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חֶרֶשׂ

𐤇𐤓𐤔

cheres

H2789 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חרש to engrave, to plow, to work (craft)

Definition

A potsherd, fragment of pottery; sometimes refers to a piece of baked clay or earthenware, occasionally (in poetic contexts) referencing a clay vessel as a whole. The term signifies a shard from a broken ceramic object, but may in rare cases extend to earthenware more generally, depending on context.

Semantic Range

potsherd, fragment of pottery, piece of earthenware, broken shard; rarely, an earthenware vessel; by extension, clay (as material)

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root חרש, which generally means 'to engrave, inscribe, plow, or work.' In this noun form, חֶרֶשׂ appears as a variant spelling or collateral form of the more common חֶרֶס, both denoting 'a potsherd.' The link to the root may relate to the working or forming of clay. The precise reason for the s/ʃ alternation in spelling between חֶרֶשׂ and חֶרֶס is uncertain; they function as synonymous terms in context.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חֶרֶשׂ is attested notably less frequently than חֶרֶס. Both terms primarily appear in poetic or figurative contexts (e.g., references to fragility or brokenness; see Job 2:8, Psalm 22:16). There is no clear difference in meaning between חֶרֶשׂ and חֶרֶס, though the latter is the standard form. The motif of the potsherd and clay vessel is a common one in biblical literature, symbolizing human frailty (cf. Isaiah 45:9, Psalms, Job). While most English translations render חֶרֶשׂ as 'potsherd' or 'earthenware,' the sense of a broken fragment is primary. In some interpretations (based on later tradition and context such as Job 2:8), the word may refer to a pottery implement for scraping, but this is not a core lexical sense. In contrast to אבן ('stone'), חֶרֶשׂ specifically designates material made from fired clay. In post-exilic and later Hebrew, the corresponding term remains associated with pottery, but its use narrows to specific archaeological artifacts. Occasionally, ancient versions (e.g., LXX) render the word ambiguously as 'stone,' but this reflects translation difficulties rather than original Hebrew meaning.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a collateral form mediating between חֶרֶס and חֶרֶשׁ; a piece of pottery; earth(-en), (pot-) sherd, [phrase] stone.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חרש (ḥ-r-š) — to engrave, to plow, to work, to craft

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2758 חָרִישׁ ploughing season
H2759 חֲרִישִׁי sultry-still
H2776 חֶרֶס pottery shard
H2790 חָרַשׁ I will silence
H2791 חֶרֶשׁ potters

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2789-04 חֶ֛רֶשׂ cheres HNcmsa earthen potsherd 9
H2789-02 חָ֑רֶשׂ chares HNcmsa earthen pottery shard 5
H2789-01 חֲרָשֶׂ֛י/הָ charaseyha HNcmpc/Sp3fs its-sherds her pottery-shards 1
H2789-03 חַרְשֵׂ֣י charesey HNcmpc potsherds worked-clay shards of 1
H2789-05 כַּ/חֶ֨רֶשׂ kacheres HRd/Ncmsa like a potsherd worked clay shard 1

Occurrences in Scripture

17 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2789-04 Leviticus 6:21 חֶ֛רֶשׂ cheres HNcmsa earthen potsherd
H2789-04 Leviticus 11:33 חֶ֔רֶשׂ cheres HNcmsa earthen potsherd
H2789-04 Leviticus 14:5 חֶ֖רֶשׂ cheres HNcmsa earthen potsherd
H2789-04 Leviticus 14:50 חֶ֖רֶשׂ cheres HNcmsa earthen potsherd
H2789-04 Leviticus 15:12 חֶ֛רֶשׂ cheres HNcmsa earthenware potsherd
H2789-02 Numbers 5:17 חָ֑רֶשׂ chares HNcmsa earthen pottery shard
H2789-04 Isaiah 30:14 חֶ֔רֶשׂ cheres HNcmsa a shard potsherd
H2789-04 Isaiah 45:9 חֶ֖רֶשׂ cheres HNcmsa a potsherd potsherd
H2789-03 Isaiah 45:9 חַרְשֵׂ֣י charesey HNcmpc potsherds worked-clay shards of
H2789-02 Jeremiah 19:1 חָ֑רֶשׂ chares HNcmsa earthen pottery shard
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