Deuteronomy 22:11 — Word Study
WLCלֹ֤א תִלְבַּשׁ֙ שַֽׁעַטְנֵ֔ז צֶ֥מֶר וּפִשְׁתִּ֖ים יַחְדָּֽו׃ ס
BSADo notlôʼ [refrain from, abstain] wearlâbash▸ clothesshaʻaṭnêz [garments, apparel] of wooltsemer [flax and wool mixed, a forbidden blend] and linenpishteh [flax, a plant-based material] woven togetheryachad [mingled, intertwined, in unity, as one fabric]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לֹ֤א | not | Particle |
| תִלְבַּשׁ֙ | you will wear | Verb, Qal, imperfect second person masculine singular |
| שַֽׁעַטְנֵ֔ז | mixed stuff | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| צֶ֥מֶר | wool | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וּפִשְׁתִּ֖ים | and linen | Conjunction, noun common masculine plural absolute |
| יַחְדָּֽו׃ ס | together | Adverb |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Do not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together. |
| KJV | ¶ Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woollen and linen together. |
| ASV | Thou shalt not wear a mingled stuff, wool and linen together. |
| YLT | 'Thou dost not put on a mixed cloth, wool and linen together. |
| WEB | You shall not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together. |
| BBE | Do not have clothing made of two sorts of thread, wool and linen together. |
Where they part company is in the treatment of שַׁעַטְנֵז — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured around a clear command, with a single main clause followed by a descriptive noun phrase.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
verbלָבֵשׁ
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Deuteronomy 22:11
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Laws About Clothing and Agriculturegenerated
Deuteronomy 22:11 is part of a series of laws that God gave to the Israelites, emphasizing the importance of separation and purity in their practices. These laws include instructions on how to treat animals, what to wear, and guidelines for marriage. The prohibition against wearing mixed fabrics serves to illustrate a broader principle of maintaining distinct boundaries in various aspects of life.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leviticus 19:19 | You are to keep My statutes. You shall not crossbreed two different kinds of livestock; you shall not sow your fields with two kinds of seed; and you shall not wear clothing made of two kinds of material. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שַׁעַטְנֵז, sha.'at.Nezgenerated
The word שַׁעַטְנֵז (sha'atnez) refers specifically to a fabric made from a blend of wool and linen. This term is used only twice in the Hebrew Bible and is associated with a prohibition against mixing these two materials in garments.
The significance of this prohibition lies in the broader biblical theme of separation and holiness. The mixing of materials symbolizes a blending of distinct categories, which is not permitted in the context of Israel's covenant with God.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In the Berean Standard Bible, the verse reads Do not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together, which is consistent across other translations such as the KJV and ASV.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb is תִלְבַּשׁ (tilbash), you will wear, which governs the structure of the sentence. The clause is straightforward, with the verb followed by the object, indicating what is prohibited.
The sentence structure emphasizes the command not to wear mixed fabrics, with שַׁעַטְנֵז as the focal point of the prohibition.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שַׁעַטְנֵז as κίβδηλον, which can mean 'mixed' or 'adulterated.' This choice reflects a broader interpretation of the term, emphasizing the idea of impurity in clothing.
This translation choice indicates a concern not only for the physical mixing of materials but also for the symbolic implications of such mixtures in the context of holiness.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Deuteronomy 22:11 instructs the Israelites not to wear garments made from a mixture of wool and linen. This law highlights the importance of maintaining purity and separation in their practices.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The prohibition against mixed fabrics serves as a symbol of separation and holiness, reflecting the broader principle of maintaining distinct boundaries in the life of the Israelites.
The term refers to a specific type of fabric made from a blend of wool and linen, which is forbidden for the Israelites to wear.
Yes, there are various laws in the Bible that address clothing, including the requirement for tassels on garments and prohibitions against certain materials.
This law, like others in Deuteronomy, emphasizes the importance of obedience to God's commands and the need for the Israelites to maintain their distinct identity as His chosen people.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some ways I can maintain purity and separation in my own life?
- How do the principles behind this law apply to modern practices?
