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H3033 · Hebrew · Old Testament
יְדִידֻת
yediduth
Noun Feminine
Beloved / Dearly Loved One

Definition

Yediduth (יְדִידֻת, H3033) means beloved, dear, dearly loved, darling. It is an abstract or intensified form of yedid (H3039, beloved/dear friend), which itself derives from dod (H1730, beloved/lover/uncle). This word appears in Psalm 84:1: 'How lovely is your dwelling place, LORD Almighty!' — though some renderings translate it as the superlative form of loveliness. The deeper meaning is one of intimate affection, the cherishing love between beloved persons.

Usage & Theological Significance

Yediduth sits within a constellation of Hebrew love-words that reveal God's character as a passionately devoted lover of His people. The related yedid appears in Deuteronomy 33:12 — 'Let the beloved (yedid) of the LORD rest secure in him' — as Moses' blessing over Benjamin. God calls Israel His yedid (Jeremiah 11:15; 12:7). Solomon's name in Hebrew is related to shalom, but God's private name for him was Jedidiah — 'beloved of the LORD' (2 Samuel 12:25). Yediduth intensifies this: it is not mere affection but deep, tender, aching love. The New Testament equivalent is the Father's voice at Jesus' baptism: 'This is my Son, whom I love (agapetos — beloved)' (Matthew 3:17). All human experience of being truly beloved points toward this primal relationship.

Key Bible Verses

Psalm 84:1 How lovely (yediduth) is your dwelling place, LORD Almighty!
2 Samuel 12:25 ...and because the LORD loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah.
Deuteronomy 33:12 About Benjamin he said: 'Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders.'
Jeremiah 11:15 What is my beloved doing in my temple as she, with many others, works out her evil schemes?
Matthew 3:17 And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'

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