Bible Word Study
תַּשְׁבֵּץ
tashbêts · checkered stuff (as reticulated)
תַּשְׁבֵּץ
checkered stuff (as reticulated)
Definition
The Hebrew noun תַּשְׁבֵּץ (tashbêts) refers to a specific type of intricately woven or patterned fabric, best understood as 'checkered' or 'reticulated' material. It describes a textile with a network-like or lattice design, likely created through a skilled weaving technique. This term is used exclusively in Exodus 28:4 to describe one of the garments of the high priest, specifically the 'robe of the ephod.' The fabric's complex pattern was a key part of the garment's sacred and visually distinguished nature.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the entire Old Testament, in Exodus 28:4. It appears in the detailed divine instructions for crafting the sacred garments for Aaron, the high priest. The context is exclusively cultic and priestly, specifying that the robe worn under the ephod was to be made from this 'checkered' fabric. There are no other usages in different contexts or books.
Etymology
תַּשְׁבֵּץ (tashbêts) is a noun derived from the root שָׁבַץ (shavats, H7660), which carries the core meaning of being interwoven, plaited, or checkered. The root suggests the idea of a network or lattice structure. The noun form specifically denotes the product or result of this weaving process—the checkered fabric itself.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it pertains directly to the holiness and separation of the Aaronic priesthood. The specific, divinely mandated materials for the high priest's garments, including this checkered fabric, underscored that worship and approach to God were to be conducted with precision, beauty, and according to God's revealed pattern (Exodus 28:2). Understanding this detail enriches the reading of Exodus by highlighting how every aspect of the Tabernacle service pointed to God's perfection and the mediator's consecrated role. In the ancient Near Eastern context, elaborate textiles were symbols of status, skill, and wealth. For Israel, the use of such a specially crafted fabric (tashbêts) exclusively for the high priest's robe culturally communicated the supreme honor and unique sanctity of his office. The 'checkered' pattern may have held symbolic meaning, possibly representing the idea of being set apart in a web of divine service, distinct from ordinary clothing. רִקְמָה (riqmah, H7553) — 'embroidery'; a more general term for needlework or colored embroidery on fabric, used for various Tabernacle curtains and garments, whereas תַּשְׁבֵּץ specifies a checkered weave.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]