יָחְדָּו

From the study of Isaiah 41:19

Range of meaning

'Together, at once, all alike, in unison'. It can stress a group acting jointly or things happening simultaneously.

Against the English

Most versions keep 'together' at the end of the verse, which is right. Some readers take it as a mere list-closer and miss its echo.

Used elsewhere in the period

Isaiah 40–48 uses it repeatedly (40:5 'all flesh shall see it together'; 41:1, 41:20, 41:23; 60:13 with the same trio of trees).

From the study of Psalm 133:1

Range of meaning

A noun meaning 'unitedness,' almost always used as an adverb: together, in the same place, at the same time, all alike. It is related to the root for 'one' (echad).

Against the English

'In unity' (KJV, WEB, ESV, NASB) and 'in harmony' (BSB, NLT) turn it into an abstract state. 'Together' (YLT) is closer.

How it drifted

Via Latin 'in unum' and English 'unity,' which today suggests consensus or ecumenical oneness.

Used elsewhere in the period

Common in the Hebrew Bible (e.g. Ps 2:2, 'take counsel together'). In the Dead Sea Scrolls the Qumran group called itself ha-Yachad, 'the Together / the Community' (Community Rule, 1QS), which shows the word could name a community that shared life. The Greek Septuagint renders it epi to auto ('in the same place'), the phrase Acts 2:1 and 2:44 use for the first believers gathered together.

From the study of Genesis 22:8

Range of meaning

'Together, as one, all at once'. It is related to echad, 'one', and can carry a sense of unity, not just being in the same place.

Against the English

Most versions render it 'together', which is fine. What English readers can miss is that this is an exact repeat of the close of verse 6.

Used elsewhere in the period

Genesis 22:6, 8, and 19 (Abraham returns 'together' with the servants). Genesis Rabbah 56, an early collection of rabbinic commentary on Genesis, makes much of the repetition: after verse 8 they walked on 'with one heart', 'one to bind and one to be bound'.