- In what areas of my life am I tempted to mix things that should remain separate?
- How can understanding this law help me appreciate the importance of God's commands?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Deuteronomy 22:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts,.... The Jews say nothing is forbidden under the name of sorts but what is spun and wove, as it is said, "thou shalt not wear sheatnez", a thing that is
Read John Gill on Deuteronomy 22 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woollen and linen together. Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts.
Read Robert Jamieson on Deuteronomy 22 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(11) A garment . . . of woollen and linen together.—In Ezekiel 44:17-18, the priests are altogether forbidden the use of woollen garments during their ministry. “The fine linen is the righteousness of saints” (Revelation 19:8), literally, their requirements. That is what they need. But it is said of the priests in Ezekiel, “They shall not gird themselves with anything that causeth sweat: That which cometh out of the man defileth him.” Again, in God’s dwelling-place, the interior or mishkân, the tabernacle where He abode, was of fine linen. The outer tent and coverings were of hair and skin and wool. The tabernacle where He dwells, and the earthly house of the tabernacle, must be kept…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Deuteronomy 22 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges11. a mingled stuff] Heb. sha‘aṭ ?nez, a foreign word, and perhaps Egyptian (doubtfully derived from the Coptic saht, ‘woven,’ and nudj, ‘false’), LXX κίβδηλος. Also in Leviticus 19:19, which has a garment of two kinds for the wool and linen together of D. According to Hosea 2:5; Hosea 2:9, Israel attributed her wool and flax (and other products) to the Baalξm, and if as is probable different products were attributed to different Baals we have a confirmation of the theory stated above in the introd. note. Josephus, IV. Antt. Deuteronomy 8:11, gives another reason.
Read Cambridge on Deuteronomy 22 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible9-11. Not sow… divers seeds — These prohibitions are similar to those in Leviticus 19:19, and seem founded on an aversion to mingling things unlike.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Deuteronomy 22 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Do not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together.
You shall not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together.
Do not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together.
You must not wear clothing made with wool and linen meshed together.
Tyndale line
¶ Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woollen and linen together.
Thou shalt not wear a mingled stuff, wool and linen together.
Thou shalt not wear a mingled stuff, wool and linen together.
Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woolen and linen together.
Thou shalt not weare a garment of diuers sorts, as of woollen and linen together.
Strictly literal
Thou shalt not wear a garment of mixed material, [woven] of wool and linen together.
'Thou dost not put on a mixed cloth, wool and linen together.
You do not put on mixed material, wool and linens together.
Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, of woolen and linen together.
You must not wear fabric made of wool and linen together.
From the Latin
Thou shalt not wear a garment that is woven of woollen and linen together.
Simplified
Don't wear clothes made of wool and linen woven together.
Do not have clothing made of two sorts of thread, wool and linen together.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint share a high degree of agreement, with five of the six words matching. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs by using the word for cloth in place of שַׁעַטְנֵז, but the overall meaning remains consistent.
לֹ֤א תִלְבַּשׁ֙ שַֽׁעַטְנֵ֔ז צֶ֥מֶר וּפִשְׁתִּ֖ים יַחְדָּֽו׃ ס
5 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
לא תלבשׁ שׁעטניז צמר ופשׁתים יחדו
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: שׁעטניז (cloth)
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Deuteronomy 22:11
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Part — ParticleHTn
The Hebrew word לָבֵשׁ (*labash*) means to put on or wear clothing, and it can refer to both literal and figurative clothing. It is built from a primitive root meaning to wrap around. The entries cover various forms, including Qal, Pual, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of dressing or being clothed. The word is also noted for its use in a figurative sense, such as being clothed with a spirit.
לָבֵשׁ, לָבַשׁ vb. put on (a garment), wear, clothe, be clothed
Qal
lit. put on (one’s own) garment; = wear (more or less habitually)
very oft. fig., put on, be clothed with
lit. put on
once
clothed with
and the spirit of י׳ clothed itself with Gideon
Pu. arrayed
Hiph. clothe, array with
base
H3847 לָבֵשׁ, לָבַשׁ put on (a garment), wear, clothe, be clothed
3847 labash law-bash'
or labesh {law-bashe'}; a primitive root; properly, wrap
around, i.e. (by implication) to put on a garment or clothe
(oneself, or another), literally or figuratively:--(in)
apparel, arm, array (self), clothe (self), come upon, put (on,
upon), wear.
