I. יַ֫עַר noun masculine^{2Samuel 18:8} wood, forest, thicket (MI²¹ plural היערן (= proper name, of a location ?); Phoenician יער and יר, compare DHM in MV (10) 983; Aramaic יַעֲרָא, wood, thicket; Assyrian âru Dl^{HWB 230}, compare Jäger^{BAS i, 476}) — absolute ַ֫ יעַר Isaiah 7:2 +; יָ֑עַר Micah 3:12 +; with ה locative יַעֲרָה Joshua 17:15; construct ַ֫ יעַר 2 Samuel 18:6; יַעְרָהּ Jeremiah 46:23, etc.; plural יְעָרִים Ezra 2:25 4t. (including Ezekiel 34:25 Qr, so Co); יְעָרוֺת Psalm 29:9; —

a. wood, forest, wooded height, with trees to be felled Joshua 17:15 (with עלה go up to), Joshua 17:18 (J), Deuteronomy 19:5 (not elsewhere Hexateuch); עֵץ מִיַּעַר כְּרָתוֺ Jeremiah 10:13 as wood out of a forest he hath cut it; יחטבו מןהֿיערים Ezekiel 39:10 (עצים מןהֿשׂדה in "" clause); as producing trees יער צוֺמֵחַ עֵצִים Ecclesiastes 2:6; in designation of Solomon's palace בֵּית יַעַר הַלְּבָנוֺן 1 Kings 7:2 (on structure of this house see Sta^{Salomos Bauten, ZAW 1883, 150}), 1 Kings 10:17,21 2Chronicles 9:16,20; compare בֵּית הַיָּ֫עַר Isaiah 22:8; figurative of foes to be cut down and destroyed נִקַּף סִבְכֵי היער Isaiah 10:34; כָּֽרְתוּ יַעְרָהּ Jeremiah 46:23; so Isaiah 32:19 and יער הַבָּצִו֯ר Zechariah 11:2 (read Kt הַבָּצוּר inaccessible forest).

b. as hiding-place for fugitive 1 Samuel 22:5; lurking-place of wild beasts Amos 3:4; Micah 5:7; 2 Kings 2:24; Jeremiah 5:6; Jeremiah 12:8; Isaiah 56:9; Psalm 50:10; Psalm 80:14; Psalm 104:20, compare Ezekiel 34:25 (read Qr, see above)

c. stripped by voice of ׳י Psalm 29:9; devoured by fire Isaiah 9:17 (׳סִבְכֵי הַיּ; figurative of the people); so in metaphor or simile of ׳יs judgements Isaiah 10:18 (כְּבוֺד יַעְרוֺ, figurative of Assyr.), Jeremiah 21:14; Ezekiel 21:2; Ezekiel 21:3 (see below) Psalm 83:15.

d. opposed to כַּרְמֶל (garden-land) Isaiah 29:17; Isaiah 32:15; but also יַעַר כַּרְמִלּוֺ his garden woodland 2 Kings 19:23 = Isaiah 37:24, and יַעַר בְּתוֺךְ כַּרְמֶל Micah 7:14 (secluded and fertile abode for flock, figurative of people, see Che; Hi-St thinks of sacred grove).

e. = thicket, especially as symbol of desolation Hosea 2:14; בָּמוֺת יער thicket-covered heights (overgrown with bushes and trees) Micah 3:12 = Jeremiah 26:18; also בַּיַּעַר בּעֲרַב Isaiah 21:13 in the thicket (or bushes, so VB) in Arabia must ye lodge, caravans of Dedanites.

f. עֲצֵי (ה)יער trees of the forest Isaiah 7:2 (in sim), Isaiah 10:19 (יַעְרוֺ שְׁאָר עֵץ, figurative), Isaiah 44:14; Ezekiel 15:2, also Ezekiel 15:6 (עֵץ היער), Songs 2:3 (in simile); figurative, as singing before ׳י Psalm 96:12 = 1 Chronicles 16:33; Isaiah 44:23 (יער וְכָלעֵֿץ בּוֺ).

g. particular forests are: יער אפרים 2 Samuel 18:6, see אֶפְרַיִם above; compare 2 Samuel 18:18; 2 Samuel 18:17 (see also Joshua 17:15,18); יַעַר חָ֑רֶת 1 Samuel 22:5 (see above); יַעַר לְבָנוֺן (see above); יַעַר הַשָּׂדֶה נֶגֶב and יַעַר הַנָּגֶב Ezekiel 21:2; Ezekiel 21:3 (see above) figurative of Judah (land and people); see also יְעָרִים below — שְׂדֵיָֿ֑ יעַר Psalm 132:6 is a proper name, of a location (but Bae thinks appellative 'auf waldigem Gefilcle'), see קִרְיַת יְעָרִים. On 1 Samuel 14:25,26, see II. יער. — יעורים Ezekiel 34:25 Kt, read יְעָרִים Qr, see above

II. יער ( √ of following; meaning dubious; MV identification with I, from roughness and porousness (?) of honeycomb, compare Buhl.