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נְחֹשֶׁת

𐤍𐤇𐤔𐤕

nᵉchôsheth

H5178 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A metallic substance, primarily copper or bronze, used for implements, weapons, and decorative objects in ancient Israelite material culture; occasionally employed in a figurative sense to denote hardness, strength, or baseness in comparison to more valuable metals such as gold and silver.

Semantic Range

copper, bronze, object made of copper/bronze (vessel, fetter, chain, altar, pillar), figurative meaning of strength or baseness

Root / Etymology

Root: נחש (nachash), meaning 'to shine, to be bright', from which the noun נְחֹשֶׁת likely derives, indicating a shiny metal. The word refers to copper in its pure state, but often designates bronze (an alloy of copper and tin) in contexts where alloyed metals are implied. Over time, the boundary between copper and bronze was linguistically and technologically fluid.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical usage, נְחֹשֶׁת most often denotes copper or bronze, reflecting either the pure metal or its alloyed forms, depending on context and period. In the patriarchal and early monarchic periods, copper was a common metal, with bronze (copper alloyed with tin) becoming increasingly important during the later Bronze Age contexts. The term is used for sacred vessels, tools, weapons, and elements of temple construction (e.g., the Bronze Altar and 'pillar of bronze'), as well as for fetters and yokes. Occasionally, the word is used figuratively to signify qualities like strength, resilience, or moral baseness (especially in contrast to more precious metals like silver or gold). The translation tradition sometimes rendered נְחֹשֶׁת as 'brass,' but true brass (copper and zinc) was unknown in biblical times. The use of נְחֹשֶׁת does not indicate modern 'steel.' In later periods, such as during the post-exilic and Second Temple era, the term's spectrum may be more restricted or clarified by context, with Greek translations typically using χαλκός (chalkos). Comparisons with related terms: while זָהָב (zahav) is gold and כֶּסֶף (kesef) is silver, נְחֹשֶׁת covers both native copper and common bronze used for utilitarian and sacred purposes. Modern English translations frequently use 'bronze' rather than 'brass' for accuracy.

Translation Consistency

primary "bronze" 50 occurrences

'Bronze' is the most frequent and natural English rendering in the attested occurrences and fits the typical material and object sense (vessels, implements, altars, chains). It also covers the common ancient-metal sense (copper/bronze alloy) and reads naturally in figurative uses of hardness or baseness. Using 'bronze' ensures consistent, idiomatic translation across all forms.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

for נְחוּשָׁה; copper, hence, something made of that metal, i.e. coin, a fetter; figuratively, base (as compared with gold or silver); brasen, brass, chain, copper, fetter (of brass), filthiness, steel.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

נחש (Nechushetan) — to shine, to practice divination (root meanings); in this form, 'made of copper or bronze, shiny, metallic'

Root נחש to shine, to be bright
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H5153 נָחוּשׁ bronze-made
H5173 נַחַשׁ act of divination
H5174 נְחָשׁ copper
H5180 נְחֻשְׁתָּן Bronze-Thing

Word Forms

18 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H5178-09 נְחֹ֖שֶׁת nechoshet HNcfsa bronze shining copper bronze 75
H5178-03 הַ/נְּחֹ֨שֶׁת֙ hanechoshet HTd/Ncfsa the bronze the bronze the bronze 30
H5178-13 וּ/נְחֹֽשֶׁת unechoshet HC/Ncfsa and bronze and bronze and bronze 11
H5178-02 בַּֽ/נְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם banechushetayim HRd/Ncfda with bronze shackles in two bronze pieces in two bronze pieces 4
H5178-14 וּ/בַ/נְּחֹ֣שֶׁת uvanechoshet HC/Rd/Ncfsa and in bronze and in the bronze and in the bronze 3
H5178-01 בַּ/נְּחֹ֑שֶׁת banechoshet HRd/Ncfsa in bronze in the bright-metal in bronze 2
H5178-11 נְחֻשְׁתָּ֖/ם nechushetam HNcfsc/Sp3mp bronze-of-them their bronze their bronze 2
H5178-16 בַֽ/נְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם vanechushetayim HRd/Ncfda in-bronze-fetters in double-bronze with bronze fetters 2
H5178-18 וְ/לַ/נְּחֹ֤שֶׁת velanechoshet HC/Rd/Ncfsa and for bronze and to the bronze and to the bronze 2
H5178-04 לַ/נְּחֹ֗שֶׁת lanechoshet HRd/Ncfsa for-the-bronze for the bronze for the bronze 1

