BIBLE HEBREW WORD STUDY
Yatsa (יָצָא) — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
Yatsa (יָצָא) is a common Hebrew verb meaning to go out, come out, or bring forth, used literally and figuratively across the Old Testament.
Meaning of the word
Yatsa (יָצָא) is one of the most frequent verbs in the Hebrew Bible, expressing movement outward from a place or state. The base form covers both intransitive 'to go out / come out' and causative 'to bring out / bring forth,' depending on the stem and conjugation used. The lexicon defines it broadly as 'to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively.'
In the qal stem, yatsa typically describes simple outward movement: a person departing (Gen 12:4), a group setting out (Gen 12:5), or a river flowing from its source (Gen 2:10). In the hiphil stem, the verb shifts to a causative sense, meaning 'to bring out' or 'to bring forth.' This is the form used when the earth produces vegetation (Gen 1:12), when living creatures emerge from the ground (Gen 1:24), and when God delivers Israel from Egypt (Exod 14:11; 20:2).
The verb's flexibility allows it to cover physical departure, agricultural production, and dramatic divine deliverance, making it a workhorse term in narrative and legal texts alike.
Usage in Scripture
In the creation narrative of Genesis 1, yatsa describes the productive act of the earth itself. The land 'brings forth' grass, herbs, and trees (Gen 1:12), and later 'brings forth' living creatures (Gen 1:24). Here the verb frames creation as an act of emergence: what God calls into being comes out into visibility and function. The hiphil causative form highlights that the earth acts under divine command, not on its own initiative.
Outside Eden, yatsa marks journeys and transitions. A river 'goes out' of Eden to water the garden (Gen 2:10). Abram 'went out' from Haran toward Canaan at the age of seventy-five (Gen 12:4), and he and his household 'set out' for the promised land (Gen 12:5). In each case the verb signals movement from a familiar setting toward a divinely directed destination.
The most theologically loaded use of yatsa appears in Exodus. The Israelites are 'going out' from Egypt (Exod 14:8), and Moses' opponents accuse him of 'bringing them forth' to die in the wilderness (Exod 14:11). The Decalogue then anchors Israel's identity in God's act: 'I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage' (Exod 20:2). The same verb that describes rivers, plants, and personal travel thus carries the weight of national redemption.
The word in detail
- H3318 The Hebrew verb yatsa (יָצָא) means 'to go out' or, in causative stems, 'to bring out / bring forth.' It applies to people departing a place (Gen 12:4), rivers flowing from a source (Gen 2:10), the earth producing vegetation or creatures (Gen 1:12, 24), and God delivering Israel from Egypt (Exod 20:2). The same root thus spans everyday movement, agricultural imagery, and the central redemptive event of the Old Testament.
Example verses
- Genesis 1:12 On the third day of creation the earth 'brings forth' vegetation. The hiphil form of yatsa presents the land as an instrument under God's word, producing life in an orderly, seed-bearing way.
- Genesis 2:10 A river 'goes out' of Eden to water the garden. Here yatsa describes natural outflow, linking the garden's fruitfulness to a source outside it.
- Exodus 14:8 Israel 'goes out' from Egypt with a high hand. The verb frames the departure as a bold, public act that sets the exodus in motion.
- Exodus 20:2 The Decalogue grounds Israel's covenant identity in God's past action: 'I brought you out of the land of Egypt.' Yatsa thus becomes a theological keyword for redemption.
Common questions
Is yatsa used for both 'going out' and 'bringing out'?
Yes. The qal stem usually means 'to go out / come out,' while the hiphil stem is causative, 'to bring out / bring forth.' The same root covers both senses depending on conjugation.
What is the most theologically important use of yatsa?
The exodus. 'I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt' (Exod 20:2) makes yatsa a key term for divine deliverance, and the verb recurs throughout the Old Testament to recall that event.
Does yatsa describe only human actions?
No. It also describes natural processes such as a river flowing (Gen 2:10) and the earth producing vegetation and creatures (Gen 1:12, 24), as well as God's delivering acts in history.