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Exodus 39:27 — Word Study

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WLCוַֽיַּעֲשׂ֛וּ אֶת־ הַכָּתְנֹ֥ת שֵׁ֖שׁ מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה אֹרֵ֑ג לְאַהֲרֹ֖ן וּלְבָנָֽיו׃

BSAFor AaronʼAhărôwn [the first high priest, Moses' brother] and his sonsbên [descendants, spiritual heirs] they madeʻâsâh [created, fashioned] tunicskᵉthôneth [long, shirt-like garments] of fine linenshêsh [white, luxurious fabric] the workmaʻăseh [deed] of a weaverʼârag [one who weaves]

Word
Listen & take awayExodus 39
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 27 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (u.le.va.Nav) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Exodus 39:27quick helps
In a sentenceThe artisans crafted tunics of fine linen for Aaron and his sons, highlighting their priestly role.
Who is speakingThe text describes the actions of the craftsmen under God's instructions.
Where we areThis verse is part of the detailed instructions for the garments of the priests.
The hard wordכֻּתֹּנֶת
Take awayThe tunics symbolize the holiness and dignity of the priesthood.
4 commentators on this verse Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge, Whedon & more — read them › clause verbעָשָׂה The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

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 — Exodus 39:27

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 — The Priestly Garmentsgenerated

26alternating the bells and pomegranates around the lower hem of the robe to be worn for ministry, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
27For Aaron and his sons they made tunics of fine linen, the work of a weaver,
28as well as the turban of fine linen, the ornate headbands and undergarments of finely spun linen,
29and the sash of finely spun linen, embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Exodus 39:27 describes how the priests' garments were made, emphasizing the importance of proper attire for their sacred duties. This section details the craftsmanship involved in creating garments for Aaron and his sons, which were essential for their roles in the Tabernacle service. The tunics, along with other garments mentioned in the surrounding verses, reflect the care and precision required in the worship of God, as commanded by Him.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Exodus 28:39–42You are to weave the tunic with fine linen, make the turban of fine linen, and fashion an embroidered sash.
2Leviticus 8:13Then Moses presented Aaron’s sons, put tunics on them, wrapped sashes around them, and tied headbands on them, just as the LORD had commanded him.
3Isaiah 61:10I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom wears a priestly headdress, as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
4Ezekiel 44:18They are to wear linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments around their waists. They must not wear anything that makes them perspire.
5Romans 3:22And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction,

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word עָשָׂה, vai.ya.'a.Sugenerated

The verb עָשָׂה (asah) means to make or do, encompassing a broad range of actions from crafting to performing. It is a commonly used verb in the Hebrew Bible, appearing over 2,600 times, and is foundational in describing creation and workmanship.

In this verse, it indicates the active role of the craftsmen in creating the tunics, which were essential for the priestly function. The choice of this verb underscores the significance of their work in fulfilling God's commands.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses made to translate עָשָׂה.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb וַיַּעֲשׂוּ (and they made) governs the entire verse, with the rest of the sentence detailing what was made and for whom. The structure emphasizes the action of making as central to the verse.

The sentence is organized around the action of crafting the tunics, with additional phrases providing context about the materials and the recipients, Aaron and his sons.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates עָשָׂה as ἐποίησαν (they made), which carries a similar meaning. This choice reflects the continuity of the action described in both Hebrew and Greek texts.

The use of ἐποίησαν indicates a straightforward rendering, maintaining the focus on the act of creation as central to the priests' garments.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Exodus 39:27 tells us that tunics were made for Aaron and his sons from fine linen. These garments were crafted by skilled weavers, highlighting the importance of proper attire for the priests in their service to God.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What is the significance of the tunics made for Aaron and his sons?

The tunics symbolize the holiness and dignity of the priesthood, as they were specifically designed for those serving in the Tabernacle.

What materials were used for the tunics?

The tunics were made from fine linen, which was a luxurious and pure fabric, suitable for the priests' sacred duties.

Who were the craftsmen responsible for making the tunics?

The verse indicates that skilled weavers were responsible for crafting the tunics, reflecting the importance of craftsmanship in the service of God.

How do the tunics relate to the overall priestly garments?