לָבֵשׁ (la.vash) — to clothe.
1) to dress, wear, clothe, put on clothing, be clothed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to put on clothes, be clothed, wear
1a2) to put on, be clothed with (fig.)
1b) (Pual) to be fully clothed
1c) (Hiphil) to clothe, array with, dress
Aramaic equivalent: le.vash (לְבֵשׁ "to clothe" H3848)
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine singularHVqi2ms
שַׁעַטְנֵז (sha'atnez) refers to a type of mixed fabric, specifically a cloth woven from both linen and wool. It is noted in the lexicons as a forbidden material for garments, emphasizing its significance in ancient Hebrew law.
שַׁעַטְנֵז n.m. mixed stuff
base
H8162 שַׁעַטְנֵז mixed stuff
8162 sha`atnez shah-at-naze'
probably of foreign derivation; linsey- woolsey, i.e. cloth
of linen and wool carded and spun together:--garment of
divers sorts, linen and wollen.
שַׁעַטְנֵז (sha.at.nez) — mixed stuff.
1) mixed stuff, fabric of mixed weave, linsey-woolsey
1a) a kind of cloth forbidden for garments
1b) cloth made by weaving linen and wool together
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
stuf (keli; skeuos): "Material" for any purpose (Eze 12:3,4,7); or "supplies" in a more general sense (Ex 36:7, Hebrew mela'-khah; compare the King James Version, the English Revised Version 1Sa 10:22; 25:13; 30:24 (the American Standard Revised Version substitutes "baggage")); frequently, "household possessions" (Ge 31:37; 45:20; Ex 22:7; Jos 7:11; Ne 13:8; /RAPC Jdt 16:19; the King James Version Judith 15:11 (skeuasmata, the Revised Version (British and American) "furniture"); the King James Version
צֶ֫מֶר (tsemer) means 'wool' and is likely derived from a root meaning to be shaggy. It covers the literal sense of wool and can also refer to whiteness metaphorically. The term appears in contexts related to garments. There is an Aramaic equivalent, עֲמַר (amar), which also means 'wool.'
צֶ֫מֶר n.m. wool
base
H6785 צֶ֫מֶר wool
6785 tsemer tseh'-mer
from an unused root probably meaning to be shaggy;
wool:--wool(-len).
צֶ֫מֶר (tse.mer) — wool.
1) wool
1a) wool
1b) whiteness (metaph.)
1c) wool (in garments)
Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (עֲמַר "wool" H6015)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
wool (tsemer; erion): Wool and flax were the fibers most used by the ancient weavers. Wool was used principally for the outside garments (Le 13:48 ff; Pr 31:13; Eze 34:3; Ho 2:5,9). Syrian wool is found on the world's markets today, but it is not rated as first quality, partly because it is so contaminated with thorns, straw and other foreign matter which become entangled with the wool while the sheep are wandering over the barren, rocky mountain sides in search of food. Extensive pastures are almost unknown.
Two kinds of wool are sold:
(1) That obtained by shearing. This is removed from the animal as far as possible in one piece or fleece usually without previous washing.…
Wool
One of the first material used for making woven cloth (Lev. 13:47, 48, 52, 59; 19:19). The first-fruit of wool was to be offered to the priests (Deut. 18:4). The law prohibiting the wearing of a garment “of divers sorts, as of woollen and linen together” (Deut. 22:11) may, like some other laws of a similar character, have been intended to express symbolically the separateness and simplicity of God’s covenant people. The wool of Damascus, famous for its whiteness, was of great repute in the Tyrian market (Ezek. 27:18).
was an article of the highest value among the Jews, as the staple material for the manufacture of clothing. (Leviticus 13:47; 22:11; Job 31:20; Proverbs 31:13; Ezekiel 34:3; Hosea 2:5) The importance of wool is incidentally shown by the notice that Mesha’s tribute was paid in a certain number of rams "with the wool." (2 Kings 3:1) The wool of Damascus was highly prized in the mart of Tyre. (Ezekiel 27:18)
פֵּ֫שֶׁת (pishteh) refers to flax and linen, specifically the fiber used for making garments. It is derived from a root meaning to comminute, indicating its processed form. The entries consistently emphasize its use as a textile material.
