Lexical Summary valad: Offspring, child, or young one Original Word: וָלָד Strong's Exhaustive Concordance child For yeled; a boy -- child. see HEBREW yeled NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom yalad Definition offspring, child NASB Translation child (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs וָלָד noun masculine offspring, child, only אֵין לָהּ וָלָ֑ד Genesis 11:30 (J); si vera lectio = Arabic  ; Ethiopic  (with original ו); — in 2 Samuel 6:23, where some editions have ולד Kt, יָ֑לֶד Qr, Baer and van d. H give יָ֑לֶד Kt. Topical Lexicon Definition and Occurrence The Hebrew noun וָלָד (Strong 2056) denotes a “child” or “offspring.” It appears only once in the Old Testament, in Genesis 11:30, where the narrator states of Abram’s wife, “But Sarai was barren; she had no child”. Although rare, the word frames a pivotal biblical theme: God’s redemptive work amid human barrenness. Context of Genesis 11:30 Genesis 11 closes the primeval history and introduces the patriarchal narratives. By noting Sarai’s lack of offspring, Scripture underscores the apparent impossibility of the promises that immediately follow: “I will make you into a great nation” (Genesis 12:2). The single occurrence of וָלָד therefore serves as a dramatic literary hinge—highlighting the gap between human inability and divine initiative. Theological Themes of Barrenness and Promise 1. Dependence on Divine Grace · Sarai’s empty womb pictures humanity’s incapacity to fulfill God’s purposes without His intervention (compare Genesis 15:4-6; Romans 4:18-21). · The promised offspring becomes the vehicle for the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 17:7-8), linking the lone absence of a וָלָד to the eventual birth of Isaac, the child of promise (Genesis 21:1-3). · Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly turns barrenness into fruitfulness—Rebekah (Genesis 25:21), Rachel (Genesis 30:22-24), Hannah (1 Samuel 1:19-20)—displaying His sovereignty over life. Related Biblical Patterns of Miraculous Birth The motif initiated by Sarai crescendos in the virgin conception of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:20-23), where the true Seed (Galatians 3:16) arrives apart from human power. Thus the absence of a וָלָד in Genesis 11:30 foreshadows the ultimate intervention that brings salvation. Ministry Implications • Assurance in Apparent Impossibilities: Believers facing “barren” circumstances can trust God’s ability to create life where none exists (Ephesians 3:20). Christological Foreshadowing The solitary וָלָד points beyond Isaac to the Messiah. Isaiah foretells, “For unto us a child is born” (Isaiah 9:6), and the New Testament proclaims that Jesus is the child through whom all nations are blessed (Acts 3:25-26). The initial absence accentuates the eventual fullness found in Christ. Reflection for Contemporary Faith Sarai’s lack of a וָלָד invites the church to celebrate God’s power to bring spiritual and physical life. It encourages intercession for the barren, confidence in God’s promises, and a gospel-centered hope anchored in the Child who has come and will come again. Forms and Transliterations וָלָֽד׃ ולד׃ vaLad wā·lāḏ wālāḏLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 11:30 HEB: אֵ֥ין לָ֖הּ וָלָֽד׃ NAS: was barren; she had no child. KJV: was barren; she [had] no child. INT: was barren had child |
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