The tunics are part of a larger set of priestly garments that include other items like turbans and sashes, all designed to signify the role and responsibilities of the priests.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does the careful crafting of the tunics reveal about the importance of worship in my life?
  2. How can I apply the principles of dedication and skill seen in the making of the tunics to my own work?
  3. What role does the concept of holiness play in my understanding of service to God?
  4. In what ways can I honor the traditions and practices of my faith community, similar to how the priests honored their roles?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Exodus 39:27 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

They made shoulderpieces for it, to couple it together: by the two edges was it coupled together. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 39 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(27) They made coats.—Rather, tunics or shirts. See Note on Exodus 28:40.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Exodus 39 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

27–29. The tunics and other priestly vestments. Abridged from Exodus 28:39-40; Exodus 28:42 a.

Read Cambridge on Exodus 39 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

THE HOLY OF THE PRIESTS, Exodus 39:1-31 See notes on Exodus 28. ALL BROUGHT TO MOSES AND , Exodus 39:32-43.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Exodus 39 →

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

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

For Aaron and his sons they made tunics of fine linen, the work of a weaver,

WEBWorld English Bible2000

They made the tunics of fine linen of woven work for Aaron and for his sons,

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

For Aaron and his sons they made tunics of fine linen, the work of a weaver,

NETBNew English Translation2006

They made tunics of fine linen – the work of a weaver, for Aaron and for his sons –

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

¶ And they made coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron, and for his sons,

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And they made the coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron, and for his sons,

RVARevised Version, American1894

And they made the coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron, and for his sons,

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And they made coats of fine linen, of woven work, for Aaron and for his sons,

GNVGeneva Bible1599

After, they made coates of fine linen, of wouen worke for Aaron and for his sonnes.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And they made the vests of byssus of woven work, for Aaron, and for his sons;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And they make the coats of linen, work of a weaver, for Aaron and for his sons,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And they make the coats of linen, the work of a weaver, for Aaron and for his sons,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And they made the coats of linen, of woven work, for Aaron and for his sons,

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

They made the coats of fine linen for Aaron and for his sons.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And linen breeches of fine linen:

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

They made tunics with finely-spun linen made by a weaver for Aaron and his sons.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

The coats for Aaron and his sons they made of the best linen;

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.

וַֽandclauseverbיַּעֲשׂ֛וּthey.madenoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseהַtheכָּתְנֹ֥תtunicsnoun phrase · adverbialשֵׁ֖שׁfine.linennoun phraseמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה[the].workאֹרֵ֑גof.a.weaverprepositional phrase · prepositionalprepositional phraseלְforאַהֲרֹ֖ןAaronוּandprepositional phraseלְfornoun phraseבָנָֽיsonsוhis

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 largely agree in their wording, with a slight variation in the Samaritan Pentateuch, which uses כיתנת (tunic) instead of כֻּתֹּנֶת. This shows a consistent understanding of the garments intended for the priests.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וַֽיַּעֲשׂ֛וּ אֶת־ הַכָּתְנֹ֥ת שֵׁ֖שׁ מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה אֹרֵ֑ג לְאַהֲרֹ֖ן וּלְבָנָֽיו׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַֽיַּעֲשׂ֛וּἐποίησανהַכָּתְנֹ֥תξιτῶναςשֵׁ֖שׁβυσσίνουςמַעֲשֵׂ֣הἔργονאֹרֵ֑גὑφαντὸνלְאַהֲרֹ֖ןααρωνוּלְבָנָֽיו׃αὐτοῦ

7 of the 8 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.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

ויעשׂו את הכיתנת שׁשׁ מעשׂה ארג לאהרן ולבניו

1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: כיתנת (tunic)

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.

Exodus 39:27עָשָׂהand they maand they madeעָשָׂהאֵתthe object the object markאֵתכֻּתֹּ֫נֶתthe tunicsthe tunicsכֻּתֹּ֫נֶתשֵׁשׁfine linenfine linenשֵׁשׁמַעֲשֶׂה[the] work [the] work ofמַעֲשֶׂהאָרַגa weavera weaverאָרַגאַהֲרֹןfor Aaronfor Aaronאַהֲרֹןבֵּןand for sonand for sons hiבֵּןאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתעָשָׂהto maketo makeעָשָׂהבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהכָּתֵףshouldershoulderכָּתֵףמֶ֫שִׁיsilksilkמֶ֫שִׁישַׁ֫יִשׁalabasteralabasterשַׁ֫יִשׁמְלָאכָהworkworkמְלָאכָהתּוֹעֵבַהabominatioabominationתּוֹעֵבַהמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁפַּסlong-sleevlong-sleevedפַּסאַבְנֵטgirdlegirdleאַבְנֵטשָׁזַרto twistto twistשָׁזַראַרְגָּמָןpurplepurpleאַרְגָּמָןשָׁנִיscarletscarletשָׁנִישֵׁשׁalabasteralabasterשֵׁשׁמָנוֹרloom-beamloom-beamמָנוֹרמַחֲלָפָהlocklockמַחֲלָפָהאֶלְעָזָרEleazarEleazarאֶלְעָזָר
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Exodus 39:27

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.

and they made the object marker the tunics fine linen [the] work of a weaver for Aaron and for sons his
וַֽיַּעֲשׂ֛וּvai.ya.'a.Su and they made H6213 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
2,629× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Amplified meaning
created, fashioned
Tyndale gloss
to make
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָשָׂה (asah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to do or make, encompassing a wide range of actions such as producing, preparing, and observing. It can refer to both concrete and abstract activities, including making offerings and attending to tasks. The verb also has forms indicating passive meanings, such as being made or offered. Notably, the Piel form refers to pressing or squeezing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָשָׂה 2622 vb. do, make

Qal 2524

do (1560 t.)

deal with

oft. in phr. do kindness with

abs. act, act with effect

make (670 t.)

produce, yield

prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

make offering

attend to, put in order

observe, celebrate, religious festival

acquire property of various kinds

appoint priests

bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

use

spend, pass, days of life

Niph.

97be done

be made, of concr. things

be produced from vine

be prepared, of food

be offered

be observed, passover

be used

Pu. I was made

base

[עָשָׂה] vb. Pi. press, squeeze

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6213a עָשָׂה do, make .. . do (1560 + t.)

. deal with

. oft. in phr. do kindness with

. abs. act, act with effect

. . make (670 + t.)

. produce, yield

. prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

. make offering

. attend to, put in order

. observe, celebrate, religious festival

. acquire property of various kinds

. appoint priests

. bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

. use

. spend, pass, days of life

. . be done

. . be made, of concr. things

. be produced from vine

. be prepared, of food

. be offered

. be observed, passover

. be used

. I was made

H6213b עָשָׂה Pi. press, squeeze

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6213 `asah aw-saw'

a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and

widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance,

appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth,

bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal

(with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in)

execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, +

finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go

about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X

indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain,

make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare,

bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure,

provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin,

spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be

(warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make: do.

: do/perform

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

1a2c) to prepare

1a2d) to make (an offering)

1a2e) to attend to, put in order

1a2f) to observe, celebrate

1a2g) to acquire (property)

1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute

1a2i) to bring about

1a2j) to use

1a2k) to spend, pass

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be done

1b2) to be made

1b3) to be produced

1b4) to be offered

1b5) to be observed

1b6) to be used

1c) (Pual) to be made

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to press.

(Piel) to press, squeeze

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make.

: make(OBJECT)

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
and they made the object marker the tunics fine linen [the] work of a weaver for Aaron and for sons his
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they made the object marker the tunics fine linen [the] work of a weaver for Aaron and for sons his
הַכָּתְנֹ֥תha.ka.te.Not the tunics H3801 Particle · noun common feminine plural construct
29× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A tunic was a long, shirt-like garment, often made of linen, worn by people like Joseph in Genesis 37:3.
Amplified meaning
long, shirt-like garments
Tyndale gloss
tunic
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֻּתֹּ֫נֶת (kthoneth) refers to a tunic or garment, specifically a long shirt-like undergarment typically made of linen. It is derived from a root meaning to cover, and is associated with clothing items such as coats and robes. The term appears in various contexts in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֻּתֹּ֫נֶת, כְּתֹ֫נֶת n.f. tunic

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3801 כֻּתֹּ֫נֶת, כְּתֹ֫נֶת tunic

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3801 kthoneth keth-o'-neth

or kuttoneth {koot-to'-neth}; from an unused root meaning to

cover (compare 3802); a shirt:--coat, garment, robe.

see HEBREW for 03802

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֻּתֹּ֫נֶת (ke.to.net) — tunic.

1) tunic, under-garment

1a) a long shirt-like garment usually of linen

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-fp — Particle · noun common feminine plural construct
HTd/Ncfpc
and they made the object marker the tunics fine linen [the] work of a weaver for Aaron and for sons his
שֵׁ֖שׁshesh fine linen H8336 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
41× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word refers to fine white linen or marble, often used to describe the luxurious clothing and buildings of ancient times, like the Temple in Jerusalem.
Amplified meaning
white, luxurious fabric
Tyndale gloss
alabaster
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֵׁשׁ (shesh) refers to fine materials, primarily white linen or byssus, often associated with Egyptian textiles. It can also denote alabaster or similar stones like marble, indicating a range of meanings related to both fabric and stone. The entries suggest a connection to bleached or fine materials, but there is no significant disagreement among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֵׁשׁ n.m. id. [שַׁ֫יִשׁ]; material of pavement

base

שֵׁשׁ n.m. byssus, fine Egyptian linen

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8336a שֵׁשׁ id. [שַׁ֫יִשׁ] H8336b שֵׁשׁ byssus, fine Egyptian linen

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8336 shesh shaysh

or (for alliteration with 4897) shshiy {shesh-ee'}; for 7893;

bleached stuff, i.e. white linen or (by analogy) marble:--X

blue, fine ((twined)) linen, marble, silk.

see HEBREW for 04897

see HEBREW for 07893

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֵׁשׁ (shesh) — alabaster.

alabaster, similar stone, marble, material of pavement

שֵׁשׁ (shesh) — linen.

something bleached white, byssus, linen, fine linen

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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

Easton's Bible Dictionary

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 (

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,

and they made the object marker the tunics fine linen [the] work of a weaver for Aaron and for sons his
מַעֲשֵׂ֣הma.'a.Seh [the] work of H4639 Noun common · masculine singular construct
236× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to an action or deed, which can be good or bad. It is used to describe various activities, such as work, business, or achievements. The KJV translates it as act, deed, or labor.
Amplified meaning
deed
Tyndale gloss
deed: judgement
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַעֲשֶׂה (ma`aseh) means deed or work, encompassing a range of actions from good to bad, and includes concepts like business, labor, and products made. It can refer to specific achievements, works of God, or even customs. The entries suggest a broad application in various contexts, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מַעֲשֶׂה 233 n.m. deed, work

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4639 מַעֲשֶׂה deed, work

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4639 ma`aseh mah-as-eh'

from 6213; an action (good or bad); generally, a transaction;

abstractly, activity; by implication, a product (specifically,

a poem) or (generally) property:--act, art, + bakemeat,

business, deed, do(-ing), labor, thing made, ware of making,

occupation, thing offered, operation, possession, X well,

((handy-, needle-, net-))work(ing, - manship), wrought.

see HEBREW for 06213

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַעֲשֶׂה (ma.a.seh) — deed: work.

: work/product

1) deed, work

1a) deed, thing done, act

1b) work, labour

1c) business, pursuit

1d) undertaking, enterprise

1e) achievement

1f) deeds, works (of deliverance and judgment)

1g) work, thing made

1h) work (of God)

1i) product

מַעֲשֶׂה (ma.a.seh) — deed: justice.

: justice/right/righteousness

1) deed, work

1a) deed, thing done, act

1b) work, labour

1c) business, pursuit

1d) undertaking, enterprise

1e) achievement

1f) deeds, works (of deliverance and judgment)

1g) work, thing made

1h) work (of God)

1i) product

מַעֲשֶׂה (ma.a.seh) — deed: judgement.

: judgement/punishment

1) deed, work

1a) deed, thing done, act

1b) work, labour

1c) business, pursuit

1d) undertaking, enterprise

1e) achievement

1f) deeds, works (of deliverance and judgment)

1g) work, thing made

1h) work (of God)

1i) product

מַעֲשֶׂה (ma.a.seh) — deed: custom.

: custom/manner

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and they made the object marker the tunics fine linen [the] work of a weaver for Aaron and for sons his
אֹרֵ֑ג'o.Reg a weaver H707 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
14× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to weave or plait, and is used to describe everyday tasks like weaving cloth or braiding hair. It also has figurative meanings, such as intrigue or plotting.
Amplified meaning
one who weaves
Tyndale gloss
to weave
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָרַג (arag) is a Hebrew verb meaning to weave or plait, applicable to both cloth and hair, as noted in the context of Samson's hair. It can also refer to the act of weaving in a more figurative sense, such as in intrigue. The entries consistently emphasize its primary meaning related to weaving.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[אָרַג] vb. weave

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H707 אָרַג weave

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

707 'arag aw-rag'

a primitive root; to plait or weave:--weaver(-r).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָרַג (a.rag) — to weave.

1) to weave

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to weave (cloth)

1a2) to braid (Samson's hair)

1a3) weaver (subst.)

1a4) intrigue (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
and they made the object marker the tunics fine linen [the] work of a weaver for Aaron and for sons his
לְאַהֲרֹ֖ןle.'a.ha.Ron for Aaron H175 Preposition · noun proper masculine
347× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Aaron was the brother of Moses and the first high priest of the Israelites. He was a leader in the Exodus from Egypt and played a key role in the early history of the Israelites. His story is told in Exodus and Leviticus.
Amplified meaning
the first high priest, Moses' brother
Tyndale gloss
Aaron
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַהֲרֹן (Aharon) refers to Aaron, the elder brother of Moses, from the tribe of Levi. He is first mentioned in Exodus 4:14 and is known as the first high priest. Aaron is the son of Amram and Jochebed, and he had four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. The name is of uncertain derivation but is associated with the meaning 'light bringer.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַהֲרֹן 346 n.pr.m. Aaron, elder brother of Moses

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H175 אַהֲרֹן Aaron, elder brother of Moses

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

175 'Aharown a-har-one'

of uncertain derivation; Aharon, the brother of

Moses:--Aaron.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַהֲרֹן (a.ha.ron) — Aaron.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Exo.4.14;

son of: Amram (H6019) and Jochebed (H3115);

brother of: Moses (H4872) and Miriam (H4813); married to Elisheba (H0472);

father of: Nadab (H5070), Abihu (H0030), Eleazar (H0499) and Ithamar (H0385)

Also named: Aarōn (Ἀαρών "Aaron" G0002)

§ Aaron = "light bringer"

brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculine
HR/Npm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ar'-un, sometimes pronounced ar'on ('aharon--Septuagint Aaron, meaning uncertain: Gesenius suggests "mountaineer"; Furst, "enlightened"; others give "rich," "fluent." Cheyne mentions Redslob's "ingenious conjecture" of ha-'aron--"the ark"--with its mythical, priestly significance, Encyclopedia Biblica under the word):

1. Family:

Probably eldest son of Amram (Ex 6:20), and according to the uniform genealogical lists (Ex 6:16-20; 1Ch 6:1-3), the fourth from Levi. This however is not certainly fixed, since there are frequent omissions from the Hebrew lists of names which are not prominent in the line of descent. For the corresponding period from Levi to Aaron the Judah list has six names (

Aaron

The eldest son of Amram and Jochebed, a daughter of Levi (Ex. 6:20). Some explain the name as meaning mountaineer, others mountain of strength, illuminator. He was born in Egypt three years before his brother Moses, and a number of years after his sister Miriam (2:1,4; 7:7). He married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab of the house of Judah (6:23; 1 Chr. 2:10), by whom he had four sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. When the time for the deliverance of Isarael out of Egypt drew nigh, he was sent by God (Ex. 4:14,27-30) to meet his long-absent brother, that he might co-operate with him in all that they were required to do in bringing about the Exodus. He was to be the “mouth” or “prophet” of Moses, i.e., was to…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(a teacher, or lofty), the son of Amram and Jochebed, and the older brother of Moses and Miriam. (Numbers 26:59; 33:39) (B.C. 1573.) He was a Levite, and is first mentioned in (Exodus 4:14) He was appointed by Jehovah to be the interpreter, (Exodus 4:16) of his brother Moses, who was "slow of speech;" and accordingly he was not only the organ of communication with the Israelites and with Pharaoh, (Exodus 4:30; 7:2) but also the actual instrument of working most of the miracles of the Exodus. (Exodus 7:19) etc. On the way to Mount Sinai, during the battle with Amalek, Aaron with Hur stayed up the weary hands of Moses when…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The son of Amram and Jochabed, of the tribe of Levi, and brother of Moses and Miriam, Ex 6:20; born about the year B. C. 1574. He was three years older than Moses, Ex 7:7 and was the spokesman and assistant of the latter in bringing Israel out of Egypt, Ex 4:16. His wife was Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab; and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. He was 83 years old when God summoned him to join Moses in the desert near Horeb. Cooperating with his brother in the exodus from Egypt, Ex 4:1-16:36, he held up his hands in the battle with Amalek, Ex 17:1-16; and ascended Mount Sinai with him to see the glory of God,

and they made the object marker the tunics fine linen [the] work of a weaver for Aaron and for sons his
וּלְבָנָֽיו׃u.le.va.Nav and for sons his H1121 Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
descendants, spiritual heirs
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

n. relat. of age

base

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

. n. relat. of age

H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)

(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,

(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,

bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X

came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of

first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +

kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)

people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +

spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous

one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)

§ Beno = "his son"

the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Prep | N-mp | Suff — Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HC/R/Ncmpc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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