The Hebrew noun yam means sea, large body of water, or west. It occurs approximately 396 times in the Old Testament. Because the Mediterranean Sea lies to the west of Israel, yam also serves as the directional term for "west." It can refer to the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, the Dead Sea, or any large lake or river.
In the Old Testament, the sea often symbolizes chaos, danger, and the forces opposed to God's order. God's sovereignty over the sea is a recurring theme — He divides the Red Sea to deliver Israel, He sets boundaries for the ocean at creation, and He calms the storm in Jonah's narrative. The sea represents both the power of creation under God's command and the threat of chaos that only God can subdue. In the eschatological vision of Revelation, the new creation features "no more sea" — chaos itself is finally abolished.