שֶׂרֶד
𐤔𐤓𐤃
sered
H8279 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A scribing tool or instrument, specifically a stylus or awl used for marking, inscribing, or engraving lines—particularly by artisans such as carpenters. It refers to an implement used to etch, scratch, or incise lines on wood, stone, or other materials for the purpose of measurement or guideline marking in technical or craft work.
Semantic Range
scribing tool, carpenter's stylus, engraving awl, marking instrument, implement for incising lines
Root / Etymology
From the root שׂרד, meaning 'to scratch, write, inscribe, or mark'. The noun שֶׂרֶד derives from this root and designates a tool associated with these actions—specifically, a stylus, awl, or scribing instrument used to scratch or mark surfaces.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שֶׂרֶד is a rare term in the Hebrew Bible, attested only in Isaiah 44:13, where it appears in the context of the craftsman's tools in shaping an idol—specifically as a measuring and marking implement. The term illustrates the use of specialized craft vocabulary; it occurs alongside other technical tools, indicating a distinct artisan culture in ancient Israel. English translations often use 'line', 'stylus', 'awl', or similar, but none fully capture the technical nuance of a scribing tool for precise marking. In later post-biblical Hebrew, related terms broaden in reference, but in the biblical period, it is linked narrowly to manual inscription on materials such as wood. The word is not associated with any ethnic or geographic group and strictly describes a tool in the artisan's process. Distinguished from מַשְׁקוֹל ('plumb line') and חֶבֶל ('cord/line'), which refer to measuring cords or lines proper, while שֶׂרֶד is a physical implement used to create actual marks or lines.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from שָׂרַד; a (carpenter's) scribing-awl (for pricking or scratching measurements); line.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׂרד (ś-r-d) — to scratch, inscribe, mark, write
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8279-01 |
בַ/שֶּׂ֔רֶד | vasered | HRd/Ncmsa |
with a marking tool | with a scribing-awl | with a scribing-awl | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8279-01 |
Isaiah 44:13 | בַ/שֶּׂ֔רֶד | vasered | HRd/Ncmsa |
with a marking tool | with a scribing-awl | with a scribing-awl |