[פֵּ֫שֶׁת] n.[m.] flax, linen
base
H6593 [פֵּ֫שֶׁת] flax, linen
6593 pishteh pish-teh'
from the same as 6580 as in the sense of comminuting; linen
(i.e. the thread, as carded):--flax, linen.
see HEBREW for 06580
פֵּ֫שֶׁת (pish.teh) — flax.
1) flax, linen
1a) fibre used as material for garments
Conj | N-mp — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural absoluteHC/Ncmpa
lin'-en (badh, "white linen," used chiefly for priestly robes, buts, "byssus," a fine white Egyptian linen, called in the earlier writings shesh; pesheth, "flax," cadhin; bussos, othonion, linon, sindon): Thread or cloth made of flax.
1. History:
Ancient Egypt was noted for its fine linen (Ge 41:42; Isa 19:9). From it a large export trade was carried on with surrounding nations, including the Hebrews, who early learned the art of spinning from the Egyptians (Ex 35:25) and continued to rely on them for the finest linen (Pr 7:16; Eze 27:7). The culture of flax in Palestine probably antedated the conquest, for in
Linen
(1.) Heb., pishet, pishtah, denotes “flax,” of which linen is made (Isa. 19:9); wrought flax, i.e., “linen cloth”, Lev. 13:47, 48, 52, 59; Deut. 22:11.
Flax was early cultivated in Egypt (Ex. 9:31), and also in Palestine (Josh. 2:6; Hos. 2:9). Various articles were made of it: garments (2 Sam. 6:14), girdles (Jer. 13:1), ropes and thread (Ezek. 40:3), napkins (
cloth made from flax. Several different Hebrew words are rendered linen, which may denote different fabrics of linen or different modes of manufacture. Egypt was the great centre of the linen trade. Some linen, made form the Egyptian byssus , a flax that grew on the banks of the Nile, was exceedingly soft and of dazzling whiteness. This linen has been sold for twice its weight in gold. Sir J.G. Wilkinson says of it, "The quality of the fine linen fully justifies all the praises of antiquity, and excites equal admiration at the present day, being to the touch comparable to silk, and not inferior in texture to our finest cambric."
As is well known, is made of the fine fibers of flax, and was much used by the ancients. Four different words in Hebrew are translated in our Bible, "Linen," "fine linen," and "silk:" PISHTAH, Jud 15:14 Eze 44:17,18; BAD, worn by the priests, Ex 28:42 39:28, and by king David, etc., 2Sa 6:14; SHESH, worn by Joseph when governor of Egypt, Ge 41:42, and by the virtuous woman in Pr 31:22, (see SILK;) and BUTZ, of which the veil of the temple and David’s outer mantle were made,
יַ֫חַד (yachad) refers to the concept of unitedness or being together. It can function as a noun meaning 'unitedness' and as an adverb meaning 'together.' The word is built from a root that emphasizes unity and is used in various contexts in the Old Testament.
יַ֫חַד 45 n.[m.] unitedness
as subst.
elsewhere always in acc. as adv. in union, together
base
יָחְדָּו 92 adv. together
base
H3162a יַ֫חַד unitedness . as subst.
. elsewhere always in acc. as adv. in union, together
H3162b יָחְדָּו adv. together
3162 yachad yakh'-ad
from 3161; properly, a unit, i.e. (adverb) unitedly:--alike,
at all (once), both, likewise, only, (al-)together, withal.
see HEBREW for 03161
יַ֫חַד (ya.chad) — unitedness.
1) union, unitedness
יָחְדָּו (yach.dav) — together.
adv
together
Adv — AdverbHD