יָרַשׁ

From the study of Psalm 37:34

Range of meaning

To take possession of, occupy, hold as one's own; to become heir (Gen 15:3–4, 'he will be your heir'); in the causative form, to dispossess others or drive them out. It is the standard verb for Israel taking possession of Canaan in Deuteronomy and Joshua. A related noun is yerushshah, 'possession'.

Against the English

All major versions say 'inherit' (NLT: 'giving you the land'; YLT: 'possess'). 'Inherit' fits the heir sense, but it misses the occupying and holding sense. That sense is central here because the land is being contested: someone will hold it, the wicked or the faithful.

How it drifted

English 'inherit' now chiefly means receiving property or traits on a relative's death. Through Christian use it also suggests a future, other-worldly reward. Yarash is broader and more concrete: secure, lasting possession of land.

Used elsewhere in the period

Deut 1:8; 4:1 and often ('go in and take possession of the land'). The Septuagint here has klēronomeō/kataklēronomeō, 'receive as an allotted inheritance'. That Greek wording lies behind Matt 5:5, which quotes Ps 37:11 in its Greek form: 'the meek will inherit the earth/land (gē)'. The Qumran commentary on this psalm (4Q171) applies the land promise to its own community.

From the study of Proverbs 20:13

Range of meaning

In the active form: take possession of, inherit, occupy (especially land), and also dispossess or drive out. In the passive (Niphal) form, used only a few times: be dispossessed, be brought to poverty (Gen 45:11; Prov 23:21; 30:9).

Against the English

"Grow poor" or "come to poverty" catches the result. It misses the picture of losing possessions and land, the word Israel used for holding and losing its inheritance.

Used elsewhere in the period

Gen 45:11: Joseph offers to provide for his family "lest you... come to poverty" (same form). Prov 23:21: "the drunkard and the glutton will become poor" (same form), where drowsiness clothes a person in rags. Prov 30:9: "lest I be poor and steal." Some lexicons (BDB, HALOT) list this "be impoverished" sense under a separate entry, but most link it to the idea of being dispossessed.

From the study of Ezra 9:12

Range of meaning

Qal: take possession, inherit, dispossess. Hiphil (causative): cause to possess, give as a possession, bequeath; also drive out or dispossess others.

Against the English

'Leave it as an inheritance' is accurate. English 'inheritance' can suggest money in a will, but this is land: farms, the family holding and its continuity.

Used elsewhere in the period

The same root ends v. 11 ('the land you are entering to possess', lərištāh). 1 Chr 28:8 has a near-identical phrase: 'that you may possess the good land and bequeath it (wəhinḥaltem) to your sons after you forever'. Deuteronomy uses yāraš throughout for taking the land.