Occurrences in Scripture

140 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H5178-15 Joshua 22:8 וּ/בִ/נְחֹ֧שֶׁת uvinechoshet HC/R/Ncfsa and with bronze and with bronze and with bronze
H5178-02 Judges 16:21 בַּֽ/נְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם banechushetayim HRd/Ncfda with bronze fetters in two bronze pieces in two bronze pieces
H5178-09 1 Samuel 17:5 נְחֹ֨שֶׁת֙ nechoshet HNcfsa of-bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-09 1 Samuel 17:5 נְחֹֽשֶֽׁת nechoshet-2 HNcfsa bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-09 1 Samuel 17:6 נְחֹ֖שֶׁת nechoshet HNcfsa of bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-09 1 Samuel 17:6 נְחֹ֖שֶׁת nechoshet-2 HNcfsa of bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-09 1 Samuel 17:38 נְחֹ֖שֶׁת nechoshet HNcfsa of bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-07 2 Samuel 3:34 לִ/נְחֻשְׁתַּ֣יִם linechushetayim HR/Ncfda in fetters to two bronze pieces with bronze fetters
H5178-09 2 Samuel 8:8 נְחֹ֖שֶׁת nechoshet HNcfsa bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-09 2 Samuel 8:10 נְחֹֽשֶׁת nechoshet HNcfsa of bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-09 2 Samuel 21:16 נְחֹ֔שֶׁת nechoshet HNcfsa of bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-09 1 Kings 4:13 נְחֹֽשֶׁת nechoshet HNcfsa of bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-09 1 Kings 7:14 נְחֹשֶׁת֒ nechoshet HNcfsa in bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-01 1 Kings 7:14 בַּ/נְּחֹ֑שֶׁת banechoshet HRd/Ncfsa in bronze in the bright-metal in bronze
H5178-09 1 Kings 7:15 נְחֹ֑שֶׁת nechoshet HNcfsa of bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-09 1 Kings 7:16 נְחֹ֑שֶׁת nechoshet HNcfsa bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-09 1 Kings 7:27 נְחֹ֑שֶׁת nechoshet HNcfsa of bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-09 1 Kings 7:30 נְחֹ֜שֶׁת nechoshet HNcfsa bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-09 1 Kings 7:30 נְחֹ֔שֶׁת nechoshet-2 HNcfsa bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-09 1 Kings 7:38 נְחֹ֑שֶׁת nechoshet HNcfsa of bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-09 1 Kings 7:45 נְחֹ֖שֶׁת nechoshet HNcfsa bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-03 1 Kings 7:47 הַ/נְּחֹֽשֶׁת hanechoshet HTd/Ncfsa of the bronze the bronze the bronze
H5178-03 1 Kings 8:64 הַ/נְּחֹ֨שֶׁת֙ hanechoshet HTd/Ncfsa the bronze the bronze the bronze
H5178-09 1 Kings 14:27 נְחֹ֑שֶׁת nechoshet HNcfsa of bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-03 2 Kings 16:14 הַ/נְּחֹשֶׁת֮ hanechoshet HTd/Ncfsa the bronze the bronze the bronze
H5178-03 2 Kings 16:15 הַ/נְּחֹ֛שֶׁת hanechoshet HTd/Ncfsa the bronze the bronze the bronze
H5178-03 2 Kings 16:17 הַ/נְּחֹ֖שֶׁת hanechoshet HTd/Ncfsa the bronze the bronze the bronze
H5178-03 2 Kings 18:4 הַ/נְּחֹ֜שֶׁת hanechoshet HTd/Ncfsa of bronze the bronze the bronze
H5178-16 2 Kings 25:7 בַֽ/נְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם vanechushetayim HRd/Ncfda in-bronze-fetters in double-bronze with bronze fetters
H5178-03 2 Kings 25:13 הַ/נְּחֹ֜שֶׁת hanechoshet HTd/Ncfsa the-bronze the bronze the bronze
H5178-03 2 Kings 25:13 הַ/נְּחֹ֛שֶׁת hanechoshet-2 HTd/Ncfsa the-bronze the bronze the bronze
H5178-11 2 Kings 25:13 נְחֻשְׁתָּ֖/ם nechushetam HNcfsc/Sp3mp bronze-of-them their bronze their bronze
H5178-03 2 Kings 25:14 הַ/נְּחֹ֛שֶׁת hanechoshet HTd/Ncfsa bronze the bronze the bronze
H5178-05 2 Kings 25:16 לִ/נְחֹ֖שֶׁת linechoshet HR/Ncfsc of bronze for bronze of bronze
H5178-09 2 Kings 25:17 נְחֹשֶׁת֮ nechoshet HNcfsa bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-09 2 Kings 25:17 נְחֹ֑שֶׁת nechoshet-2 HNcfsa bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-03 Isaiah 60:17 הַ/נְּחֹ֜שֶׁת hanechoshet HTd/Ncfsa bronze the bronze the bronze
H5178-09 Isaiah 60:17 נְחֹ֔שֶׁת nechoshet HNcfsa bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-09 Jeremiah 1:18 נְחֹ֖שֶׁת nechoshet HNcfsa of bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-09 Jeremiah 6:28 נְחֹ֣שֶׁת nechoshet HNcfsa bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-13 Jeremiah 15:12 וּ/נְחֹֽשֶׁת unechoshet HC/Ncfsa and bronze and bronze and bronze
H5178-09 Jeremiah 15:20 נְחֹ֨שֶׁת֙ nechoshet HNcfsa of bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-02 Jeremiah 39:7 בַּֽ/נְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם banechushetayim HRd/Ncfda in bronze fetters in two bronze pieces in two bronze pieces
H5178-16 Jeremiah 52:11 בַֽ/נְחֻשְׁתַּ֗יִם vanechushetayim HRd/Ncfda with bronze fetters in double-bronze with bronze fetters
H5178-03 Jeremiah 52:17 הַ/נְּחֹ֜שֶׁת hanechoshet HTd/Ncfsa the-bronze the bronze the bronze
H5178-03 Jeremiah 52:17 הַ/נְּחֹ֛שֶׁת hanechoshet-2 HTd/Ncfsa the-bronze the bronze the bronze
H5178-11 Jeremiah 52:17 נְחֻשְׁתָּ֖/ם nechushetam HNcfsc/Sp3mp their-bronze their bronze their bronze
H5178-03 Jeremiah 52:18 הַ/נְּחֹ֛שֶׁת hanechoshet HTd/Ncfsa the-bronze the bronze the bronze
H5178-09 Jeremiah 52:20 נְחֹ֨שֶׁת֙ nechoshet HNcfsa bronze shining copper bronze
H5178-06 Jeremiah 52:20 לִ/נְחֻשְׁתָּ֖/ם linechushetam HR/Ncfsc/Sp3mp for their bronze for their bronze for their bronze
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