָר) 1 S 18:20, 26; 2 S 17:4; 1 Ch 13:4; 2 Ch 30:4; of cities 1 K 9:12; a place בְּעֵינֵי הָאֱלֹהִים Nu 23:27 (E); with כַּאֲשֶׁר Je 18:4. in ethical sense, straightforward, upright; לֹא־יָֽשְׁרָה נַפְשׁוֹ בּוֹ Hb 2:4 his soul is not upright in him (opp. עֻפְּלָה swollen). Pf. 1 יִשָּׁ֑רְתִּי ψ 119:128 (יִשְׁרֵהוּ Jb 37:3, 3 m. sf. Thes; but שָׁרָה); Impf. יְיַשֵּׁר Pr 3:6; יְיַשֶּׁר־ 15:21; sf. וַיְיַשְּׁרֵם (Mas abbrev. וַּיַּשְּׁרֵם) 2 Ch 32:30; 3 fs. תְּיַשֵּׁר Pr 11:4; 1 s. אֲיַשֵּׁר Is 45:13; אֲיַשֵּׁר v 2 Qr (Kt Hiph. אוֹשִׁר Ges§70, 2 doubtless copyist’s error); Imv. pl. יַשְּׁרוּ 40:3; Pt. pl. מְיַשְּׁרִים Pr 9:15;— make smooth, straight, acc. מְסִלָּה Is 40:3; הֲדוּרִים 45:2; fig., with דֶּרֶךְ, make smooth or straight, i.e. free from obstacles, successful v 13 Pr 11:5, אֹרַח 3:6; in ethical sense, הַמְיַשְּׁרִים אָרְחוֹתָם 9:15 those making straight their paths, going straightforward on their paths; יְיַשֶּׁר־לָ֑כֶת 15:21 maketh straight his going, goeth straightforwards. lead straight along, direct, waters of an aqueduct 2 Ch 32:30; (of the thunder Jb 37:3 according to some; but v. rather שָׁרָה). esteem right, approve ψ 119:128 (read כל פקודיך לי יִשָּׁ֑רְתִּי). Pt. זָהָד מְיָֻּר עַל־הַמְּחֻקֶּה 1 K 6:35 gold made level, laid smoothly out, upon the graven work. Impf. 3 pl. עַפְעַפֶּיךָ יַיְשִׁרוּ נֶגְדֶּ֑ךָ Pr 4:25 let thine eyelids look straight before thee; Imv. הַיְ֯שַׁר דַּרְכֶּךָ֑ make thy way even ψ 5:9 Qr (Kt הוֹשַׁר; v. Ges 70 (2)).

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Why these entries: BDB: headword, part of speech agrees, 25 of its verses cited, 0 words shared with the glosses, lists its Strong's number (23 candidates); OSHB: headword, part of speech agrees, 1 words shared with the BDB entry, 1 with the glosses (18 candidates)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every English meaning of «יָשַׁר» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1497/3474/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.

### In the verses

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[Proverbs 9:15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/PRO.9.15/)

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לִקְרֹ֥א לְעֹֽבְרֵי־דָ֑רֶךְ הַֽ֝מְיַשְּׁרִ֗ים אֹֽרְחוֹתָֽם׃

*Word for word:* to call.out to \[those.who\].pass.by of.\[the\].road \[those who\].make.straight paths their

*JPS 1917:* To call to them that pass by, who go right on their ways:

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[Psalms 119:128](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/PSA.119.128/)

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עַל־כֵּ֤ן ׀ כָּל־פִּקּ֣וּדֵי כֹ֣ל יִשָּׁ֑רְתִּי כָּל־אֹ֖רַח שֶׁ֣קֶר שָׂנֵֽאתִי׃

*Word for word:* therefore all the.precepts of.everything I.approve every path of.falsehood I.hate

*JPS 1917:* Therefore I esteem all Thy precepts concerning all things to be right; every false way I hate.

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