Fillet (Hastings' Dictionary)
Two words are tr'' so : (1) o;n hiit, 3eT 52'-' of that which would 'compass' the pillars wliich kin" Solomon had made in the house of the Lord, and which the Chaldu'ans brake to carry the brass away ; AVm ' thread ' ; RV ' line,' which is the translation in 1 K 7" of both AV and RV. See Pillar and Temple. The same word is used for the scarlet 'thread' wliich Rahab placed in her window (Jos 2'*), and for the threefold ' cord ' which cannot be broken of Ec 4'-. (2) [?;:;'.
-] hdshi'ik, only found in plu. and with suftixcs. Ex 27''»- " 30 ^« SS'"' "• "■ "■^', of that wliich clasped the pillars in the tabernacle, those of the pillars of the court being overlaid with silver, those of the pillars at the door with gold. See Pillar and Tabernacle. The verb p.;ri hislishak, to furnish with fillets, is tr"* 'fillet' where it occurs. Ex 27" 'the pillars . . shall be filleted with silver,' 3S'^ 'the pillars . .
were filleted with silver,' SS'-'* '[BezalelJ filleted them' (RV 'made fillets for them'). A fillet is a little thread (Lat. filum, a tliread, Fr. fl, dim. flet). Its oldest and commonest appli- cation is to a ribbon for binding the hair, 'llius Spenser, FQ l. iii. 4 — • From her faire head her fillet she undigbt' ; and Fuller, Holy Warre, 125, ' They pleaded that the Crown was tied on Guys head with a woman's fillet.'
But it came to be used early, and is still in use, for any narrow strip of binduig material. J. HA-STINGS.
This topic also has an entry in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Both articles offer independent scholarly perspectives.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Fillet
Fillet fil'-et (chuT, chashuq): ⇒See the definition of fillet in the KJV Dictionary (1) Chut, from a root not used, meaning probably "to sew," therefore a string or a measuring rod or cord, and so a line, tape, thread, fillet. Jer 52:21 translated "line" (the King James Version "fillet"), measuring 12 cubits long, encircling brass pillars standing 18 cubits high, part of the temple treasure plundered by the Chaldeans; and many other things "that were in the house of Yahweh, did the Chaldeans break in pieces." Translated "thread," used by Rahab, in Jos 2:18, and "cord," "three fold .... is not quickly broken," in Ec 4:12. (2) Chashuq, from a root meaning "to join" and therefore something joined or attached, and so a rail or rod between pillars, i.e. a fillet. The hangings of the court of the tabernacle were supported by brass pillars set in brass sockets, "The hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver" (Ex 27:10-11). The embroidered screen for the door of the Tent was supported by five pillars socketed in brass: "And he overlaid their capitals and their fillets with go…
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia