WG: Instruction
Overview
The OT instruction concept cluster centers on the act of authoritative teaching/directing (yarah), its product (towrah), and the parallel vocabulary of learning and knowing that forms the complete wisdom-instruction field. These words frequently co-occur with derek ("the way"), forming a recurring formula: divine/priestly instruction directs people in the right path.
Word Group Members
| Strong's |
Word |
Transliteration |
POS |
Occurrences |
Role in Concept |
Library Entry |
| H3384 |
יָרָה |
yarah |
verb |
75 |
The authoritative act (to direct, teach, point out) |
H3384 |
| H8451 |
תּוֹרָה |
towrah |
noun |
213 |
The product (instruction, law, direction) |
H8451 |
| H3925 |
לָמַד |
lamad |
verb |
80 |
The learning response (to learn; Piel: to train) |
TODO(need H3925 study) |
| H3045 |
יָדַע |
yada |
verb |
873 |
The resulting state (to know, perceive) |
H3045 |
| H7919 |
שָׂכַל |
sakal |
verb |
63 |
The outcome (to act wisely, have insight) |
H7919 |
| H2449 |
חָכַם |
chakam |
verb |
26 |
The acquired capacity (to be wise) |
TODO(need H2449 study) |
| H1870 |
דֶּרֶךְ |
derek |
noun |
626 |
The spatial metaphor (the way, path) |
TODO(need H1870 study) |
Relationships
Word Family
- yarah (H3384) → towrah (H8451): root verb and its nominal derivative. Towrah is literally "the directing/pointing."
- yarah (H3384) → moreh (H4175): Hiphil participle as noun, "teacher" or "early rain."
Co-occurrence (appear in same verses)
| Word A |
Word B |
Shared Verses |
Typical Context |
| yada (H3045) |
derek (H1870) |
47 |
"know the way of the LORD" |
| towrah (H8451) |
derek (H1870) |
14 |
"the law... the way they must walk" |
| yarah (H3384) |
derek (H1870) |
12 |
"teach in the way" — yarah + derek formula |
| lamad (H3925) |
derek (H1870) |
10 |
"teach children... walking in the way" |
| towrah (H8451) |
yada (H3045) |
9 |
"make known the law" |
| lamad (H3925) |
yada (H3045) |
8 |
"learn to know" — paired acquisition |
| yarah (H3384) |
towrah (H8451) |
7 |
Root verb + derivative together — "teach the law" |
| sakal (H7919) |
derek (H1870) |
7 |
"prosper in the way" |
| towrah (H8451) |
lamad (H3925) |
5 |
"learn the law" |
| towrah (H8451) |
sakal (H7919) |
5 |
"observe the law... prosper" |
LXX Overlaps (shared Greek targets bridging multiple Hebrew members)
| Hebrew Words |
Shared Greek |
Notes |
| towrah + yarah + sakal |
νόμος (nomos) G3551 |
Greek collapses root verb (yarah), product (towrah), and outcome (sakal) under one term |
| derek + yarah + sakal |
ὁδός (hodos) G3598 |
The "way" metaphor pervades the group's LXX renderings |
| lamad + yarah |
διδάσκω (didasko) G1321 |
Two distinct Hebrew instruction verbs merge in Greek |
| towrah + lamad |
δικαίωμα (dikaioma) G1345 |
Legal-instruction overlap |
Roles in the Concept
- Source Act: yarah (יָרָה) — the authoritative pointing/directing; the teacher aims the learner at the target
- Product: towrah (תּוֹרָה) — the codified instruction; what results from yarah
- Receptive Act: lamad (לָמַד) — the learner's response; to be goaded into knowledge
- Resulting Knowledge: yada (יָדַע) — experiential, relational knowing acquired through instruction
- Practical Outcome: sakal (שָׂכַל) — acting wisely; successful application of what was taught
- Acquired Character: chakam (חָכַם) — wisdom as settled capacity
- Spatial Metaphor: derek (דֶּרֶךְ) — "the way" in which one is taught to walk
Key Passages Where Multiple Group Words Appear Together
- Exo 18:20 — [towrah + yada + derek] "thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way"
- Jos 1:8 — [towrah + sakal + derek] "This book of the law... thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success"
- Isa 2:3 — [yarah + towrah + derek] "he will teach us of his ways... for out of Zion shall go forth the law"
- Mic 4:2 — [yarah + towrah + derek] "he will teach us of his ways... for the law shall go forth of Zion"
- Psa 25:4 — [lamad + yada + derek] "Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths"
- Psa 32:8 — [yarah + sakal + derek] "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go"
- Isa 40:14 — [lamad + yada + derek] "who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment"
- Dan 1:4 — [lamad + yada + sakal] "skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science"
Generated from: gather_word_group_data.py
Last updated: 2026-05-01