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

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).

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
sea
NASB Translation
red* (24), sea (278), seacoast* (5), seas (27), seashore (1), seashore* (9), south (1), west (59), west side (4), western (1), westward (12).

יָם₃₉₀ noun masculine^{Exodus 14:27} sea (Phoenician ים; Arabic ; Palmyrene בימא 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 יָם 1 Samuel 13:5 +; יָ֫מָּה Genesis 28:14 +; construct יָם Genesis 14:3 23t., also יָ֫מָּה סוּף Exodus 10:19, but always יַםסֿוּף Exodus 13:18 22t.; suffix יַמָּהּ Jeremiah 51:36; plural יַמִּים Judges 5:17 29t.; — sea: especially

1 Mediterranean Numbers 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 also הַיָּם הַגָּדוֺל Numbers 34:6,7; Joshua 15:12,47; Ezekiel 48:28 +, compare וּרְחַב יָדַיִם ׳גּ ׳הַיּ Psalm 104:25; מְבוֺא ׳הַיָּם חַגּ הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ Joshua 1:4; Joshua 23:4 (see Assyrian name of Mediterranean tiamtu rabitu ša sulmu šamši, etc., Schr^{Namender Meere. 171 ff.}); אֶלמֿוּל הַלְּבָנוֺן ׳הַגּ ׳הַיּ Joshua 9:1; הָאַחֲרוֺן ׳הַיּ the hinder sea Deuteronomy 11:24; Deuteronomy 34:2; Zechariah 14:8; Joel 2:20 (in the last two opposed to הַקַּדְמֹנִי ׳הַיּ, see below); of Mediterranean in particular part יָם מְּלִשְׁתִּים Exodus 23:31 (JE); יָם יָפוֺ2Chron 2:15 = יָם יָפוֺא Ezra 3:7. **Of Mediterranean in plural Daniel 11:45 [compare 8 d] Hi Ke Meinh Bev Dr (world-encircling seas Behrm).

2 יַםסֿוּף 'Red Sea' (see סוּף) Exodus 13:18 (compare Exodus 10:19), Exodus 15:4; Numbers 14:25; Deuteronomy 1:40; Joshua 2:10; Judges 11:16 + often; also הַיָּם Exodus 14:2 (twice in verse); Exodus 14:9; Isaiah 51:10 (twice in verse); Isaiah 63:11 +; probably also יָםמִֿצְרַיִם Isaiah 11:15; 'Red Sea' named or referred to approximately 66 t.; יִםסֿוּף clearly of lanitic Gulf 1 Kings 9:26 (compare 2 Chronicles 8:17).

3 Dead Sea, יָם מֶלַח sea of salt Genesis 14:3; Numbers 34:3,12; Deuteronomy 3:17; Joshua 3:16; Joshua 12:3; Joshua 15:2,5; Joshua 18:19; יָם הָעֲרָבָה Deuteronomy 3:17; Deuteronomy 4:49; Joshua 3:16; Joshua 12:3; 2 Kings 14:25; הַקַּדְמֹנִי ׳הַי Ezekiel 47:18; Zechariah 14:8; Joel 2:29 (see above); simply יָם Isaiah 16:8; Jeremiah 48:32; — in יָם יַעְזֵר Jeremiah 48:32 יָם is textual error, strike out with Gf Gr Che Gie.

4 Sea of Galilee יָם כִּנֶּרֶת Numbers 34:11; Joshua 13:27; יָם כִּנְּרוֺת Joshua 12:3; simply יָם Deuteronomy 33:23.

5 more Generally sea, opposed to earth and (or) sky Genesis 1:26,28; Genesis 9:2 (P), Exodus 20:11 (E), Haggai 2:6 #NAME? Job, Psalms, Isa² etc.; Amos 6:12 read בַּבָּקָר יָם for בקרים (see בָּקָר); sea as under earth Psalm 24:2 (compare Genesis 1:10; Genesis 6:11; Exodus 20:5 = Deuteronomy 5:3); figurative of flood of invaders, עָלָה עַלבָּֿבֶל הַיָּם Jeremiah 51:42.

6 of a mighty river, the Nile Nahum 3:8 (twice in verse); Isaiah 19:5 ("" נָהָר); compare הַתַּנִּין אֲשֶׁר בַּיָּם Isaiah 27:1 and כַּתַּנִּים בַּיַּמִּים Ezekiel 32:2 (simile of Pharaoh); of Euphrates Isaiah 21:1; Jeremiah 51:36 (according to Che Gf and others; Isaiah 21:1 perhaps better of Persian Gulf, see Di).

7 the great basin in temple-court, called the sea: וַיַּעַשׂ אֶתהַֿיָּם מוּצָק 1 Kings 7:23 2Chronicles 4:2; יָם הַנְּחשֶׁת 2 Kings 25:13; 1 Chronicles 18:8; Jeremiah 52:17; הַיָּם alone 1 Kings 7:24,25 10t. Kings Chronicles + Jeremiah 52:20.

8 combinations are:

a. shore of sea, sea-shore שְׂפַת הַיָּם Joshua 11:4; 1 Kings 5:9, and in simile Genesis 22:17; Judges 7:12; 1 Samuel 13:5; ׳חוֺף הַי Joshua 9:1; Ezekiel 25:16; חוֺף יַמִּים Genesis 49:13; Judges 5:17; compare חֶבֶל הַיָּם Zephaniah 2:5 region by the sea; so Zephaniah 2:6 but dubious, see I. חֶבֶל

3. b. sand of the sea (shore) חוֺל הַיָּם (in simile) Genesis 32:13; Genesis 41:49; Hosea 2:1; Isaiah 10:22 + often (see חוֺל); חוֺל גְּבוּל לַיָּם Jeremiah 5:22.

c. לְשׁוֺן הַיָּם tongue (arm or gulf) of sea Joshua 15:5; Joshua 18:19; Isaiah 11:5.

d. מִיָּם עַדיָֿם Amos 8:12; Zechariah 9:10; Psalm 72:8, compare Micah 7:12; Zechariah 14:8 (twice in verse); Joel 2:20 (twice in verse); Daniel 11:45.

9 = (west, west-word (originally sea-ward, from position of Mediterranean with reference to Palestine, and this sense still often perceptible): with other three points of compass Genesis 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 (מִמִּזְרָח וּמִמַּעֲרָב מִצָּפוֺן וּמִיָּם; but read perhaps וּמִיָּמִן from the south, Hu Pe Bi Che); opposed to east Joshua 11:2; Joshua 16:6 16t. Ezekiel 48; west alone Genesis 12:8 (J); רוּהַ יָם Ezekiel 10:19 (J) west wind; מִיָּם לְ westward Joshua 8:9,12,13 +; יָ֫מָּה westward, often of tabernacle Exodus 26:22,27; Numbers 3:23 #NAME? Joshua 5:1; Joshua 15:8,10 etc., + often Ezekiel; דֶּרֶךְ הַיָּם = westward Ezekiel 41:12; גְּבוּל יָם western border Numbers 34:6 (twice in verse); Joshua 15:2; מְּאַתיָֿם west side Exodus 27:12; Exodus 38:12; Numbers 35:5; Joshua 18:14; מְּאַת דרך הים Ezekiel 41:12 (see further פאה).

[יַם] noun masculine sea (ᵑ7 Syriac; see B יָם, √ ימם); — emphatic יַמָּא Daniel 7:2,3.

Semantic Range and General Usage

יָם 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, while Micah 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.

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 yomInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts