כֶּסֶת
a cushion or pillow (as covering a seat or bed)
Definition
The Hebrew noun כֶּסֶת (keçeth) refers to a cushion or pillow used to cover a seat or bed. In its two biblical occurrences, it specifically denotes a soft item sewn onto the wrists and hands of women, likely as part of a ritualistic or magical practice (Ezekiel 13:18, 20). The word derives from the root for 'to cover,' emphasizing its function as a covering or protective layer. While the KJV translates it simply as 'pillow,' the context in Ezekiel suggests these were not ordinary bed pillows but ritual accessories used in divination.
Biblical Usage
כֶּסֶת is used only in Ezekiel 13:18 and 20, within a prophetic condemnation of false prophetesses in Israel. The prophet Ezekiel describes these women sewing 'cushions' (כְּסָתוֹת) onto the wrists and hands of their clients, likely as part of a magical rite to ensnare souls. This unique usage is tied to a specific cultural and religious context of illicit divination, making it distinct from ordinary domestic items like bed pillows.
Etymology
The word כֶּסֶת is derived from the root כָּסָה (kāsâ, H3680), meaning 'to cover, conceal, or clothe.' This etymological connection highlights the item's primary function as a covering. As a noun form, it denotes something that serves as a cover, which in these contexts is a soft, sewn covering for the wrists.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it appears in Ezekiel's oracle against false spiritual practices. The 'cushions' or 'pillows' are instruments of deception used by prophetesses to 'hunt souls' and profane God's name (Ezekiel 13:18-19). Understanding כֶּסֶת enriches the reading by revealing the tangible methods of idolatrous divination that God condemns, emphasizing the seriousness of corrupting true worship and exploiting people through superstition.
In the ancient Near Eastern context, items like these כְּסָתוֹת were likely part of a well-known divinatory practice. Sewing cushions onto the wrists may have been a ritual act to symbolize binding or protection in a magical sense, differing greatly from a modern understanding of a simple pillow. Ezekiel's audience would have recognized this as a specific, condemned form of sorcery.
כָּר (kar, H3703) — a more general term for a cushion or pillow, often for the head (1 Samuel 19:13).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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