The Hebrew noun neurim (plural of naur) refers to the period of youth or early life. Occurring about 46 times in the OT, it denotes the formative years of childhood through young adulthood. The word carries both descriptive and evaluative weight — youth is a time of learning, of establishing patterns, and of making foundational life decisions.
Scripture consistently treats neurim as a critical formation period. Proverbs 22:6 instructs parents to train children in the way they should go. Ecclesiastes 12:1 commands remembering the Creator in the days of one's youth. Jeremiah was called from his neurim (1:6). The New Testament continues this emphasis: Timothy's faith was nurtured from childhood. Biblical wisdom recognizes that patterns formed in youth often persist through life.